Patents Assigned to L'Exploitation Des
  • Publication number: 20080289820
    Abstract: A method of producing hydrogen and extracting heavy oil from underground reserves is provided. This method includes providing a carbon monoxide source stream and a water vapor stream to a first reactor, wherein the first reactor comprises a water shift reactor and a membrane-type separation device. This method also includes separating the products of the water shift reactor, thereby producing at least a hydrogen-rich stream, and a high pressure off-gas stream. This method also includes providing the high pressure off-gas stream and an oxidant stream to a combustion chamber. This method also includes combusting the oxidant stream and the high pressure off-gas stream as at least part of a combustion cycle thereby producing a hot injection gas stream. This method also includes combining the hot injection gas stream with a liquid water stream, wherein the combined stream may be used to heat the underground reserve sufficiently to release petroleum hydrocarbons therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exloitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Errico De Francesco
  • Patent number: 7454916
    Abstract: A cryogenic fluid flow control system. This cryogenic fluid flow control system utilizes a first element forming a fluid inlet channel and an outlet passage that can be selectively blocked off by a second element that can move relative to the first element by an effect due to the difference in expansion coefficients between the materials of the first and second elements. The outlet passage utilizes a part extending transversely relative to the inlet channel and emerging on the periphery of an end part of the first element, the second element being placed at least partly around said end part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directorie et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Dominique Chazot
  • Patent number: 7452393
    Abstract: An installation and process for producing hydrogen, which includes a purification unit for purifying a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas and for producing hydrogen and a waste gas, along with the additional equipment required in order to continue operation in the event of a purification unit shutdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directorie et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Yves Engler, Edie Michalik, Jan Cobbaut, Olivier Gonfalone, Dirck Simons
  • Publication number: 20080281072
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition that can be used to manufacture an impermeable, sealing, tight envelope, to a process for manufacturing an impermeable envelope, and to a tank. The composition of the invention comprises in % by weight relative to the total weight of the composition: from 70 to 90% of a monomer (I); from 0.1 to 1% of an activator (II), in which R is chosen from the group comprising CnH2n+2, n being an integer chosen from 1 to 10; —OH; —OCn H2n+2, n being an integer chosen from 1 to 10; and —NHR? where R? is either CnH2n+2, n being an integer chosen from 1 to 10, or an amine functional group; from 2 to 6% of a catalyst (III), in which X is chosen from the group comprising MgBr, MgI, Li and Na; and from 10 to 20% of an additive (IV), with: This composition can be used, for example, to manufacture elements that are impermeable to fluids, for example impermeable envelopes, for example that can be used in the manufacture of type IV tanks or hydraulic accumulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2006
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicants: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE, L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour L'etude et l'exploitation des procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Philippe Mazabraud, Elodie Chauvot, Laurent Delnaud, Katia Barral
  • Publication number: 20080274250
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device and a process for cooling articles such as food, in particular meat, seafood, fruit or vegetables comprising a rotatable cylinder having an inner space for receiving and cooling the articles, wherein the rotatable cylinder comprises a wall made of a flexible material and the articles are enclosed in the inner space at least partially, wherein the flexible material is at least one of fabric, tissue and canvas, in particular woven, preferably made from polyester, polyamide, in particular nylon, polyurethane and/or polyolefin; as well as articles cooled with the process respectively the device according to the invention. The use of the flexible material allows for simple cleaning of the cooling device even if large rotatable cylinder are involved that comprise an Archimedian screw in their inner space, thus allowing for homogeneous, clean and efficient cooling of the articles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Robert Taylor
  • Publication number: 20080274244
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process respectively an apparatus for filling a container with articles such as food, in particular meat, and a process respectively an apparatus for cooling articles and is characterised by repeating the following steps: (A) a first portion of the articles is conveyed with a conveying means, in particular a conveyor belt, having a conveyor outlet and is discharged into a container at a lower conveying speed such that a first portion accumulates in the container at the first location closer to the conveyor outlet; and (B) thereafter, a second portion of the articles is conveyed by the conveying means and is discharged into a container at a higher conveying speed, such that the second portion accumulates in the container at the second location further away from the conveyor outlet; as well as a process respectively an apparatus for cooling articles using said process and said apparatus for filling; as well as the articles processed by said processes respectively said apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Robert Taylor
  • Patent number: 7444823
    Abstract: A method and a device for cooling various articles. A gas stream is cooled with liquid nitrogen and the cooled stream is then applied to articles in order to cool them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Germain
  • Patent number: 7444834
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the provision of gas under pressure, by vaporisation of a cryogenic liquid from at least two cryogenic separation devices (A, B, C, D). Each device comprises a heat exchanger (1) and a system of columns (2, 3). In a first mode of operation, a cryogenic liquid is withdrawn from the columns in each cryogenic separation device, at least a part of which is pressurised (7, 8) to give a pressurised cryogenic liquid (9) and at least a part of the cryogenic liquid under pressure is vaporised in the heat exchanger (1) to give a part of gas under pressure (10). A cryogenic liquid is sent (6) from the cryogenic separation device to a common store (12) and at least one liquid (28A, 28B, 28C, 28D) coming from the store is vaporised in the exchange line (1) in at least one of the cryogenic separation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Emmanuel Garnier, Frédéric Staine
