Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a device is provided in which characteristics of the device used at low temperature such as a high temperature superconductive filter are measured and adjusted without deterioration of the device. The device used at low temperature is disposed within an atmosphere of substitutional gas such as nitrogen and the like. The device is cooled by using cryogen, for example, liquid nitrogen, stored in a bath which is disposed in a glove box. The cryogen has a temperature near the temperature at which the device is used. The device is placed on a cooling stage which is partially soaked in the cryogen, thereby said device is cooled by the cryogen having a temperature near the temperature at which the device is used. Characteristics of the device are measured and adjusted while cooling the device by using the cryogen.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for nitrous oxide purification, wherein the nitrous oxide product is for use in semiconductor manufacturing. The system and process involve a first sub-system having a purification tank for holding a liquefied nitrous oxide, therein; a vaporizer in communication with the purification tank to receive, vaporize and convey a nitrous oxide vapor back to the purification tank; a distillation column disposed on a distal end of the purification tank to receive a nitrous oxide vapor; a condenser disposed on the distillation column, wherein light impurities are removed and wherein a nitrous oxide devoid of light impurities is conveyed and converted into vapor in the vaporizer. A second sub-system having a first dry bed vessel is disposed downstream of the vaporizer to receive the vapor and reacting the acid gas therein; a second dry bed vessel is disposed downstream of the first dry bed vessel for removing water and ammonia in the vapor.

Abstract: A self-heating container (10) has an internal cavity (22) for its contents and an external cavity (20) for a heating mechanism, for example, comprised of first and second chemically reactive materials which are arranged to be mixed when heating is required. A closure (30) closes the external cavity (20). When the heating mechanism is operated to mix the chemicals and cause an exothermic reaction, vapour, such as steam and hot air, is produced. The closure (30) carries an annular sealing flange (100) which engages with an annular shoulder (102) of the container. The sealing flange (100) seals the external cavity to atmosphere and preserves the reactivity of the chemicals therein. However, the sealing flange (100) is moved away from the shoulder (102) when the generation of the vapour increases the pressure in the external cavity (20) whereby the vapour is vented to atmosphere.

Abstract: A balloon catheter provided with a first tubular member in which at least one balloon lumen is formed inside along a longitudinal direction thereof; a balloon unit which is communicated internally with the balloon lumen formed in the first tubular member and capable of being expanded by a fluid fed through that balloon lumen; a second tubular member extending axially inside the balloon unit and provided axially therein with at least one guidewire lumen; a distal end of the balloon unit connected with a distal end of said second tubular member; an overlapped portion formed by overlapping a proximal end of said second tubular member with a distal end of said first tubular member axially over a predetermined distance; a neck portion of a proximal end side of said balloon unit directly or indirectly connected with at least part of said overlapped portion so as to cover at least part of said overlapped portion; and a recess in which a part of an outer circumference of the proximal end of the second tubular member

Abstract: Mobile fire-fighting systems and a method of producing breathable fire-suppression compositions are provided for extinguishing fires in buildings, and other human occupied structures, being also effective in suppressing fires under ruins of collapsed buildings. The systems employ a transportable high-pressure container having the breathable composition or nitrogen gas, or a liquid nitrogen container, vaporizer and a mixing chamber, wherein a vaporized nitrogen gas is mixed with an ambient air in order to produce said breathable fire-suppression composition. Refilling stations are provided for refilling the mobile systems with said composition, nitrogen gas or liquid nitrogen, all being generated at site from the ambient air. The method of producing said composition at a fire site employs mixing of nitrogen gas with ambient air or, alternatively, vaporizing of liquid nitrogen in necessary quantities and mixing it with ambient air in provided proportions.

Abstract: High-purity nitrogen is generated by low-temperature fractionation of air in a rectification system for nitrogen/oxygen separation having at least a first rectifier column (4). Cycle nitrogen (24) in gas form is removed from the upper region of the first rectifier column (4) and is compressed in a cycle compressor (30). A first part (35) of the compressed cycle nitrogen is liquefied. A nitrogen fraction (52) from the rectification system for nitrogen/oxygen separation is introduced (52) into a high-purity nitrogen column (39) having a top condenser (54). High-purity nitrogen (56) is removed from the upper region of the high-purity nitrogen column (39). The refrigeration demand of the top condenser (54) is at least partially covered by liquefied cycle nitrogen (38).

