Method of forming clathrate ice

Patent · 31 December 1986

OSTI ID:866331

Hino, Toshiyuki ^[1]; Gorski, Anthony J ^[2]

---

1. Tokyo, JP
2. Lemont, IL

A method of forming clathrate ice in a supercooled water-based liquid contained in a vessel is disclosed. Initially, an oscillator device is located in the liquid in the vessel. The oscillator device is then oscillated ultrasonically so that small crystals are formed in the liquid. These small crystals serve as seed crystals for ice formation in the liquid and thereby prevent supercooling of the liquid. Preferably, the oscillating device is controlled by a thermostat which initiates operation of the oscillator device when the temperature of the liquid is lowered to the freezing point. Thereafter, the operation of the oscillator device is terminated when ice is sensed in the liquid by an ice sensor.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United State (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4686833
• OSTI ID: 866331
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/62/
clathrate
clathrate ice
contained
controlled
cooled water
crystals
crystals serve
device
disclosed
formation
formed
forming
forming clathrate
freezing
ice
ice formation
initially
initiates
liquid
liquid contained
located
lowered
method
operation
oscillated
oscillating
oscillating device
oscillator
oscillator device
preferably
prevent
seed
seed crystal
seed crystals
sensed
sensor
serve
supercooled
supercooling
temperature
terminated
thereafter
thermostat
ultrasonically
vessel
water-based