Patents Examined by Webeshet Mengesha
  • Patent number: 11946693
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for controlling an argon flow rate of a fluid at the outlet of an assembly of at least one distillation column in order to reach a target dioxygen level (SP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Marc Bastid
  • Patent number: 11946355
    Abstract: A method to recover and process hydrocarbons from a gas flare system to produce natural gas liquids (NGL), cold compressed natural gas (CCNG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG). The method process provides the energy required to recover and process the hydrocarbon gas stream through compression and expansion of the various streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: 1304338 Alberta Ltd., 1304342 Alberta Ltd.
    Inventors: Jose Lourenco, MacKenzie Millar
  • Patent number: 11927391
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for liquefying a feed gas stream comprising natural gas and carbon dioxide. A method includes compressing an input fluid stream to generate a first intermediary fluid stream; cooling the first intermediary fluid stream with a first heat exchanger to generate a second intermediary fluid stream, wherein a temperature of the second intermediary fluid stream is higher than a carbon dioxide-freezing temperature for the second intermediary fluid stream; expanding the second intermediary fluid stream to generate a third intermediary fluid stream, wherein the third intermediary fluid stream comprises solid carbon dioxide; separating the third intermediary fluid stream into a fourth intermediary fluid stream and an output fluid stream, wherein the output fluid stream comprises a liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquid; and utilizing the fourth intermediary fluid stream as a cooling fluid stream for the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Kaminsky, Marcel Staedter
  • Patent number: 11919428
    Abstract: A temperature management system for an occupant supporting device comprising an air-circulating circuit is provided, the air-circulating circuit comprising: an air distributing device; a main power device for circulating the air in the air-circulating circuit; and a temperature adjusting device for adjusting the temperature of the air in the air-circulating circuit, wherein an airflow, which has been temperature adjusted by the temperature adjusting device, out of the main power device comprises at least a first portion which flows into the air distributing device and a second portion which returns back to the main power device after circulating within the air-circulating circuit, and wherein the airflow which returns back to the main power device will be adjusted by the temperature adjusting device and circulated in the air-circulating circuit again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: GENTHERM AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS (CHINA) LTD.
    Inventor: Jonathan Yu Zhang
  • Patent number: 11913720
    Abstract: A supply quantity adjustment device 500 comprises: a total demand quantity calculation unit 502 that calculates a total demand quantity used at a supply destination, based on plant information; an excess/deficit information setting unit 503 that compares the total demand quantity and a flow rate set value and sets a first calculated pressure value; a backup coefficient setting unit that sets a backup coefficient set value based on a reference gasholder pressure, the first calculated pressure value, a reference backup pressure set value, and a measured gasholder pressure value; and a production coefficient setting unit that compares a production pressure set value obtained by adding the reference gasholder pressure and a first pressure output value with the measured gasholder pressure value, and sets a production coefficient so as to modify a variation in the quantity of product gas produced by the air separation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Takuya Kaneda, Shigenobu Kuwada
  • Patent number: 11885561
    Abstract: Methods and systems for liquefying natural gas using environmentally-friendly low combustibility refrigerants are provided. Methods of liquefaction include cooling a fluid in an LNG facility via indirect heat exchange with an environmentally-friendly low combustibility refrigerant selected from the group consisting of: a fluorinated olefin, xenon, any derivative thereof, and any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul Davies, James Lee Harris, Jr., Emery Jay Thomas, Gregg Sapp
  • Patent number: 11879687
    Abstract: Provided is a method of designing a heat exchanger group being installed in a processing plant and having multiple ACHEs. In a first step, at least one design variable relating to ACHE design and the number of installed ACHEs are set as variable parameters, and a variable range and a change unit of each of the variable parameters are set. In a second step, a design value of the ACHE, which includes a value of a design variable non-selected as the variable parameter, is set. In a third step, Pareto solutions for at least two objective functions selected from an objective function group consisting of an installation length of the heat exchanger group, a total heat transfer area of heat transfer tubes, and total power consumption of fans are calculated by using a computer while the variable parameter are changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: JGC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Kanazawa, Masaki Ikeda, Toshikazu Miyashita
  • Patent number: 11841192
    Abstract: Provided is a method of designing a heat exchanger group being installed in a processing plant and having multiple ACHEs. In a first step, at least one design variable relating to ACHE design and the number of installed ACHEs are set as variable parameters, and a variable range and a change unit of each of the variable parameters are set. In a second step, a design value of the ACHE, which includes a value of a design variable non-selected as the variable parameter, is set. In a third step, Pareto solutions for at least two objective functions selected from an objective function group consisting of an installation length of the heat exchanger group, a total heat transfer area of heat transfer tubes, and total power consumption of fans are calculated by using a computer while the variable parameter are changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: JGC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Kanazawa, Masaki Ikeda, Toshikazu Miyashita
