Abstract: The invention concerns a heat exchanger which includes a stack of plates defining passages, containing corrugated fins which include a transverse section with repeated corrugated pattern extending between two upper and lower end planes. The pattern includes a base corrugated pattern that includes corrugated legs linked to corrugated summits and corrugated bases, this base pattern being modified by a sub-pattern which defines, between at least some corrugated legs, additional leading edges located at an intermediate level between the end planes. The invention is applicable to cryogenic gas—gas heat exchangers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 21, 2001
Date of Patent:
June 13, 2006
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: Binary gas mixture for welding using a laser beam of up to 12 kW, consisting of 30% to 60% nitrogen by volume, the remainder (up to 100%) being helium. Application of this gas mixture to the welding of steel, stainless steel or titanium.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 9, 2003
Date of Patent:
May 2, 2006
Assignee:
L'air liquide, societe anonyme a directoire et conseil de surveillance pour l'etude et l'exploitation des procedes georges claude
Inventors:
Francis Briand, Karim Chouf, Philippe Lefebvre, Eric Verna
Abstract: A method of separating or concentrating hydrocarbon-containing gas mixtures such as hydrogen from hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide from hydrocarbons, nitrogen from hydrocarbons, and hydrocarbons from one another using a selectively permeable membrane. The method is well suited to separate hydrocarbon-containing mixtures such as those generated by petroleum refining industries, petrochemical industries, natural gas processing, and the like. The membranes exhibit extremely good resistance to plasticization by hydrocarbon components in the gas mixture under practical industrial process conditions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 25, 2003
Date of Patent:
April 11, 2006
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil De Surveillance Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
Inventors:
John W. Simmons, Sudhir Kulkarni, Okan M. Ekiner
Abstract: A folding-pressing operation is carried out on the strip (17) in successive steps, by means of two opposed dies (11,12) with a relative movement alternating between coming together and moving apart, these dies having active surfaces (11,12) which are substantially conjugate with the two faces of the corrugation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 7, 2002
Date of Patent:
April 11, 2006
Assignee:
L'air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Inventors:
Jean-Claude Beauvois, Son Ha Giang, Gilles Lebain, Etienne Werlen
Abstract: The present invention provides a selectively gas permeable membrane that has a superior combination of permeability and selectivity. The membrane composition includes a Type 1 copolyimide uniformly blended with a Type 2 copolyimide, which polymers are defined by chemical structure more specifically in this disclosure. The invention also provides a method of using the membrane of the copolyimide blend to separate components of gas mixtures.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 15, 2003
Date of Patent:
March 28, 2006
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: A composition and method of preparation, to provide silane compounds that are free of chlorine. The compounds are hexakis(monohydrocarbylamino)disilanes with general formula (I) ((R)HN)3—Si—Si—(NH(R))3??(I) wherein each R independently represents a C1 to C4 hydrocarbyl. These disilanes may be synthesized by reacting hexachlorodisilane in organic solvent with at least 6-fold moles of the monohydrocarbylamine RNH2 (wherein R is a C1 to C4 hydrocarbyl). Such compounds have excellent film-forming characteristics at low temperatures. These films, particularly in the case of silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride, also have excellent handling characteristics.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 27, 2002
Date of Patent:
March 28, 2006
Assignee:
L'air Liquide Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: Methods and apparatus for combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel in a combustion chamber of a furnace or boiler are presented, the combustion normally using only air as an oxidant, part of the air entering the combustion chamber through one or more burners, and a remaining portion of air entering the combustion chamber at a plurality of locations downstream of the burners. The methods comprise injecting oxygen-enriched gas through a plurality of lances into the combustion chamber at a plurality of downstream locations, the oxygen-enriched gas injected at a velocity ranging from subsonic to supersonic, and the oxygen-enriched gas being present in an amount sufficient to provide an oxygen concentration of no more than 2% on a volume basis greater than when air is used alone as oxidant.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 8, 2003
Date of Patent:
March 21, 2006
Assignees:
American Air Liquide, Inc., L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Inventors:
Ovidiu Marin, Benjamin Bugeat, Eric Streicher, Pietro Di Zanno
