Abstract: Food products are frozen or cooled within a housing chamber defined by side walls between an ceiling and floor and having a cryogen supply, a food products conveyor extending into the chamber disposed between the ceiling and floor, by transporting the food products on the conveyor; the chamber containing at least one impingement hood disposed above the conveyor; the impingement hood including a shell including a top, opposed edges and opposed side walls supporting an impinger containing openings. Gas and solid or liquid cryogen are mixed within the impingement hood, the mixture of gas and cryogen are directed to the impinger, and impingement jets of the mixture are directed through an impingement plate onto the food products transported on the conveyor.

Abstract: A reciprocating machine such as a vacuum pump includes a cylinder in which a reciprocating piston is disposed for reciprocating movement. A variable voltage driver is provided for driving the piston and a vibration sensor is provided for sensing contact between the piston and ends of the cylinder. A controller interconnects the sensor and driver to control movement of the driver and piston to maximize piston stroke and reduce if not eliminate contacting of the piston with the cylinder.

Abstract: The present invention is a system for protecting, for example, electronic, mechanical, or other components from contamination in a processing environment and includes a distribution manifold, a pressurized fluid in fluid communication with the manifold, and a plurality of apparatuses, such as sensors, which are connected to the manifold by respective conduits throughwhich the pressurized fluid flows to maintain a positive pressure at each of the apparatuses to prevent the processing environment from contacting the plurality of apparatus.

Abstract: In a method of cleaning metal surfaces to be welded together, at least one jet carrying particles of solid carbon dioxide is caused to come into contact with the surfaces, where the solid carbon dioxide is allowed to sublime at the surfaces. The jet is formed by passing a stream of pressurised liquid carbon dioxide through a nozzle under pressure.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the use of a high vapor pressure liquid prior to or simultaneous with cryogenic cleaning to remove contaminants from the surface of substrates requiring precision cleaning such as semiconductors, metal films, or dielectric films. A liquid suitable for use in the present invention preferably has a vapor pressure above 5 kPa and a freezing point below ?50° C.

Abstract: A compact, efficient, easy-to-maintain enclosable cabinet for sanitizing a liquid flowing along a cascade within a cabinet body, having a cabinet body, a plurality of troughs directing the liquid along a predetermined path including a cascade within the cabinet body and one or more sanitizing radiation sources for subjecting the liquid to a sanitizing radiation for a predetermined time while flowing along the predetermined path, whereby the liquid is subject to sufficient sanitizing radiation for a predetermined level of sanitization. The sanitizing radiation sources are assemblies having a UV light source, a UV light shield located between the UV light source and the liquid and a rigid internal reflector shield located between the UV light source and the UV light shield.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for mixing a gas and a liquid to produce a gaseous vapor of the liquid that is substantially free of droplets. Gas, e.g., carbon dioxide, is divided into first and second streams. The first stream is combined in an atomization zone with the liquid, e.g., acetic acid, to form an atomized mixture of the gas and liquid. This atomized mixture is then contacted with the second gas stream in a mixing zone within a mixing/separation chamber in which the second gas stream vaporizes substantially all of the atomized liquid, and the resulting mixture of gas, vaporized liquid and residual droplets moves to the separation zone of the mixing/separation chamber. In the separation zone, the residual droplets gravitationally separate from the vaporized mixture, and the vaporized mixture free of a substantial amount of residual droplets is removed from the chamber.

Abstract: A metallurgical lance for introducing gas from above into a volume of metal in a vessel includes a head having at least one ejector formed therein. The ejector includes a Laval nozzle surrounded by a shrouding gas passage. Both the Laval nozzle and the shrouding gas passage communicate at their proximal ends with a common gas supply chamber. The shrouding gas passage communicates with the chamber via a first annular orifice member which determines the percentage split of the gas flow through the chamber between the Laval nozzle and the shrouding gas passage.

