Liquid carbon dioxide spray dry cleaning system and method

Abstract

An apparatus includes a storage tank configured to store liquid carbon dioxide. The apparatus also includes a cabinet configured to seal an interior space. The apparatus further includes a nozzle configured to spray the liquid carbon dioxide from the storage tank into the sealed interior space of the cabinet such that the liquid carbon dioxide leaving the nozzle changes into a two-state flow. The apparatus may also include a carbon dioxide recovery system configured to draw gaseous carbon dioxide from the sealed interior space of the cabinet, convert the gaseous carbon dioxide into a liquid state, and return the carbon dioxide in the liquid state to the storage tank. The carbon dioxide recovery system may include at least one compressor configured to pressurize the gaseous carbon dioxide and at least one condenser configured to cool the pressurized carbon dioxide from the at least one compressor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a storage tank configured to store liquid carbon dioxide;   a cabinet configured to seal an interior space; and   a nozzle configured to spray the liquid carbon dioxide from the storage tank into the sealed interior space of the cabinet such that the liquid carbon dioxide leaving the nozzle changes into a two-state flow.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet comprises a pressure chamber configured to obtain a pressure in a range from about 1 bar to about 10 bars. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a carbon dioxide recovery system configured to:
 draw gaseous carbon dioxide from the sealed interior space of the cabinet;   convert the gaseous carbon dioxide into a liquid state; and   return the carbon dioxide in the liquid state to the storage tank.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system comprises a desiccant dryer configured to remove water from the gaseous carbon dioxide drawn from the sealed interior space of the cabinet. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system comprises a filter configured to remove gaseous or solid contaminants. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system comprises at least one compressor configured to pressurize the gaseous carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the carbon dioxide recovery system further comprises at least one condenser configured to cool the pressurized carbon dioxide from the at least one compressor. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one condenser comprises a first condenser positioned within the cabinet and configured to transfer heat released from cooling the pressurized carbon dioxide into the cabinet. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one condenser comprises a second condenser positioned outside the cabinet and configured to manage an amount of heat transferred into the cabinet. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the at least one compressor includes a first compressor and a second compressor;   the at least one condenser includes a first condenser and a second condenser;   the first condenser is arranged between the first compressor and the second compressor; and   the second compressor is arranged between the first condenser and the second condenser.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 storing liquid carbon dioxide in a storage tank;   sealing an interior space of a cabinet; and   spraying the liquid carbon dioxide from the storage tank through a nozzle into the sealed interior space of the cabinet, wherein the liquid carbon dioxide leaving the nozzle changes into a two-state flow.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cabinet comprises a pressure chamber configured to obtain a pressure in a range from about  1  bar to about  10  bars. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 drawing gaseous carbon dioxide from the sealed interior space of the cabinet;   converting the gaseous carbon dioxide into a liquid state; and   returning the carbon dioxide in the liquid state to the storage tank.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein converting the gaseous carbon dioxide into the liquid state comprises removing water from the gaseous carbon dioxide drawn from the sealed interior space of the cabinet using a desiccant dryer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein converting the gaseous carbon dioxide into the liquid state comprises removing gaseous or solid contaminants using a filter. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein converting the gaseous carbon dioxide into the liquid state comprises pressurizing the gaseous carbon dioxide using at least one compressor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein converting the gaseous carbon dioxide into the liquid state further comprises cooling the pressurized carbon dioxide from the at least one compressor using at least one condenser. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one condenser comprises a first condenser positioned within the cabinet and configured to transfer heat released from cooling the pressurized carbon dioxide into the cabinet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one condenser comprises a second condenser positioned outside the cabinet and configured to manage an amount of heat transferred into the cabinet. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the at least one compressor includes a first compressor and a second compressor;   the at least one condenser includes a first condenser and a second condenser;   the first condenser is arranged between the first compressor and the second compressor; and   the second compressor is arranged between the first condenser and the second condenser.