Abstract: Zeolite adsorbent, and method of production, exchanged with calcium and barium cations, for purifying or separating a gas or gas mixture, in particular air, so as to remove therefrom the impurities found therein, such as hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides (NxOy). The adsorbent is preferably an X or LSX zeolite and the gas purification process is of the TSA type.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 16, 2002
Date of Patent:
March 14, 2006
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: The invention concerns a method for driving at least a compression machine (7, 8) of an air distillation unit (3) which supplies oxygen and/or nitrogen and/or argon to an industrial plant (1) producing water vapour. In normal running conditions, the compression machine is driven at least partly by a steam turbine (13) fed with said water vapour, which is input at an input port (15) of the turbine. The turbine has two input ports (15, 16) which correspond to different intake pressures. During at least one operating phase of said plant (1), the turbine is partly supplied with water vapour from an auxiliary water vapour source (21) and input at the turbine other input port (16). The invention is useful for supplying air gas to a synthetic hydrocarbon production plant.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 27, 2002
Date of Patent:
March 14, 2006
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil De Surveillance Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: A method for conducting laser absorption measurements in high temperature process streams having high levels of particulate matter is disclosed. An impinger is positioned substantially parallel to a laser beam propagation path and at upstream position relative to the laser beam. Beam shielding pipes shield the beam from the surrounding environment. Measurement is conducted only in the gap between the two shielding pipes where the beam propagates through the process gas. The impinger facilitates reduced particle presence in the measurement beam, resulting in improved SNR (signal-to-noise) and improved sensitivity and dynamic range of the measurement.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 29, 2003
Date of Patent:
September 13, 2005
Assignees:
Air Liquide America, L.P., L'Air Liquide- Societe Anonyme a'Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Inventors:
William A. Von Drasek, Kenneth A. Mulderink, Ovidiu Marin
Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a gas mixture containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and optionally nitrogen, from at least a hydrocarbon such as methane, propane, butane or LPG or natural gas, which comprises performing a partial catalytic oxidation of one or several hydrocarbons, at a temperature of 500° C., at a pressure of 3 to 20 bars, in the presence of oxygen or a gas containing oxygen, such as air, to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Recuperating the gas mixture, which can subsequently be purified or separated, by pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption or by permeation, to produce hydrogen having a purity of at least 80% and a residue gas capable of supplying a cogeneration unit. In another embodiment, the gas mixture can subsequently be purified of its water vapor impurities and carbon dioxide to obtain a thermal treatment atmosphere containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and nitrogen.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 22, 2001
Date of Patent:
August 16, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Inventors:
Cyrille Millet, Daniel Gary, Philippe Arpentinier
Abstract: A method and an apparatus for measuring the amount of liquid in a container, and for causing the liquid to flow from the container to a point of use. The weight of the container is measured at several time intervals to determine the weight change of the liquid contained within. When the weight change is less than a predetermined fraction of either the weight of container weight and/or of the liquid originally contained in the container, a signal is generated to indicate that the container may be empty.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 26, 2003
Date of Patent:
July 19, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide-Societe Anonyme a'Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: In a process for separating air in a system comprising a gas turbine, including a compressor (1), a combustor (5) and an expander (17), said expander being coupled to the compressor, a natural gas conversion unit (23) and an air separation unit (20), air is compressed in the compressor, a first part (3) of the air is sent to the combustor and a second part (7) of the air is sent to the air separation unit, oxygen enriched gas (21) is sent from the air separation unit to the natural gas conversion unit, compressed nitrogen enriched gas (16) is sent upstream of the expander, a first stream (33) of natural gas is sent to the natural gas conversion unit, a second stream of natural gas (35) is sent to a natural gas liquefaction unit and work produced by the expander is used to operate a cycle compressor of a refrigeration cycle of the natural gas liquefaction unit.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 5, 2003
Date of Patent:
July 12, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a'Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes George Claude
