Abstract: In order to provide `ultra high purity` nitrogen having diminished concentrations of light and heavy impurities in comparison with nitrogen produced by conventional cryogenic air separation, the nitrogen product from a conventional cryogenic air separation column is introduced into the bottom of a liquid-vapor contract column 2 fitted with a condenser 8 to provide reflux. A liquid nitrogen stream having a reduced concentration of heavy impurities is withdrawn from the column 2 through an outlet 22 situated at a level a few trays below the top tray in the column 2. The liquid nitrogen is then subjected to two stages of flash separation. In the first stage the liquid is passed through valve 24 into a phase separator 26. In the second stage, the resulting liquid from the first stage, having a reduced concentration of light impurities, is passed through valve 32 into a phase separator 34. Liquid nitrogen product is withdrawn from the phase separator 34 through outlet 38.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cryogen delivery apparatus and method for delivering a flowing cryogen with a regulated cooling potential. The apparatus includes a pressure vessel for receiving a liquid form of the cryogen. A liquid-vapor interface is maintained within the pressure vessel so that a gaseous form of the cryogen having a low cooling potential is situated above the liquid-vapor interface and a liquid form of the cryogen having a high cooling potential is situated below the liquid-vapor interface. An outlet conduit is provided for delivering the gas and liquid forms of the cryogen from the pressure vessel. The conduit has a moveable end section located within the pressure vessel. When the moveable end section is oscillated above and below the level of a liquid-vapor interface, a two-phase flow of cryogen is delivered comprising the pure gaseous and liquid forms of the cryogen.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for recovering argon from a feed mixture comprising argon, carbon monoxide, methane, hydrogen, and nitrogen which comprises the steps of (a) passing the feed mixture through a pressure swing adsorption system to remove carbon monoxide, methane and part of the nitrogen thereby producing a fraction containing an increased amount of argon, and (b) passing the argon fraction to a cryogenic fractional distillation system to remove hydrogen and the remaining nitrogen in the fraction as a distillate product and to produce a pure argon product.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing carbon dioxide and nitrogen from combustion exhaust gas containing less than about 10% oxygen by weight which comprises the steps of (a) treating the exhaust gas to remove particulate matter, (b) compressing the exhaust gas to a pressure in the range from about 25 psia to about 200 psia, (c) purifying the exhaust gas to remove trace contaminants, (d) separating the exhaust gas to produce a carbon dioxide rich fraction and a nitrogen rich fraction, (e) liquifying the carbon dioxide rich fraction and distilling off volatile contaminants to produce pure carbon dioxide, (f) purifying the nitrogen rich fraction to remove contaminants, and (g) cryogenically fractionally distilling the nitrogen rich fraction to produce pure nitrogen. In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a method for producing carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon from a combustion exhaust gas.

Abstract: Mechanisms for supporting, rotating, cooling and energizing a cylindrical target structure in a magnetron through supports at each end of the target structure. Two specific configurations are described. Particular arrangements of magnets are provided within the target cylinder. Two adjacent rotating target cylinders may optionally be employed in order to increase the rate of depositing sputtered material on a substrate. The various features of this invention are particularly adapted for a large-scale cylindrical magnetron used for sputtering coatings on architectural glass panels, automobile windshields and the like, but are also advantageous for use in coating very small substrates.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a feed mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane by (a) passing the feed mixture through a first pressure swing adsorption system comprising an adsorbent having a greater affinity for carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon-monoxide than for hydrogen, to separate hydrogen from the carbon dioxide, methane, and carbon monoxide, (b) desorbing carbon monoxide, (c) desorbing carbon dioxide and methane, (d) passing the carbon monoxide to a second pressure swing adsorption system comprising an adsorbent having a greater affinity for carbon monoxide than for hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane to separate the carbon monoxide from hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane, and (e) desorbing carbon monoxide from the adsorbent.

Abstract: A compressed, purified air stream is reduced in temperature by heat exchange with returning streams in heat exchanger. It is passed through a Joule-Thomson valve, and a resulting stream comprising liquid and vapor is separated in a phase separator. A resulting vapor stream is introduced through inlet into the higher pressure column of a double distillation column comprising the higher pressure column and a lower pressure column. Oxygen-rich liquid is withdrawn from the bottom of the higher pressure column through an outlet and introduced into the lower pressure column through an inlet. Pure liquid oxygen and gaseous oxygen products are withdrawn from the lower pressure column through outlets. A liquid steam is withdrawn from the phase separator and introduced into the lower pressure column through an inlet at a level above that of the oxygen-rich liquid inlet, thereby making possible more efficient operation of the lower pressure column.

Abstract: A liquid-gas contact device comprising a liquid-gas contact tray comprising a multiplicity of the elongate apertures in the tray for the passage of gas from below to above the tray, each aperture having a gas deflector associated therewith in being so disposed as to impart to the gas a component of velocity in the general direction of liquid flow, and at least several liquid flow in impedance members arranged so as to control the liquid velocity on the liquid-bearing surface to prevent it from reaching so great a magnitude that the residence time of liquid on the tray is insufficient for adequate gas-liquid contact to take place. Preferably the tray comprises a sheet of expanded metal.

Abstract: Described is an improved pressure-swing adsorption process and apparatus which enable more thorough regeneration and, thus, a higher yield of one or more selected gases and a higher productivity of the adsorbent material. The pressure-swing adsorption process and apparatus for obtaining a selected gas are of the type wherein a PSA product gas is obtained by the steps of pressurizing, producing, purging and venting a vessel that contains an adsorbent for a gas other than the selected gas. The improvement is a step of purging the adsorbent with a purge gas that has a higher concentration of the selected gas than the PSA product gas.