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for chilling food product, employing (A) cooling means comprising (1) a rotatable drum, (2) means in said drum for urging pieces through said drum, (3) cryogen dispensing means, and (4) means for rotating said drum; (B) feeding means which includes means for automatically sensing the mass flow rate at which said pieces are being fed into said inlet and for generating electrical signals corresponding to said rate; (C) electronic control means responsive to said signals and temperature inputs for preventing premature flow of cryogen and for automatically controlling the rate at which cryogen is fed so as to lower the temperature of said pieces to the desired exit temperature.

Abstract: Volatile compounds (“VCs”), especially volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”), are cryogenically removed from a process gas stream (pW) by cooling the gas stream in a condenser to condense the VC to form both liquid VC and VC ice and providing a treated process gas essentially freed of the VC but containing entrained VC ice particles, which are subsequently removed by passing the treated process gas through a filter downstream of the condenser to remove at least particles of a size greater than 50 &mgr;m. The condensation can be conducted in an indirect heat exchanger or by direct contact of the process gas with a liquid cryogen such as liquid nitrogen. It is preferred that the filter removes VC ice particles greater than 1 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooling system for a cryostat incorporating a pulse tube refrigerator 8. The cryostat usually consists of several interior cylindrical or oval-shaped vessels for storing liquids. The cryostat for MRI/NMR applications and related fields usually comprises an outer vacuum case, a nitrogen can or a radiation shield instead, and a further radiation shield and the helium vessel housing 4 the superconducting magnet 2. The magnet usually is made of NbTi, Nb3Sn, or some HTC conductor or a combination of both. The present invention uses a pulse tube refrigerator 8, the so-called pulse tube cooler, which essentially comprises an empty tube and a further tube housing the regenerator material for the cooler, which is inserted into any opening of a cryostat. The opening is defined as e.g. the neck-tube 6 or any other location required for accessing the cryostat, e.g.

Abstract: A dilation balloon catheter is disclosed comprising a non-compliant balloon attached to a catheter, the balloon portion includes a plurality of sections having different outer diameters, as measured at the central portion or midpoint of the section, when the balloon is inflated. In one embodiment that is deployable from an endoscope to treat esophageal, pyloric, or colonic strictures, a series of progressively larger balloon sections are used to safely dilate the stricture in stages. Each section includes a central portion having a waist for centering the balloon over the stricture, with the distal section having the smallest diameter and the intermediate and proximal sections being about 2 and 4 mm larger, respectively. A wire guide extends throughout the length of the catheter and balloon and forms a distal portion of the dilation balloon catheter for assisting in cannulation of the stricture.

Abstract: A process for producing a nitrogen-enriched vapor product from a supply of a nitrogen-rich liquid uses a purifying device and a distillation column having a distillation zone. The process includes the steps of: feeding at least a portion of the supply of the nitrogen-rich liquid to the distillation zone at a first location; feeding a stream of a gas containing nitrogen and at least one contaminant to the purifying device, wherein the gas is cooled by a cryogenic liquid whereby at least a portion of the at least one contaminant condenses, solidifies, or dissolves; eventually feeding at least a portion of the cool gas from the purifying device to the distillation zone at a second location below the first location; withdrawing a stream of the nitrogen-enriched vapor product from the distillation zone; and withdrawing a stream of an oxygen-enriched liquid from the distillation zone.

Abstract: A process of liquefying gas to produce a liquid cryogen comprising compressing a gas stream using a compressor, work expanding the compressed gas stream using at least one expansion turbine to produce an expanded gas stream together with power, mechanically transferring the power generated by the expansion turbine(s) to drive the compressor, using the expanded gas stream to provide refrigeration duty for liquefaction, and recycling the cooled expanded compressed gas stream to the compressor.