Abstract: In an industrial glass furnace, which optionally contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material, at least one staged combustion oxy-fuel burner is mounted in the roof of the furnace to provide heat to melt the glass batch material by providing a flow of fuel to the oxy-fuel burner; providing a flow of gaseous oxidant in association with said the oxy-fuel burner; injecting the fuel and the oxidant into the furnace; and, combusting the fuel such that at least a portion of combustion is effected in the vicinity of said glass forming material to enhance convective and radiative transfer of heat to said glass forming material without substantially disturbing the glass forming material. In one embodiment, the oxy-fuel burner is adapted for injecting liquid fuels.

Abstract: In an industrial glass furnace which contains recuperators, regenerators, electric boost or other devices for providing heat to glass batch material an oxy-fuel burner mounted in the roof of the furnace provides additional heat to melt the batch material. A method of mounting and using such a roof-mounted oxy-fuel burner including the operating parameters to maximize heat transfer while minimizing the disturbance of the batch material is disclosed.

Abstract: A burner has a body portion and a main outlet. Fuel and primary oxidant outlets are arranged upstream of the main outlet and are disposed substantially concentrically about the axis of the burner. A chamber inside the body portion provides a place for the mixing of the fuel and oxidant. A laval nozzle provides acceleration of the mixed fuel and oxidant. Particulate matter are injected into a secondary oxidant flow immediately adjacent and downstream of the accelerating nozzle. The burner can be used in an electric arc furnace for decarburization of metals as well as post combustion. The burner can be mounted in a water-cooled box and can be fitted with an oxygen port for extra oxygen for post combustion while the burner injects hot oxygen and carbon for slag forming.

Abstract: Objects formed of engineering and tool steels are quenched from above 850° C. by immersion in an aqueous suspension of inorganic particles. The greater the proportion of particles, the slower the quench. The suspension may be saturated with carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A compound vacuum pump includes a regenerative section and a Holweck section. An annular abutment is formed on the radially innermost rotating cylinder of the Holweck section. The abutment acts to cause dust and foreign particles entering an inlet of the pump to be trapped before entering an inlet of the regenerative section. A circular barrier may be used with the abutment to assist with trapping the dust and foreign particles.

Abstract: This invention relates to a burner and a method of combustion for producing a flame jet sheet or sheets for various applications in industrial furnaces. The burner has at least one linear or curvilinear flame nozzle having a ratio of width to height of greater than unity in order to produce high velocity and high temperature flame jet sheet or sheets with a well defined geometry. The burner is capable of being scaled to various sizes for various industrial furnace applications due to its geometry.

Abstract: A method for quenching a heated metallic object includes discharging a plurality of discrete gas streams from a plurality of nozzle outlets so that the gas streams impinge substantially uniformly over the outer surface of the object, the distance between each nozzle outlet and the outer surface of the object against which the associated gas stream impinges is less than or equal to half the diameter of the nozzle outlet.

Abstract: A process for installing a refractory burner block in a glass furnace crown, wherein the glass furnace crown comprises a second refractory material different than the burner block refractory, includes installing a refractory crown block in the furnace crown, wherein the crown block refractory is compatible with the burner block refractory and the second refractory material, wherein the crown block is provided with a hole for accepting the burner block; and disposing the burner block into the crown block hole in sealing engagement therewith.

Abstract: A method for metal processing is provided in which a cooling atmosphere comprising hydrogen is used for accelerated cooling of a processed metal part in a furnace, resulting in improved properties for the metal part. A sintering furnace is also provided and comprises a means for inhibiting gas flows between a heating zone and a cooling zone of the furnace.

Abstract: A method of forming a food product having therein a hydrogenated fat includes contacting a spray of the product in liquid form with a cryogen so as to cool the liquid product and effect a rapid conversion of the liquid product to a solid.

Abstract: A flexible clamp comprising a plurality of plastics links each link being a snap-fit with the next adjacent link thereby permitting a user to alter the length of the chain by the addition or subtraction of one or more links, and means for latching the free ends of the chain together.

Abstract: A vacuum gauge of the cold cathode type has a gauge head which includes a cathode discharge cell and an anode a portion of which is located within the cathode discharge cell. An electrically operated ignition device is located adjacent the cathode discharge cell which ignition device is protected from being operated at high pressure by an auxiliary pressure sensor.