Patents by Inventor Alain Guillard

Alain Guillard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230020425
    Abstract: A method for decreasing the SFFC of a steam reforming plant, including establishing a base operating mode. Then modifying the base operating mode by introducing the shift gas stream into a solvent based, non-cryogenic separator prior to introduction into the pressure swing adsorption and introducing the compressed hydrogen depleted off-gas stream in a membrane separation unit, wherein the membrane is configured to produce the hydrogen enriched permeate stream at a suitable pressure to allow the hydrogen enriched permeate stream to be combined with carbon dioxide lean shift gas stream, prior to introduction into the pressure swing adsorption unit without requiring additional compression. Thereby establishing a modified operating mode. Wherein said pressure swing adsorption unit has a modified overall hydrogen recovery. Wherein said modified operating mode has a modified hydrogen production, a modified hydrogen production unit firing duty, a modified SCO2e, and a modified SFFC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Pierre-Philippe GUERIF, Joseph T. STROFFOLINO, IV, Alain GUILLARD
  • Publication number: 20230009727
    Abstract: A method for the liquefaction of hydrogen is provided. The can include the steps of: precooling a hydrogen feed stream in a precooling cold box having a heat exchanger disposed therein to form a cooled hydrogen stream, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool down the feed stream within the precooling cold box by indirect heat exchange between the hydrogen feed stream and a precooling refrigerant; and withdrawing the cooled hydrogen stream from the precooling cold box; introducing the cooled hydrogen stream to a plurality of liquefaction cold boxes, wherein the cooled hydrogen stream liquefies within the plurality of liquefaction cold boxes by indirect heat exchange against a liquefaction refrigerant to form a product hydrogen stream in each of the plurality of liquefaction cold boxes, wherein the product hydrogen stream is in liquid form or pseudo-liquid form wherein there are M total precooling cold boxes and N total liquefaction cold boxes, wherein M is less than N.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Michael A. TURNEY, Patrick LE BOT, Alain GUILLARD, Bobby Mon-Flan CHAN, Francois FUENTES
  • Publication number: 20220205714
    Abstract: A method of efficient cold recovery from a liquid hydrogen stream includes warming a cold liquid hydrogen stream by indirect heat exchange with a cold feed air stream in an ASU sub-cooler, thereby producing a warmed liquid hydrogen stream. Wherein at least a portion of the cool inlet air stream is introduced into a cold booster, thereby producing the compressed cool feed air stream. Wherein at least a first portion of the further cooled feed air stream is introduced into an expander, thereby producing an expanded feed air stream. Wherein a second portion of the further cooled feed air stream is further cooled, thereby producing the cold feed air stream. And, wherein the liquid oxygen stream has a first molar mass flow rate, and the cold liquid hydrogen stream has a second molar flow rate that is between 1.5 and 2.5 times the first molar mass flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Michael A. TURNEY, Vincent FOLLACA, Alain GUILLARD
  • Patent number: 11359858
    Abstract: A method for liquefying ammonia can include the steps of: providing a pressurized carbon dioxide stream from a power generating facility; expanding the pressurized carbon dioxide stream to a lower pressure that is sufficient to produce a dual phase carbon dioxide fluid; introducing the dual phase carbon dioxide fluid to a gas-liquid separator; withdrawing a liquid stream from the gas-liquid separator; and liquefying an ammonia gas stream in an ammonia liquefier by indirect contact with the liquid stream from the gas-liquid separator, thereby forming a liquid ammonia stream and a gaseous carbon dioxide stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Abigail Bonifacio, Vincent Follaca, Pierre-Philippe Guerif, Alain Guillard
  • Publication number: 20220146193
    Abstract: A method of simultaneously liquefying CO2 and cooling natural gas, including providing a compressed CO2 loop, comprising a pressurized cooling stream, wherein a first compressed cooling stream and a second compressed cooling stream are produced by a CO2 compressor. Providing at least a portion of the first compressed cooling stream to a CO2 liquefaction system, wherein the first compressed cooling stream provides at least a portion of the refrigeration required by the CO2 liquefaction system. Providing at least a portion of the second compressed cooling stream to the pre-cooling system of a natural gas liquefaction system, wherein the second compressed cooling stream provides at least a portion of the refrigeration required by the natural gas pre-cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Pierre-Philippe GUERIF, Alain Guillard
  • Publication number: 20220106190
    Abstract: A method and system for purification of helium and CO2 from a stream containing at least Helium, CO2, nitrogen or methane uses a combination of cryogenic, membrane and adsorption technologies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicants: Air Liquide Advanced Technologies US LLC, L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Paul TERRIEN, Pierre-Philippe GUERIF, Vincent FOLLACA, Alain GUILLARD, Youssef TAZI
  • Publication number: 20220099364
