Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating artificial atmospheres in a furnace for the heat treating of materials. The furnace includes a substantially isolated chamber having a discharge receiving orifice for accepting a bi-phasic cryogen into a hot/work zone of the chamber. A low pressure cryogen source feeds a bi-phasic inert gas into the chamber in order to allow the volumetric expansion of the evaporating liquid constituent of the bi-phasic cryogen to purge a substantial portion of the ambient oxygen from the chamber and to allow a substantial residual concentration of the inert gas to blanket the process area without significant dissipation during the heat treating process. Oxidizable materials heat treated in artificial atmospheres generated by use of bi-phasic cryogens show no signs of scaling or staining through the process and thus do not need to undergo acid bathing prior to subsequent processing.

Abstract: A mixed matrix membrane for gas separations is provided with a nonporous continuous phase of a polymer and a dispersed phase of molecular sieve particles reacted with a monofunctional organosilicon compound. The monofunctional organosilicon compound is characterized by (a) at least one silicon substituent group which reacts or is compatible with the polymer, and (b) at most one displaceable radical that can react with the molecular sieve. A process for making a selectively gas permeable mixed matrix membrane involves reacting a molecular sieve with the monofunctional organosilicon compound, uniformly dispersing the reacted sieve with a polymer, and forming the resulting mixed matrix composition into a membrane structure. These mixed matrix membranes provide an improved combination of permeability and selectivity as compared to polymer-only membranes and mixed matrix membranes in which the molecular sieve is not reacted with a monofunctional organosilicon compound.

Abstract: Atmospheric air passes through a droplet separator and then through one or more filtration stages. The first filtration stage is made of bag-filter elements with filter medium made up of synthetic fibres with a density which increases in the direction of air flow. The air is introduced thereinto at its natural temperature when between approximately −20° C. and +5° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an air separation plant integrated with another process. Work is recovered from a nitrogen enriched stream produced by an air separation process either by expanding the nitrogen enriched stream directly or by combustion of the nitrogen enriched stream with a fuel stream and expanding gas produced by the combustion.

Abstract: A plant for transferring a gas in the gaseous or liquified state into a liquid. The plant includes a pressurized-gas circuit (2) having a device (21, 22) for injecting gas in the gaseous or liquid state into a liquid, a chamber (13) for mixing the gas with the liquid, the chamber located downstream of the gas injection device and having an outlet connected to the overhead of a buffer tank (14) in order to introduce, into the latter, liquid, in the form of droplets or streams, with which the gas is mixed, and a mechanism (15) for withdrawing the liquid/gas mixture from the tank. The plant may be used for the carbonation of consumable liquids.

Abstract: Provided is a novel chamber effluent monitoring system. The system comprises a chamber having an exhaust line connected thereto. The exhaust line includes a sample region, wherein substantially all of a chamber effluent also passes through the sample region. The system further comprises an absorption spectroscopy measurement system for detecting a gas phase molecular species. The measurement system comprises a light source and a main detector in optical communication with the sample region through one or more light transmissive window. The light source directs a light beam into the sample region through one of the one or more light transmissive window. The light beam passes through the sample region and exits the sample region through one of the one or more light transmissive window. The main detector responds to the light beam exiting the sample region.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficient utilization of a cryogen in inerting of solid and molten metals are presented. One method and apparatus of the invention includes providing a source of liquid cryogen; transporting the liquid cryogen through a conduit connected to the source of liquid cryogen to a gas/liquid separator, wherein a portion of the liquid cryogen transforms into gaseous cryogen en route; transporting a portion of the liquid cryogen through a first conduit connecting the gas/liquid separator to a cryogen supply nozzle; transporting the gaseous cryogen through a second conduit connecting the gas/liquid separator to a cryogen supply nozzle; and flowing at least a portion of liquid cryogen and at least a portion of the gaseous cryogen through the cryogen nozzle separately and near a surface of solid or molten metal. Thus liquid that transforms into gaseous cryogen en route from storage is not vented and not wasted, but used in inerting of solid or molten metals.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for decreasing the bacteria count of a food commodity without affecting its overall organoleptic quality (taste, odor, and color). This is accomplished using a treatment fluid comprising ozone, which is injected into a treatment chamber containing the food commodity. Some water is preferably added to obtain better contact of the ozone with the food by forming a thin film of ozonated water on the food surface. Spices and/or other ingredients may preferably be added with the water. The food is placed in a tumbler and the tumbler is set in motion. During treatment good contact between the treatment fluid and the food commodity is obtained by reversibly oscillating the tumbler. A log reduction of 40% or more in bacteria count may be obtained as compared without the ozone.

Abstract: An air separation plant producing pressurized gaseous oxygen includes at least one column having a bottom reboiler. The column is fed with a stream of air. The bottom reboiler is warmed by a nitrogen-enriched gas compressed in a cold compressor and pumped liquid oxygen is withdrawn from the bottom of the column, pumped and vaporized. The refrigeration for the process is produced by air expansion in a turbine.