  • Patent number: 11815308
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing liquefied natural gas. A portion of a natural gas stream is cooled in a first heat exchanger and re-combined with the natural gas stream, and heavy hydrocarbons are removed therefrom to generate a separated natural gas stream and a separator bottom stream. Liquids are separated from the separator bottom stream to form an overhead stream, which is cooled and separated to form a recycle gas stream. The recycle gas stream is compressed. A first portion of the compressed recycle gas stream is directed through the first heat exchanger and directed to the separator as a column reflux stream. The separated to natural gas stream is used as a coolant in the first heat exchanger to thereby generate a pretreated natural gas stream, which is compressed and liquefied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Yijun Liu, Fritz Pierre, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11808501
    Abstract: A determination device able to determine a cause of generation of gas with a simple configuration is provided. The determination device includes a pressure gauge that detects pressure in a gas storage chamber that stores non-condensable gas generated in an absorber of an absorption refrigerator, and a hydrogen sensor that detects an amount of hydrogen discharged from the gas storage chamber. Further, a determining unit determines a cause of generation of the non-condensable gas stored in the gas storage chamber based on a detection result of the hydrogen sensor and a detection result of the pressure gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: YAZAKI ENERGY SYSTEM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiko Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11760462
    Abstract: Disclosed is a re-liquefying device using a boil-off gas as a cooling fluid so as to re-liquefy the boil-off gas generated from a liquefied gas storage tank provided in a ship. A boil-off gas re-liquefying device for a ship comprises: a multi-stage compression unit for compressing boil-off gas generated from a liquefied gas storage tank; a heat exchanger in which the boil-off gas generated from the storage tank and the boil-off gas compressed exchange heat; a vaporizer for heat exchanging the boil-off gas cooled by the heat exchanger and a separate liquefied gas supplied to a fuel demand source of a ship, and thus cooling the boil-off gas; an intermediate cooler for cooling the boil-off gas that has been cooled by the heat exchanger; and an expansion means for branching a part of the boil-off gas, which is supplied to the intermediate cooler, and expanding the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Jun Shin, Su Kyung An, Seung Chul Lee
  • Patent number: 11738829
    Abstract: An offshore facility for producing a liquefied natural gas using an associated gas includes a crude oil production offshore facility having a crude oil processing device for refining crude oil collected from a subsea well to produce oil, and a gas reinjection device for compressing an associated gas separated in crude oil refining process to be reinjected into a reservoir, and a liquefied natural gas production offshore facility supplied with a feed gas including at least a part of the associated gas from the crude oil production offshore facility, and processing and liquefying the feed gas to generate a liquefied natural gas. The crude oil production offshore facility includes a feed gas supply unit for recovering a back-flow gas formed when an injection gas compressed by the gas reinjection device flows backward and generating the feed gas by using the back-flow gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG HEAVY IND. CO., LTD
    Inventors: Munsung Kim, Xuan-Chi Nguyen, Mungyu Kim, Jinki Kim, Howard Marlin Newman, Hoyoung Cho, Cornelis Teunis De Regt, Komla Toltoga Miheaye
  • Patent number: 11713911
    Abstract: A liquid reservoir, a method for manufacturing the liquid reservoir, and a compressor having the liquid reservoir are disclosed. The liquid reservoir has a barrel, an air inlet tube, an air outlet tube, and a valve. The valve has a partition plate arranged in the barrel. An outer periphery of the partition plate is coupled to an inner peripheral wall of the barrel to divide the internal space of the barrel into an air inlet chamber and an air outlet chamber. The partition plate has a valve hole communicating the air inlet chamber with the air outlet chamber. A limit plate is arranged in the air outlet chamber and at least partially spaced apart from the partition plate. An outer periphery of the limit plate is coupled to the inner peripheral wall of the barrel. The limit plate has a connection hole and a guide hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGDONG MEIZHI COMPRESSOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gaimin Li, Bin Gao, Qiang Gao
  • Patent number: 11686528
    Abstract: A system for removing nitrogen from a natural gas fluid feed stream includes a main heat exchanger that receives the natural gas fluid feed stream. A distillation column receives a cooled fluid stream from the main heat exchanger and features a return vapor outlet and a side vapor outlet port. The return vapor outlet provides nitrogen vapor to the main heat exchanger which is warmed therein. The side vapor outlet port provides vapor to the main heat exchanger and a reflux compressor receives and compresses the resulting fluid from the main heat exchanger. A reflux aftercooler receives and cools fluid from the reflux compressor, directs cooled fluid to the main heat exchanger and the resulting fluid is directed to a reflux separation device. The reflux separation device has a vapor outlet and a liquid outlet. The vapor outlet of the reflux separation device directs fluid to the main heat exchanger so that fluid is directed to the first reflux inlet port of the distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Turner, Douglas A. Ducote, Jr., Timothy P. Gushanas
