US 12,186,936 B2
System for demolding materials obtained by means of the freeze-casting technique
Wander Luiz Vasconcelos, Nova Lima (BR); Alan Marcos Da Silva Reis, Nova Lima (BR); Jailton Ferreira Do Nascimento, Rio de Janeiro (BR); Priscila Cristh Fonseca Alves, Belo Horizonte (BR); Daniela Cordeiro Leite Vasconcelos, Nova Lima (BR); and Débora Guimarães Da Silva, Belo Horizonte (BR)
Assigned to Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.—Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro (BR); and UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE MINAS GERAIS—UFMG, Belo Horizonte (BR)
Filed by Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.—Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro (BR); and UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE MINAS GERAIS—UFMG, Belo Horizonte (BR)
Filed on Sep. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/901,114.
Prior Publication US 2023/0065581 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B28B 7/12 (2006.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B28B 7/12 (2013.01) [B28B 1/007 (2013.01)] 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for demolding materials obtained by freeze-casting the system comprising:
a source of compressed air;
a pressure regulator filter fluidically coupled to the source of compressed air;
a manometer coupled to the pressure regulator filter;
a directional valve fluidically coupled to the source of compressed air by the regulator filter, the directional valve configured to direct compressed air to an end user;
a linear actuator fluidically coupled to the directional valve, the directional valve configured to control the linear actuator;
a baton coupled to and arranged to be axially moved by the linear actuator;
a flow regulating valve fluidically coupled to the linear actuator, the flow regulator valve configured to regulate an actuation speed of the linear actuator;
a fastening means coupled to the linear actuator;
a mold assembly comprising an outer mold and an inner mold disposed within the outer mold, wherein the outer mold is configured to freeze a material disposed between the inner mold and the outer mold while the inner mold remains at a temperature that is about room temperature, the outer mold and the inner mold configured to define a temperature gradient allowing freezing in a radial direction from the outer mold to the inner mold;
a metallic support arranged to support the fastening means, the metallic support comprising an intermediate platform configured to position the mold assembly after the material has been frozen within the mold assembly; and
a chamber arranged to receive the frozen material from the mold.