Abstract: In a process for the use of a hydrocarbon feedstock (10) by reacting the feedstock in a reactor (11) with oxygen (9) to form a synthesis gas containing at least carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen and subjecting the synthesis gas to a conversion process comprising an exothermic reaction to produce dimethyl ether in a converter (15), the converter operating at an operating pressure, said oxygen being provided to the reactor at an oxygen pressure, the synthesis gas is produced at a pressure higher than the operating pressure of the converter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 9, 2004
Date of Patent:
May 3, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: In a process-for the use of a hydrocarbon feedstock (10) by reacting the feedstock in a reactor (11) with oxygen (9) to form a synthesis gas containing at least carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen and subjecting the synthesis gas to a conversion process comprising an exothermic reaction to produce methanol as a final product in a converter (15), the converter operating at an operating pressure, said oxygen being provided to the reactor at an oxygen pressure, the synthesis gas is produced at a pressure higher than the operating pressure of the converter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 9, 2004
Date of Patent:
April 19, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: A rectilinear collector into which open the outlets of the cells and which is provided with a pressure regulator, a removal tube extending rectilinearly within the collector and connected from the outside to a recovery vat into which it opens through an outlet located at a height h relative to its axis, at least one constriction presented by the tube and calibrated such that the residual pressure downstream of the pressure regulator will be greater than that of a column of water having a height corresponding to the height h.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 24, 2001
Date of Patent:
March 22, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'etude et l'exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: Method for real-time control of the fabrication of a thin-film structure comprising a substrate by ellipsometric measurement in which: variables directly linked to the ellipsometric ratio ?=tan? exp(i?) are measured; and the said variables are compared with reference values. The comparison relates to the length of the path traveled at a time t in the plane of the variables with respect to an initial point at time t0, for each layer participating in the thin-film structure.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 6, 2001
Date of Patent:
March 15, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Inventors:
Bernard Drevillon, Thibaut Heitz, Jean-Christophe Rostaing
Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a diagram of an installation using apparatuses, each apparatus being supplied with gas, comprising: the consultation of one or more databases (5) comprising, for each apparatus, data on the flow rate, the nature, the purity of the gas supplying the apparatus, and the supply pressure of that gas for that apparatus, the selection, for each apparatus, of a value, or of a limit value, of duration or of frequency of use, the calculation, for each apparatus, of the consumption, or of the limit consumption, according to the utilisation value and to the flow rate data, the calculation, for each gas and for each gas purity, of the total of the consumptions of all of the apparatuses, the indication of technical constraints, the consultation of a database (5) for proposing, for each gas and each gas purity, a packaging, as a function of the consumption and of the technical constraints relating to the storage of the gas and/or to their delivery.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 29, 2000
Date of Patent:
March 8, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Abstract: An outfit for the construction of several complex industrial installations for the treatment of industrial fluids includes several assemblies of several functional modules, each adapted to perform an elementary operation. Each functional module includes at least one input and at least one output, as well as a local guide unit of the functional module provided with a communication interface. All the functional modules have the same assembly to carry out the same elementary operation and are standard. The functional modules are adapted to be associated functionally with each other in installations. The outfit moreover includes, for each industrial installation, a single central guide unit, adapted to guide the functional modules of the associated industrial installation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 19, 2000
Date of Patent:
March 8, 2005
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Inventors:
Frédéric Rotman, Antoine Willemot, Lionel Barry, Laurent Ferenczi
Abstract: The device comprises two separators (20, 30) in series in the outlet portion of the hydrogen circuit each defining at least one inlet chamber (21, 31) separated, by a hydrophilic filter (22, 32), from an outlet chamber (23, 33) connected to the hydric circuit (24) of the cell.
Application to air-hydrogen fuel cells.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 20, 2002
Date of Patent:
November 23, 2004
Assignee:
L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de
Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges
Claude