Liquid nitrogen enabler
A method and apparatus for using liquid nitrogen to render crises safe, as in circumstances of hostage crises, entering Methamphetamine labs, purging the accumulating toxic or flammable gases, ending the dispersal of substances from aerosols and capturing the material dispersed by condensing it and sealing it in containers for disposal, picking up spills by solidifying them or gelling the material and containing it for disposal—this includes Mercury spills, sealing and repairing broken pipes and dikes and dams, enabling a combustion engine to quit running, strengthening levee structures by freezing the core for the length of the levee or sandbag structure when severe crises occur, rapid cooling lava flows to structure the solid lava formation to something useful in that location, purging the coalmine fire environment of Oxygen to quell the long-term blaze while cooling subterranean structure to below freezing causing water crystals to loosen structure, treating industrial stack gas to capture acidics and use soot, water and Carbon dioxide components, air drop Liquid Nitrogen, freeze ordnance buried underground freeing it from target structure, and countering aircraft collision situations in tall buildings. These methods can apply in wider circumstances and are enabled by either aperture dispersal of Liquid Nitrogen or pre-pipe evaporation for rapid cooling as the Nitrogen gas emerges and is released safely into the atmosphere.
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This is an expanded, but continued application of Ser. No. 10/437,538, filed May 14, 2003, and entitled “Liquid Nitrogen Enabler.”
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of applying liquid nitrogen to crises and, more particularly, relates to a method of applying liquid nitrogen to eliminate Oxygen from airmass and to apply cold inert gas to freeze, condense and allow recovery of material.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The sited related art is mostly for fires and is discussed in the prior continuation application Ser. No. 11/544,285. These patents include:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,278 to Cicanese,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,732 to DeAlmeida
U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,830 to Romanoff
U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,548 to Volker
The need has additionally arisen to provide a method of applying liquid nitrogen to capture hostage takers, other criminals in and amongst a crowd, and animals out of control safely protecting law enforcement personnel, hostages and the public at large.
Additionally, Liquid Nitrogen can be applied to flood a volume with cold, inert Nitrogen gas in the case of anticipated explosion such that, once people are suitably cleared either fixed Liquid Nitrogen dispensers or inserted dispensers fill the structure or vehicle with Nitrogen gas when there is an unsourced gas leak, Methamphetamine lab activity is suspected or flammables have spilled and remain out of control. Also here, a Nitrogen atmosphere may be maintained through volatile material leaching processes where both the solvent added and the contaminant material could ignite.
Additionally, there is a need to capture by application of cold, inert air released toxins, industrial smoke stack gases and soot, and flooding the porous ground to end coalmine fires gorging these materials into the atmosphere on long term bases.
Additionally, there is a need to recover materials in a spill, chemical or petroleum, so as not to long-term pollute the water or environment, preventing such dangers as fire, poisoning, or irritating pulmonary conditions.
Additionally, there is need to use the cold, inert gas to solidify material in a broken or ruptured pipe or containment, to design the stoppage properly to implement stop flow, trim the break, and apply permanent repair.
Additionally there is need to use the inert, cold gas to stop combustion engine machinery preventing firing of the cylinders, solidification of the fuel, and freezing of moving parts to end unwanted or out of control operation of machinery.
Additionally there is a need to air drop Liquid Nitrogen such that a cryogenically cold cloud of pure Nitrogen gas can be drawn into a burn or otherwise deployed to handle a situation needing fire control or cooling to subside a flow of inappropriate material.
Additionally, the need has arisen to solidify water in a barrier or threatening to be disturbed soil situation as a levee rated below weather conditions anticipated, as an example, or the ground where a mudslide is feared to initiate when heavy rains occur.
Additionally, using the pipe matrix, freezing an ice barrier to a small orifice flooding situation as a cracked dike or break in a dam.
Additionally, using pipe matrices, in catching lava flows such that the lava cools rapidly forming a preconceived structure that will have future usefulness in the new form and location.
Additionally, using a contained amount of Liquid Nitrogen for dispersal into a drilling in the ground freezes the ground and floods the underground with Nitrogen displacing any Oxygen source making extraction operations safer and ending fires.