    Abstract: A process for producing liquid oxygen, including an offshore platform the system including cooling a high-pressure nitrogen gas stream in a main heat exchanger, thereby producing a cooled high-pressure nitrogen gas stream, expanding the cooled high-pressure nitrogen gas stream in a turbo-expander, thereby producing a cold low-pressure nitrogen gas stream, warming the cold low-pressure nitrogen gas stream by indirect heat exchange with a high-pressure gaseous oxygen stream, thereby producing a liquefied oxygen stream and a warm low-pressure nitrogen gas stream, wherein, at least a portion of the warm low-pressure nitrogen gas stream is vented to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Michael A. TURNEY, Alain GUILLARD
  • Publication number: 20220090854
    Abstract: A liquefied gas cooling apparatus including: a gas flow path for carrying a liquefied gas that is liquefied by cooling; and a refrigeration unit including a refrigerating cycle formed by a compressor, a cooling unit, and an expander. The compressor is driven through an electric motor contained in a sealed housing together with a compressor mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l?Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Michael A. TURNEY, Pierre-Philippe GUERIF, Cecile GONDRAND, Alain GUILLARD
  • Publication number: 20220034584
    Abstract: A process for co-producing a liquid oxygen and a liquefied hydrocarbon stream, including introducing a gaseous hydrocarbon stream and a gaseous nitrogen stream into a liquefier, thereby producing a liquefied hydrocarbon stream and a liquid nitrogen stream, liquefying a gaseous oxygen stream, wherein at least a portion of the required refrigeration is obtained from the liquid nitrogen stream. Wherein the liquefied hydrocarbon stream and the liquefied gaseous oxygen stream have mass flow rates. The liquid oxygen stream may be produced in an aft separation unit, wherein at least a portion of the required refrigeration is obtained from the liquid nitrogen stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Michael A. TURNEY, Alain GUILLARD
  • Publication number: 20210404739
    Abstract: A method for operating an air separation unit during an unexpected disturbance is provided. The method can include the steps of: determining that a process disturbance has occurred; starting-up a liquid back-up system that is configured to deliver a product gas at a desired product pressure; and introducing compressed air from an air accumulator into the air separation unit at a location that is downstream a main air compressor and upstream a cold box, wherein the compressed air is introduced in an amount that is effective for maintaining nominal operation of the air separation unit during the process disturbance and until the liquid back-up system is delivering the product gas at the desired product pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Paul KONG, Alain GUILLARD, Michael A. TURNEY
  • Publication number: 20210348840
    Abstract: A method for increasing the reliability and availability of a cryogenic fluid reliquefaction system is provided. It may comprise at least N sub-coolers comprising a motor and a compressor and at least one variable speed. It may comprise N?1 variable speed systems to be shared between the motors and compressors if N equals 2, or N?2 variable speed systems to be shared between the motors and compressors if N is greater than 2. It may comprise two different liquid cryogenic fluid users are provided liquid cryogenic fluid, utilizing two different main cryogenic tanks, with a common sub-cooler and recirculation loop, wherein the pressure in the two different main cryogenic tanks are controlled with pressure controllers acting on two different subcooled liquid cryogenic fluid valves. And or, it may comprise at least one liquid cryogenic fluid user is provided refrigeration from two or more sub-cooling systems in a lead-lag arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Pierre-Philippe GUERIF, Alain GUILLARD, Gilles FLAVIEN, Vincent FOLLACA, Paul KONG
  • Publication number: 20210348841
    Abstract: A method for increasing the reliability and availability of a cryogenic fluid reliquefaction system is provided. Wherein the liquid cryogenic fluid is supplied to a cryogenic liquid user in the absence of a pump by elevating the storage height of the main cryogenic storage tank relative to the liquid cryogenic liquid user to a minimum predetermined height. Wherein the temperature of the liquid cryogenic fluid downstream of the sub-cooler is at least 1 degree Celsius above the freezing point of the cryogenic fluid at the internal pressure. The method also includes controlling the internal pressure of the main cryogenic tank by adjusting the recirculation flow to the, and maintaining the cold supply to the liquid cryogenic fluid user when the sub-cooling line is reduced or stopped by venting the vaporized cryogenic fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Pierre-Philippe GUERIF, Gilles FLAVIEN, Alain GUILLARD, Vincent FOLLACA
  • Publication number: 20210331917
    Abstract: A method of co-producing liquid hydrogen and ammonia, including a hydrogen generator, a nitrogen generator, and a HLU is presented. The method includes pressurizing a hydrogen stream from the hydrogen generator in a hydrogen compressor, dividing the pressurized hydrogen into at least a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion includes at least part of the flow of a first refrigeration cycle in the HLU, and the second part comprises at least part of the feed to an ammonia plant. The method also includes pressurizing a nitrogen stream from the nitrogen generator in a HP nitrogen compressor, dividing the pressurized nitrogen stream into at least a first part and a second part, wherein the first part comprises at least part of the flow of a second refrigeration cycle in the HLU, and the second part comprises at least part of the feed to the ammonia plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Michael A. TURNEY, Alain GUILLARD, Joseph T. STROFFOLINO, IV