Abstract: A ceramic membrane having a non-zero volume and including: a) a dense layer, having opposed faces of areas S and S′ and having a non-zero thickness e, of a solid electrolyte; b) two porous electrodes, which are hybrid conductors and have non-zero thicknesses e1 and e′1, which are identical or different, coated on non-zero areas s1 and s′1, which are identical or different, of the two opposed faces of areas S and S′ of the solid electrolyte; c) two porous current collectors, of non-zero thicknesses, e2 and e′2, which are identical or different, coated on non-zero areas s2 and S′2, which are identical or different, of the two porous electrodes; and d) at least one porous covering layer, of non-zero thickness e3, coated on a non-zero area s3, of at least one of the collectors, a thickness E of the membrane is equal to the sum of the thickness of each of the elements a)-d).

Abstract: The system comprises at least one cabinet (A) having several compartments for containing bottles, each compartment consisting of a generally half-cylindrical gutter part (5) and an access part (6) that converges toward the gutter part and opens at the front of the cabinet, where it can be closed by a door (13) fitted with a bolt (15) controlled by a transaction module (B). Applicable to the on-site distribution of industrial gas bottles.

Abstract: An installation and a method for oxygen arc cutting of a metal workpiece containing at least a ferrous material, in particular a structural steel workpiece, which consists in: pre-heating locally a priming zone of the metal workpiece to be cut by subjecting the priming zone to a plasma jet; then in producing a localized fusion and/or combustion of the ferrous material contained in the workpiece, using the plasma jet or a combination of the plasma jet and an oxidizing gas flow to obtain a perforation along the whole thickness of the metal workpiece; once the perforation has been obtained, in synchronously displacing, the plasma jet and the oxidizing gas flow along a cutting path to produce a predefined slit through the metal workpiece.

Abstract: A first air stream is expanded in a first turbine (D1) before being mixed with a second air stream (104) in order to form a third stream (105). At least part of the third stream is sent to a second turbine (D2) and then to the double column. The stream expanded in the first turbine is smaller than the stream expanded in the second turbine.

Abstract: This installation comprises subgroups of permeators (SG1 to SG3), each subgroup comprising a permeator (4A to 4C) or several permeators mounted in parallel, and having an inlet (12A to 12C), a permeate outlet (14A to 14C) and a non-permeate outlet (16A to 16C). The non-permeate outlet of a first subgroup (SG1, SG2) is connected to the inlet of a second subgroup (SG2, SG3), and at least one of the subgroups has closure elements (22A to 22C) for its permeate outlet when the real feed flow rate is below the nominal feed flow rate by a predetermined quantity.

Abstract: Optimization of an installation in which an operation is performed that requires control over the atmosphere inside a chamber (3), the operation being performed in the presence of a gaseous mixture capable of giving off emissions, the optimization being obtained by the presence of inlet (5) and outlet (8) devices external to the chamber to oppose the ingress of air into the chamber and the exit of gaseous emissions; and of an extraction device (4) comprising means (42) for regulating the flow rate to maintain an approximately zero pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the chamber.

Abstract: A process controls oxy-boost firing and air-fuel burner firing in furnaces, including large glass furnaces such as float furnaces. The large side-fired regenerative float furnaces use oxy-boost firing for a variety of reasons, including production increase, improved glass quality, lowering of superstructure temperatures, and reduction of emissions. An adaptive controller receives input data from process parameter sensors throughout the furnace, and adjusts its control logic for controlling both the oxy-boost burners and the air-fuel port burners.

Abstract: The invention relates to a permeation installation comprising: a single pressure resistant chamber (30), a plurality of permeation modules (34, 36) disposed within the chamber, each module being constituted by at least one permeator formed of hollow fibers with porous walls and being disposed within an envelope (38) provided with perforations placing in communication the external portion of each module and the common gaseous circuit, elements (32) to supply the installation with the gaseous mixture to be treated, elements (46) to recover the fraction of the gaseous mixture having passed through the wall of the fibers; and elements (44) to recover the fraction of the gaseous mixture that has not passed through the wall of the fibers.

Abstract: A support and positioning structure includes an upper cradle (3) of V shape or C shape opening outwardly and a base (1) with an abutment (6) projecting upwardly and a support surface (5) inclined relative to the horizontal and extending over a distance less than the nominal diameter of a cylinder (7). The cylinder (7) is thus easily and correctly positioned in a stable fashion in a predetermined place and can be easily withdrawn to be moved.

Abstract: The invention relates to an oxy-fuel torch. The torch comprises a body (10) comprising a number of pipes for conveying at least two streams of gas between inlets (14, 15) and outlets; at least two valves (16, 20, 22) mounted in said body capable of adopting a closed rest position and an open active position; a single control (12) for said valves and mounted so that it can move on the body and able to be moved so that it collaborates with said valves, capable of adopting a first stable position in which all the valves are at rest and at least one second stable position in which at least one of the valves is in the active position; controllable means (40) of locking said control (12) so as to secure it, at rest, to said body; and at least one controllable delivery adjusting means (46, 48) mounted on said body for adjusting the delivery of at least one of said streams of gas.

Abstract: An air treatment plant includes a waste gas vent connected to structure (50) for attenuating the noise conducted by this waste gas. The noise attenuation structure (50) is a substantially closed and at least partially buried enclosure (52). The invention applies especially to plants for separating air by pressure swing adsorption.