Additionally, using Liquid Nitrogen cooling, stack gas can be separated into Carbon dioxide, water, soot components after the hot air passed through Calcium hydroxide filters to pull acidic gasses from the smoke of fuel burning plants.
And, finally, additionally, to employ helicopters to place trough systems in entrance portals from vehicles entering a structure and follow pouring Liquid Nitrogen from dewars lifted to the trough extension to flood the troughs with Liquid Nitrogen that disperses Nitrogen gas into the structure cooling it to solidify spilled fuels, end fires, and allow collection of the fuels to prevent explosions and to allow disposal of these fuels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a method of using liquid nitrogen to flood and cool by dispensing liquid nitrogen as substantially small droplets for fast evaporation and applying it to crises so that the crises are handled and ended.
In one use for the second aspect of the invention, a method of stopping breathing in man and other mammals by eliminating Oxygen in the air they breathe, which stops Carbon dioxide release in the lungs, the triggering mechanism for the breathing reflex. Resuscitation is immediate once Oxygenated air is available and a stroke or two of Artificial Respiration is applied to draw it into the lungs. There is time to apply restraints before bringing dangerous beings back to consciousness and normal breathing.
In another use, the Nitrogen atmosphere is generated in defense against future explosion protecting those in the vicinity, those working the situation and the operation for ongoing use of flammables to insure safety and purity of the chemistry.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of using the cold, inert air to cause toxins, industrial smokestack exhaust and cooling to extinguish long term coalmine fires can enable collection of gaseous or particle components of the air or smoke or condense it in the ground as coalmine fires become extinguished.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of freezing liquid or gas in a ruptured pipe or one with a malfunctioning valve such that the contents of the pipe are frozen in place allowing trimming and capping the pipe. A second freezing can allow removing the caps on the pipe ends and installing the permanent repair. Once thawed, the pipe system is back in service.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of using liquid nitrogen after being deployed by aircraft and showered into a developing tornado cloud, might instigate change in the threatening situation by changing to markedly reduce temperature and raise the air pressure to hinder or disrupt the formation of an effective tornado.
In another aspect of the present invention, a matrix of pipes set into soil or mixture of materials, which serve as the holding soil against mudslide or levee against floodwaters, when crises situations develop as extreme rains or Category #5 Hurricane, Liquid Nitrogen can be poured through the pipe system freezing the water in the soil to components making a concrete hard core the length, width and height of the pipe system.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of applying a matrix of piping that with Liquid Nitrogen running through it will freeze water making a barrier or blockage for a small orifice flooding situation like dike breakage or dam rupture. This matrix can be frozen in a slow flow area and drawn into the fast flow at the orifice and guided to lay flat against the ruptured dike or dam segment. As long a Liquid Nitrogen flow continues through the matrix, the ice barrier should hold back the water. Making the matrix cup shaped may allow dike or dam repair before melting the barrier.
To control the flow and leave a desired structure at the end of a lava flow, piping can be set in place ahead of the lava mass in the direction it moves, such that when the pipes are approached, Liquid Nitrogen can be pumped through them cooling first the pipes and then the lava encountering the pipe system to solidify the flow molding it and, using the pipes after solidification to carry water and wiring, a lava stone structure stands.
To control air contamination for existing fires, whether it be long-term coal mine fires or industrial smoke stack sprewing of materials in the air, Liquid Nitrogen can flood the burn zone for coalmine fires and can instantly cool and condense stack gas emissions.
Only Nitrogen can be effective in these circumstances because of the homophobic nature of the Nitrogen molecule (N.sub.2). Whether in liquid or gaseous state, a mass of Nitrogen will expel other materials. In liquids, watching a blob of Liquid Nitrogen, I have seen white kernels and black masses accumulating but never mixing with or becoming a solute with Liquid Nitrogen the solvent. The white kernels are both ice—water frozen—or dry ice—Carbon dioxide frozen. Black kernels can be dirt, soot, anything that is carried by, but not mixed in with, Liquid Nitrogen.