  • Patent number: 11668522
    Abstract: A system and method for integrated heavy hydrocarbon removal in a liquefaction system having a lean natural gas source. An economizer located between a main cryogenic heat exchanger and a reflux drum is provided to cool an overhead vapor stream against a partially condensed stream. In addition, pressure of the natural gas feed stream is maintained into a scrub column. A pressure drop is provided by a valve located between the economizer and the reflux drum on a partially condensed stream withdrawn from the cold end of the warm section of the main cryogenic heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Fei Chen, Mark Julian Roberts, Christopher Michael Ott, Annemarie Ott Weist
  • Patent number: 11656026
    Abstract: A compressing system includes a compression section that compresses a target gas to an intermediate pressure, which is equal to or higher than a critical pressure and lower than a target pressure to generate an intermediate supercritical fluid, a cooling section that cools the intermediate supercritical fluid generated in the compression section to near a critical temperature to generate an intermediate supercritical pressure liquid, and a pumping section that compresses the intermediate supercritical pressure liquid generated in the cooling section to a pressure that is equal to or higher than the target pressure. At least one of the intermediate supercritical pressure liquid compressed in the pumping section, a low-temperature liquid generated by extracting the intermediate supercritical pressure liquid on the upstream side of the pumping section to reduce pressure to near the critical pressure, and an external cooling medium is used as a cooling medium in the cooling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoto Yonemura, Hiroyuki Miyata, Hideki Nagao
  • Patent number: 11619426
    Abstract: Disclosed is an adsorption-based heat pump useful for refrigeration and cooling/heating for applications such as HVACs and chillers. Adsorption is a surface phenomenon where a solid substance (adsorbent) attracts molecules of a gas or solution (refrigerant or adsorbate) on its surface. The latent heat of the adsorbate provides the heating/cooling effect. The novel adsorption heat pump enhances heat and/or mass transfer to and from the adsorbate. One embodiment comprises at least one evaporator, at least one desorber (adsorbent heating apparatus), at least one adsorbent cooling apparatus and at least one condenser. The embodiment employs different techniques to enhance heat and/or mass transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Enersion Inc.
    Inventors: Hanif Montazeri, Jingyuan Hou, Arshan Singh, Bahman Lashkari, Vignesh Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 11585599
    Abstract: Device and method for the cryogenic purification of a stream of gas, comprising a purification circuit comprising a first inlet and a first set of filters arranged in series, the first set of filters comprising a terminal heat exchanger in a heat-exchange relationship with a cold source, the purification circuit comprising, downstream of the terminal exchanger, a first outlet, the device comprising at least one drive member intended to set the stream of gas in motion in the circuit, the purification circuit further comprising, between the terminal exchanger and the first outlet, a second set of filter(s), and the at least one drive member being configured to set two successive volumes of gas for purification in motion in opposite directions of circulation in the circuit. The invention also relates to a machine including such a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: James Butterworth, Yan Pennec
  • Patent number: 11578914
    Abstract: A method of cooling a boil-off gas (BOG) stream from a liquefied gas tank comprising at least the step of heat exchanging the BOG stream with a first refrigerant in a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having an entry port and a warmer exit port, and comprising at least the steps of: (a) passing the first refrigerant into the entry port of the heat exchanger and into a first zone of the heat exchanger to exchange heat with the BOG stream, to provide a first warmer refrigerant stream; (b) withdrawing the first warmer refrigerant stream from the heat exchanger at an intermediate exit port between the entry port and the warmer exit port; (c) admixing the first warmer refrigerant stream with an oil-containing refrigerant stream to provide a combined refrigerant stream; (d) passing the combined refrigerant stream into the heat exchanger through an entry port located in a second zone of the heat exchanger that is warmer than the first zone; (e) passing the combined refrigerant stream out of the heat exchanger throu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: LGE IP Management Company Limited
    Inventor: Nikola Felbab
  • Patent number: 11578916
    Abstract: A method and a device for producing an air product based on cryogenic rectification; after being cooled by a main heat exchanger, raw material air and nitrogen compressed by means of a compressor are sent to a rectification system for low temperature separation. In the rectification system, products such as oxygen and nitrogen are obtained by means of low temperature separation, and oxygen-enriched liquid air is obtained at or near the bottom of a rectification tower. The oxygen-enriched liquid air or liquid-state air in the rectification system is sent out after being raised to a target pressure by means of a low temperature liquid air pump; air products of various pressures can be produced by means of selecting low temperature liquid air pumps with different lifts or by connecting in series different amounts of low temperature liquid air pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georqes Claude
    Inventors: Bowei Zhao, Alain Briglia, Fengjie Xue