  • Publication number: 20210199376
    Abstract: A method for liquefying ammonia can include the steps of: providing a pressurized carbon dioxide stream from a power generating facility; expanding the pressurized carbon dioxide stream to a lower pressure that is sufficient to produce a dual phase carbon dioxide fluid; introducing the dual phase carbon dioxide fluid to a gas-liquid separator; withdrawing a liquid stream from the gas-liquid separator; and liquefying an ammonia gas stream in an ammonia liquefier by indirect contact with the liquid stream from the gas-liquid separator, thereby forming a liquid ammonia stream and a gaseous carbon dioxide stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Abigail BONIFACIO, Vincent FOLLACA, Pierre-Philippe GUERIF, Alain GUILLARD
  • Publication number: 20210156612
    Abstract: A method for producing power and argon is provided by providing a residual gas stream, purifying the residual gas stream in a front-end purification unit to remove carbon dioxide, thereby forming a purified residual gas stream, and introducing the purified residual gas stream to a cold box, wherein the purified residual gas stream is cooled and expanded within the cold box to produce power and then fed to a distillation column system for separation therein, thereby forming an argon-enriched stream and optionally a nitrogen-enriched stream and/or an oxygen-enriched stream, wherein the residual gas stream is sourced from a retentate stream of a cold membrane having oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain GUILLARD, Michael A. TURNEY, Abigail BONIFACIO
  • Patent number: 10807033
    Abstract: A gas purification device including two adsorbers, each having a lower portion and an upper portion, a gas compressor, a heater, a set of exchangers, a first assembly of pipework and valves, and a second assembly of pipework and valves, wherein the first assembly of pipework and valves is located on the floor or on a metal structure proximate to the lower portion, and the second assembly of pipework and valves is located high up along the same vertical axis as the first assembly of pipework and valves proximate to the upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Patrice Cavagne, Gabriel Da Silva, Olivier De Cayeux, Alain Guillard
  • Patent number: 10730749
    Abstract: A method of co-producing a carbon dioxide containing stream and a syngas stream, including introducing a high-pressure hydrocarbon containing stream and a high-pressure oxygen containing stream into a syngas generator, thereby producing a high-pressure syngas stream, introducing a low-pressure hydrocarbon containing stream and a low-pressure oxygen containing stream into an oxy-combustion device, thereby producing a low-pressure carbon dioxide containing stream, and introducing the low-pressure carbon dioxide containing stream into a waste heat boiler, thereby producing steam, and introducing the steam into a work expander, thereby generating work and a carbon dioxide containing stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Guillard, Alexander Roesch
  • Patent number: 10712088
    Abstract: A method of temperature balancing for thermal integration of an air separation unit (ASU) with an oxycombustion power generation system, including compressing air through a plurality of compression stages, and routing a first stage compressed air stream through a first heat exchanger in heat exchange communication with a subsequent stage compressed air stream to lower the first stage compressed air stream temperature and increase the temperature of a subsequent stage compressed air stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Pierre-Philippe Guerif, Alain Guillard, Vincent Follaca
  • Publication number: 20200141640
    Abstract: A method including, compressing a first hydrogen stream, and expanding a portion to produce a hydrogen refrigeration stream, cooling a second hydrogen stream thereby producing a cool hydrogen stream, wherein at least a portion of the refrigeration is provided by a nitrogen refrigeration stream, further cooling at least a portion of the cool hydrogen stream thereby producing a cold hydrogen stream, and a warm hydrogen refrigeration stream wherein at least a portion of the refrigeration is provided by the hydrogen refrigeration stream, compressing the warm hydrogen refrigeration stream, mixing the balance of the compressed first hydrogen stream with a high-pressure gaseous nitrogen stream to form an ammonia synthesis gas stream, and wherein the first hydrogen stream and the warm hydrogen refrigeration stream are compressed in the same compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Mike TURNEY, Alain GUILLARD, Alexander ROESCH
  • Publication number: 20200140270
    Abstract: A method of co-producing a carbon dioxide containing stream and a syngas stream, including introducing a high-pressure hydrocarbon containing stream and a high-pressure oxygen containing stream into a syngas generator, thereby producing a high-pressure syngas stream, introducing a low-pressure hydrocarbon containing stream and a low-pressure oxygen containing stream into an oxy-combustion device, thereby producing a low-pressure carbon dioxide containing stream, and introducing the low-pressure carbon dioxide containing stream into a waste het boiler, thereby producing steam, and introducing the steam into a work expander, thereby generating work and a carbon dioxide containing stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Alain GUILLARD, Alexander Roesch