Gaseous Nitrogen as it is generated will stay in a homogeneous cloud of Nitrogen unless a disrupting wind of five miles an hour or stronger whips it into a mixture of air gases, as swirling in Oxygen, Argon, water, Carbon dioxide, and other components. It is this exclusivity, homophobicness that allows the Nitrogen cloud to eliminate Oxygen from a fire, from breathe intake, from combustion engines requiring Oxygen in the air mix, and from a potential explosion situation. In engineering dispersal of a toxin to the point where it is ineffective, if that is a desired thing, Nitrogen gas will clear away other components of the air.
Neither Liquid nor Gaseous Nitrogen conducts electricity so putting out spark gap ignition works effectively as when one floods a building with a discovered gas leak or flammable materials as in a methamphetamine lab. It also solidifies or gels greases and oils rather than splattering them as happens when water is poured on a burning hydrocarbon. These wonderful traits of Liquid and Gaseous Nitrogen make it possible to end crises without fear of changing the nature, the shape, the composition, or dissolving anything that is causing the crisis or staging the situation to initiate a crisis.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and accompanying drawings, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and in which:
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This Nitrogen Coma situation protects those caught in situations like explosive mixtures in the air preventing their further breathing in the flammable gases and in fires from breathing in the smoke toxins and even the burning gases in the air which will ruin the lungs to normal function, exacerbate Asthma conditions and weaken pulmonary function. Among industrial accidents, in the confined space category, Nitrogen asphyxiation is a leading cause of deaths—around 61% of the Oxygen depleting deaths. Where in methods in this patent application, we are using the condition to make capture safer and prevent lung damage in crises, in industrial accidents deaths happen when one person sees another down. The first assumption is “Heart Attack” and a co-worker hastens to their side only to be breathing the same Nitrogen gas, deplete of Oxygen, and later people find both normally healthy workers dead. If only OSHA and other safety groups would warn people to prepare for Oxygen depletion and grab an Oxygen mask for themselves and one for the victim, then these circumstances would not be a death threat in industrial situations. If the person was in Nitrogen Coma, they would be recovered with application of the mask and a few strokes of artificial respiration. If the person had a heart attack, then the CPR and other procedures can be applied to the person breathing well. The American Heart Association would not entertain industrial defibulator installations having a few Oxygen masks in the emergency kit to prevent the Oxygen depletion deaths in the workplace. That is most unfortunate.
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During writing of the original Liquid Nitrogen Enabler patent submitted May 14, 2003, a dike on a Michigan Upper Peninsula river flowing into Lake Superior ruptured emptying a reservoir of water into a town on the shore flooding the community. The raging waters filled that area of the Lake with silt. Power generation feeding the region south to include Green Bay Wis. was affected by the loss of water in the reservoir. This technique applied early in the situation might have reduced the damage the dike breakage cost. This US Army Corps of Engineers structure was old and monitoring its condition had been lax. Having this technique to recover from another breakage may make it safer for those downstream dikes and dams if and when they give way. It also will retain much of the water in the reservoir and prevent the flood damage downstream.
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The theory behind the design of the stack gas scrubber is that the water in the air from the burning of coal or other heat processing burn carries the soot and other contaminants by adhesion. When water is crystallized into ice, its bonds release the soot as the ice forms on the condensing coils cooled to with Liquid Nitrogen to water freezing temperatures. Carbon dioxide will stay in gaseous form until it reaches around −109.3.degree. F. so it can be released into controlled airflow conditions into a brightly lighted, plant filled environment where the Carbon dioxide is exchanged for Oxygen in photosynthesis making robust plant growth and reducing the Carbon dioxide emissions from the smoke stack/scrubber system.
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For safety of the workers in the greenhouse environment lower percentages of Carbon dioxide is preferred since breathing high concentrations of Carbon dioxide causes panting and really large lung capacity breathing that is not normal. Mixing the Nitrogen 2 and the Carbon dioxide will still feed the plants the Carbon dioxide, but its dilution will prevent the breathing frenzy in people and animals and any reaction plants might have to concentrated levels of Carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gas output will then be more in line with standard atmosphere air with Oxygen produced in photosynthesis, some escaping Carbon dioxide along with that given off in respiration, Nitrogen, and water vapor given off by the plants and evaporated from irrigating the soil or growth medium. This can clean the air if applied consistently over all the smoke stacks and other polluting burning in a region elected to have its air quality improved.
