METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION OF BLOCKS OF SOLID CO AT LOW PRESSURE

摘要

2125292 9312395 PCTABS00023 A method and apparatus to automatically produce blocks of solid CO2 at low pressure. The apparatus includes at least one closed mold (13, 15) coupled to a liquid CO2 conditioner (37) and a CO2 gas recovery system (19), and a control panel (63) for automatic operation. The method consists in supplying liquid CO2 to this mold (13, 15) at a low pressure in order to fill the mold with CO2 snow of low density during a definite period of time, to then raise the pressure inside the mold (13, 15) to an intermediate pressure by supplying liquid CO2 at this pressure (and at a temperature of approximately -40 ·C) to form a dense mass of solid CO2 which after a definite time will block the admission of CO2 to the mold (13, 15), causing a significant pressure drop that is used to create a signal to automatically close off the supply of liquid CO2 (37) and finalize the production cycle of the block.