Abstract: Processes for the production of an inert gas-rich product gas from pressure swing adsorption are provided wherein the pressurization step is carried out by the use of feed gas only in a two step late feed profile, or by product gas and feed gas with the feed gas entering in either a typical one-step feed profile or in the two step late feed profile above.

Abstract: Compressed air is purified in apparatus 4 and passed through heat exchanger 6 in which it is reduced in temperature ready for rectification in a double column comprising a higher pressure rectification column 10 and a lower pressure rectification column 12 which are linked by a condenser-reboiler 14. The air is separated in the column 10 into oxygen-rich and nitrogen fractions. The oxygen-rich fraction is separated in the lower pressure column 12 into an oxygen and a lower pressure nitrogen product. Liquid nitrogen from the higher pressure column 10 is used as reflux in the lower pressure column 12, and a gaseous nitrogen stream is withdrawn from the column 10 as higher pressure nitrogen product. In order to compensate for the resulting loss of reflux in the column 12, a part of the lower pressure nitrogen product stream is compressed in compressor 38, cooled by passage through heat exchanger 6, and condensed in condenser 40. The resulting condensate provides additional reflux in the column 12.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vacuum gauge having two integrated circuits connected in a half bridge circuit to register subatmospheric gas pressure from a change in thermal gas conductivity. One of the integrated circuits serves to generate an electrical current proportional to the ambient temperature and a function of its power output conducted by the gas. The other of the integrated circuits acts as a reference to generate an electrical current proportional to ambient temperature. The half bridge circuit acts to subtract the currents so that subatmospheric pressure can be read on an ammeter as a function of gas thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering work from a nitrogen stream, wherein the nitrogen is preheated via heat exchange with hot fluid from a chemical process, which process utilizes the oxygen product of the air separation. Preferably at least a part of the expanded nitrogen is utilized to preheat at least one fluid reactant of the chemical process. The chemical process may be gasification or direct reduction of iron oxide, as well as the conversion of natural gas into synthesis gas.

Abstract: A method of joining components to a substrate by reflow soldering with non-rosin-based flux containing solder is disclosed comprising heating the solder in the presence of the components in a low oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: An apparatus for inflating balloons of the kind having a body and a filling neck terminating in a beaded edge, said apparatus comprising a balloon support plate having a sealing surface and an open ended slot extending from one edge thereof to receive the filling neck of a balloon such that the beaded edge is adjacent said sealing surface and the body of the balloon is disposed on the remote side of the plate; a filling head selectively moveable toward said sealing surface to clamp said beaded edge between the filling head and sealing surface and establish a substantially gas tight seal between the filling head and beaded edge; and a pressurized gas flow passage through said filling head to the neck of a clamped balloon for inflation of the balloon. The apparatus further includes means for stretching, twisting and sealing the neck of the inflated balloons. In a preferred embodiment has the apparatus has a plurality of support plates mounted on a conveyor in the form of an endless loop.

Abstract: An improved nitrogen generator having a distillation column for separating oxygen and nitrogen, the column having a top and a bottom and a rising vapor stream and a descending liquid stream in countercurrent contact with each other, the improvement comprising means for introducing an amount of liquid nitrogen into the column at an intermediate point in the column wherein the liquid stream composition at said point is substantially equivalent to the liquid nitrogen composition and a means for withdrawing a substantially equivalent amount of purified liquid nitrogen from the top of the column.

Abstract: The present invention provides an animal carcass injection system that is particularly suitable for injecting carbon dioxide between muscle and bone within an animal carcass to balloon the muscle away from the bone. Such ballooning aids in boning the animal carcass. In accordance with the present invention, a hollow needle is provided having a pointed distal end to puncture the animal carcass and at least one, but preferably four, circumferentially spaced apertures to allow the pressurized gas to escape from the needle upon blockage of the pointed distal end. The aperture(s) act to prevent possible injury arising from an accidental escape of pressurized gas from the pointed distal end of the needle near or against operators of the injection system. The use of four apertures act to more efficiently distribute gas within the animal carcass upon injection of the pressurized gas.

Abstract: A pump forms a pressurized stream of waste water, supplying it to a ring main which feeds the liquid to a plurality of conduits depending therefrom. Each conduit has a venturi whose throat has an inlet for gaseous oxygen formed therein. The throat of each venturi has a plurality of apertures through which gas is introduced from a chamber surrounding the throat. Each conduit ends in one or more nozzles immersed in a volume of liqud. Each venturi restricts the flow of water therethrough and creates turbulence so that a turbulent flow of liquid containing oxygen bubbles is emitted from the associated nozzle at relatively high velocity such that turbulence assisting the dissolution of oxyen is created in the volume of liquid.

Abstract: A mechanical pump having a pumping chamber within which is positioned a pair of intermeshing rotors, preferably of the claw type, with each rotor mounted for rotation on respective shafts and the first rotor being associated with an inlet to the pumping chamber and the second rotor being associated with an outlet from the pumping chamber, wherein the second rotor has a cavity in its surface immediately adjacent the outlet.

Abstract: A method of depositing thin films of silicon based compounds, particularly silicon dioxide, by cathode reactive sputtering utilizes a rotating cylindrical magnetron driven by a d.c. potential. The result is a technique of forming a uniform film on large substrates with high deposition rates. Arcing normally associated with sputtering troublesome dielectric coatings such as silicon oxides is substantially eliminated.