Many changes and modifications could be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. The scope of some of these changes can be appreciated by comparing the various embodiments as described above. The scope of the remaining changes will become apparent from the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method of using liquid nitrogen to control crises comprising the steps of:
- a. securing the liquid nitrogen in a carrier;
- b. dispensing the liquid nitrogen to an applying unit, wherein the applying unit is a generally either a pan or elongated structure and comprises a plurality of apertures and the liquid nitrogen flows unimpeded from the carrier into and through the applying unit; and
- c. applying liquid nitrogen to a situation needing cooling to control the crisis as droplets formed by gravity through the plurality of apertures of the applying unit evaporate and in so doing transfer the coldness to the air as the super cold, inert gas floods the space containing the crisis.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dewar is larger conveyed by truck or boat or aircraft or stationary tank mounted higher than the dispersal system which feeds the aperture containing pan or trough system feeding large quantities of Liquid Nitrogen where needed.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the Nitrogen gas dispersal disbursed from an aircraft with the applying unit into the fire draft of a major fire to disrupt the driving infernos and starve the fire of Oxygen.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the Nitrogen gas dispersal disbursed from a leading position in front of a ship solidifies material spilled on the water, and, following the trough position is a conveyor which carries the frozen material to the deck and into containers where they melt and are contained and shipped for refining or disposal.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of ensuring that the liquid nitrogen droplets are dispensed from a distance such that the droplets have substantially evaporated prior to reaching the surface.
6. A method of capturing the gaseous Nitrogen after it evaporates such that the coldness and inertness can affect the target crisis most effectively by encircling the crisis with a ring with a sealing bottom that conforms to the surface thus keeping the coldest Nitrogen gas in contact with the item to be cooled to solidify or gel contents or other function, or having a hammock-like sling under a pipe structure needing its contents frozen with one or more volume regions to hold the coldest Nitrogen gas.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein item cooled, once solid or gelled, can be transferred to a sealable container to safely move the item and dispose of its contents appropriately.
8. The method according to claim 6, that applies the containment device to hold water to float a spill on a surface it can't be easily recovered from to allow it to be floated on the water, then solidified with Liquid Nitrogen cooling and gathered from the water surface into sealable containers to safely move and dispose of its contents.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a dispersal of Nitrogen into an environment where a crisis is occurring can subdue people and animals, in the space for safe capture or to protect their lungs from breathing corrosive or dangerous substances when administrators of the dispersal are prepared with sufficient Oxygen masks to rescue those affected by the action making this a non-lethal weapon or tool.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the Nitrogen gas can be generated in an air intake region of a combustion engine of a vehicle to cause the engine to quit running.
11. A method of dispersing Liquid Nitrogen into an entrance to a pipe system whereby the cryogenically cold gas enters the pipe system causing freezing of the pipe environment and, at the same time, allowing safe exit of the expanding gaseous Nitrogen.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the frozen environment can be the core of a levee or gravel dam whereby a block of solid ice and gravel in time of crisis can increase the holding strength of said levee or dam during the crisis and as long as application of Liquid Nitrogen is continued to retain this strength.
13. The method according to claim 11 wherein a pipe system is constructed to freeze with application of Liquid Nitrogen a cap for a break in a dike or dam causing water to freeze on the pipe system and the pipe system to be applied over the gap resulting from the break from the high water side of the dike or dam.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the pipe system cap in place on the broken dam or dike can allow repair of the break while continued application of Liquid Nitrogen holds the ice structure stable, and once repaired, application stops, ice melts and pipes removed.
15. The method according to claim 11 wherein a pipe system for cryogenic Nitrogen can be designed to quell a lava flow, or other high temperature liquid which is solid at normal temperatures, such that a structure can be created as the hot lava passes onto the pipe system that is useful once the material is solidified and cooled to normal temperature.