Abstract: Hyperpolarizers which produce hyperpolarized noble gases include one or more on-board NMR monitoring coils configured to monitor the polarization level of the hyperpolarized gas at various production points in the polarized gas production cycle. A dual symmetry NMR coil is positioned adjacent the optical pumping cell and is in fluid communication with a secondary reservoir in fluid communication with the polarized gas dispensing or exit flow path. This can measure the post-thaw polarization of the gas “on-board” the polarizer. Alternately or additionally, a NMR monitoring coil is assembled to the exit port portion of the optical pumping cell to give a more reliable indication of the polarization level of the gas as it flows out of the gas optical pumping cell. Another NMR monitoring coil can be positioned in a cryogenic bath adjacent a quantity of frozen polarized 129Xe to determine the polarization level of the frozen gas.

Abstract: The gas storage method comprises a step of keeping a gas to be stored and an adsorbent in a vessel at a low temperature below the liquefaction temperature of the gas to be stored so that the gas to be stored is adsorbed onto the adsorbent in a liquefied state, a step of introducing into the vessel kept at the low temperature a gaseous or liquid medium with a freezing temperature that is higher than the above-mentioned liquefaction temperature of the gas to be stored, for freezing of the medium, so that the gas to be stored which has been adsorbed onto the adsorbent in a liquefied state is encapsulated by the medium which has been frozen, and a step of keeping the vessel at a temperature higher than the liquefaction temperature and below the freezing temperature.

Abstract: An approved method of chilling carcasses is described which results in less shrinkage and higher quality meat.

Abstract: A method wherein refrigeration is generated, preferably using a pulse tube cryocooler or refrigerator, to produce cold working gas which is used to liquefy coupling fluid circulating between a coupling fluid liquid reservoir and a refrigeration load, such as superconductivity equipment, using thermo-siphon effects.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuous treatment and transportation of a material (7), consisting of piece goods or granules of solid material, in an at least partly fluidized bed, which apparatus comprises a perforated trough bottom (5) for the material and means (3) for creating an upwardly directed air or gas flow through said trough bottom (5) and said material (7). The trough bottom (5) is disposed to move, from a starting position, in the conveying direction of the material (7) and opposite to the conveying direction of the material, the trough bottom in motion opposite to the conveying direction being disposed, relative to the material (7), to exhibit greater acceleration (a2) than a maximum acceleration (a1) relative to the surroundings in motion in the conveying direction.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus has a liquid helium container for containing liquid helium, a vacuum chamber for providing heat insulation to external air, and a cooling head disposed in the vacuum chamber and capable of cooling down to a temperature region corresponding to the melting point of the liquid helium in the liquid helium container. An inlet port is disposed in the vacuum chamber for introducing thereinto the liquid helium stored in the liquid helium container. A vacuum heat insulation piping transfers liquid helium from the liquid helium container to the inlet port. A first piping is disposed in the vacuum chamber for transferring the liquid helium from the inlet port to the cooling head. A pump pumps liquid helium from the liquid helium container to the cooling head via the vacuum heat insulation piping, the inlet port and the first piping. A second piping transfers the liquid helium from the cooling head to the pump. At least part of the second piping is disposed in the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A natural gas handling system is provided having a new modular design to provide clean and accessible fuel for remote compressed natural gas. The natural gas handling system has a storage unit with a heated exchanger that converts the liquefied natural gas to compressed natural gas having a predetermined pressure of approximately 5000 psig without the use of pumps or compressors. The LNG/CNG storage unit has an outlet for providing warmed natural gas at approximately psig. If desired, refrigeration can be supplied from the −260° F. LNG during the vaporization process. The LNG/CNG storage unit also has a second outlet with a pressure regulator for providing warmed compressed natural gas at approximately 60 psig.

Abstract: A cryopump system includes an integral assembly having a refrigerator, cryopumping surfaces cooled by the refrigerator, a first electronic module for controlling the cryopump, and a second electronic module which is removably coupled to the first module. The second electronic module has a first surface abutting a complementary first surface of a housing of the first electronic module. Preferably, the first controller module has three orthogonal surfaces of approximately the same dimensions. Electronic modules can be removably coupled to each of the three surfaces. The cryopump system includes a module cap which is coupled to an end of an electronic module to shield electrical connections between two coupled electronic modules. The electronic modules comprise a channel of rectangular cross section having slots for mounting printed circuit boards.