16. The method according to claim 11 wherein a pipe system for cryogenic Nitrogen can be constructed where sandbagging is anticipated to build a dam to hold back expected rise in water levels such that once the sandbags are placed within the structure and on top, the Liquid Nitrogen is applied and the cryogenic Nitrogen gas freezes the water and contents of the sandbags to produce an impenetrable structure holding back rising water.
17. The method according to claim 16 whereby the pipe structure is held together with fleece loops flooded with metal to fabric sticking glue allowing air in one pipe to feed into another flooding the pipe structure with cryogenic temperature Nitrogen gas.
18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid nitrogen is applied directly to a pan, wherein the pan comprises a plurality of apertures such that the liquid nitrogen rains down over into a pipe structure, into a drilling in the ground or over a fire flooding it with inert gas providing means to lower the temperature to freezing producing a strong, solid structure, or causing ground and rock contained water to crystallize fracturing material, or counter inferno temperatures in fires and reduce Oxygen content of air in burn.
19. A method of scrubbing stack gas from factory or coal burning generator chimneys comprising the steps of:
- a. capping the chimney with cap that can contain the necessary processing equipment,
- b. filtering the acidic content through calcium hydroxide to clear corrosives,
- c. cooling the stack gas with Liquid Nitrogen condensing coils to freeze the water content of the gas,
- d. catching the falling soot and other particulates in a funnel feeding into a pipe leading to a disposal container,
- e. cycling the cooling with warm up phase on the condensing coils so that the ice on the coils can melt and flow away as water into a situation where the water can be used,
- f. directing the Carbon dioxide and remaining gaseous contents of the stack gas out of the cap area and into a Carbon dioxide capturing or use situation like, for example, in a lighted greenhouse so plants take in Carbon dioxide and give off Oxygen during photosynthesis,
- g. when using a greenhouse garden situation for the receiving end of the stack gas capture, tend the plants, market the produce, flowers or whatever to pay the costs of the Liquid Nitrogen needed to drive the stack gas capture system.
20. A method of cooling ordnance underground using a hollow drill which carries Liquid Nitrogen to the level Of the ordnance cooling it to an inert state, disentangle ordnance connected to underground structure with a water cutter and pull the cryogenically cold ordnance to the ground level in the path of the hollow drill.
21. The method, according to claim 2 of, first, inserting a trough system into the entrance hole in a structure of a fueled vehicle, and, second, carrying contained Liquid Nitrogen via helicopterapplying Liquid Nitrogen into said trough system thus solidifying spilled fuels, extinguishing any fires and preventing further ignition, all of which allows first responders and others to contain the fuel by shoveling up the gelled—solid fuels into containers and conveying them away, thus removing that danger from the situation.
22. A method for safely using any of the Liquid Nitrogen techniques of having Oxygen masks available to protect persons from breathing the Nitrogen cloud pure Nitrogen, and when the Nitrogen cloud is applied to protect them from toxins, flammable gases that might explode and such other situations where these methods are used including fires where
- a. oxygen masks are worn by those entering the environment where Nitrogen clouds develop,
- b. those entering these Nitrogen environments carry sufficient Oxygen masks to resuscitate any life that is caught in the Nitrogen situation,
- c. when providing the Oxygen mask to a person in Nitrogen Coma, they set the mask in place and provide sufficient strokes of artificial respiration to return the person to consciousness,
- d. once conscious, they see that these persons leave the circumstances keeping the Oxygen mask in place until they are clear of the Nitrogen clouds.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 30, 2009
Publication Date: Jun 17, 2010
Applicant:
Inventor: Denyse Claire DuBrucq (Cedarville, OH)
Application Number: 12/592,578
International Classification: F25D 9/00 (20060101); A62C 2/00 (20060101); A62B 7/00 (20060101); E02B 15/00 (20060101); B01D 53/75 (20060101); B01D 53/34 (20060101); C02F 1/40 (20060101); B01D 17/00 (20060101); B05B 17/00 (20060101); A62C 3/00 (20060101); E02D 19/14 (20060101); G06Q 30/00 (20060101);