  • Patent number: 7445040
    Abstract: A heat exchange fin spacer. The fin may be sandwiched between two plates in a brazed-plate heat exchanger. The fin is based upon a corrugated product having wave legs which, when mounted, define flow channels for a gas to be condensed. The fin has at least one condensed liquid drainage channel on the wave legs and deviation elements that drain the liquid towards at least one lateral edge of the wave legs. The deviation elements are provided with at least one leading edge and/or at least one inclined trailing edge. The invention is suitable for use in the main heat exchanger of an air separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Claire Szulman, Etienne Werlen, Fabienne Chatel
  • Publication number: 20080248194
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing a copper layer on substrate in a flat panel display manufacturing process, where the copper is electrodelessly deposited on a substrate to form a copper interconnection layer. A copper solution containing: CuSO4 5H2O as a copper source, potassium sodium tartrate or trisodium citrate as a complexing agent, glyoxylate, glyoxilic acid or sodium phosphate as a reducing agent, a sulfur organic compound as a stabilizing agent, and a pH adjusting agent, is used to form the copper interconnection layer on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide - Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Akinobu NASU, Shyuan-Fang Chen, Wen-Jin Li, Yi-Tsung Chen
  • Patent number: 7431272
    Abstract: An apparatus for stirring and injecting a gas into a liquid. A drive device, located above a container containing a liquid, is connected to a vertical output shaft. The shaft has a self-suction turbine at its. The turbine is made of two stacked disks where the surface area of the lower disk is less than the surface area of the upper disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse
    Inventors: Stephane Melen, Catherine Xuereb, Martine Poux, Rodolphe Sardeing
  • Publication number: 20080223075
    Abstract: A process for separating air by cryogenic distillation in a column system comprising a high pressure column and a low pressure column comprises compressing all the feed air in a first compressor to a first outlet pressure, sending a first part of the air at the first outlet pressure to a second compressor and compressing the air to a second outlet pressure, cooling at least part of the air at the second outlet pressure in a heat exchanger liquefying at least part of the air at the second outlet pressure and sending the liquefied air to at least one column of the column system wherein at least 50% of the liquefied air sent to the column system has been compressed in the second compressor, cooling a second part of the air at the first outlet pressure in the heat exchanger and expanding at least part of the second part of the air in an expander from the first outlet pressure to the pressure of a column of column system and sending the expanded air to that column, at least partially vaporizing an auxiliary fluid,
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exloitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Tranier
  • Patent number: 7422623
    Abstract: This abstract discusses membranes needed to separate fluids for the production of oxygen-enriched air, nitrogen-enriched-air, for the separation of carbon dioxide from hydrocarbons, and the separation of hydrogen from various petrochemical and oil refining streams. Membranes are needed that provide a resistance to interaction with process components or contaminants, provide the mechanical strength required to withstand high membrane differential pressures and high process temperatures, and exhibit sufficient maximum strain such that membranes are not brittle and can easily be formed into desirable membrane forms. Membranes of polyimide polymers, particularly polyimide polymers sold under the trade name P-84, are annealed in a controlled annealing step to improve the mechanical properties of the polymers used to make separation membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Okan Max Ekiner, John W. Simmons
  • Publication number: 20080178604
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing power, heat and steam employing: a cogeneration unit comprising: a gas turbine producing power and combustion gases and a heat recovery unit fed with water and heating said water by recovering the heat from the combustion gases from the gas turbine; and a steam production unit heating water by combustion of a fuel with air, and in which the air for the steam production unit is preheated at least partly by heat exchange with the water that feeds the heat recovery unit of the cogeneration unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: L'Air Liquid Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exloitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Tanguy POLINE
  • Publication number: 20080175784
    Abstract: Methods for the production of trisilane from the pyrolysis of disilane in a single reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicants: American Air Liquide, Inc., Air Liquide Electronics U.S. LP, L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Cyril Bourasseau, Gregory M. Jursich, Mindi Xu, John P. Borzio, Donald W. Mitchell, Derong Zhou, Thomas K. Moncur
  • Patent number: 7399897
    Abstract: A process for the separation or concentration of olefinic hydrocarbons from mixtures of olefinic and paraffinic hydrocarbons uses a polyimide membrane, The process is well suited to separating propylene from propylene/propane mixtures. The novel method the membrane exhibits good resistance to plasticization by hydrocarbon components in the gas mixture under practical industrial process conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploration des Procedes George Claude
    Inventors: Ian C. Roman, John W. Simmons, Okan Max Ekiner
  • Patent number: 7399393
    Abstract: The invention concerns an oxide ion conductive ceramic membrane, characterized in that it comprises a non-null finite volume with non-null total thickness E, comprising, a dense layer (CD) of a solid electrolyte, a so-called bonding layer (CA), of mixed conductive porous cathode (EP) and porous anode (EP?), a cathode current collector (CC) and an anode current collector (CC?), a coating porous layer (ER), and a coating porous layer (ER?), and characterized in that the volume E of said membrane, is equal to the sum of the thickness of said elements. The membrane is used for separating oxygen from air or from a gas mixture containing same and in particular for producing ultra-pure oxygen under high pressure in a closed chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Christophe Chaput, Thierry Terracol, Gisèle Bach, Guylaine Gouriou, Pascal Del Gallo
  • Patent number: 7396392
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of use for treating at least one fluid, in a container that holds at least one mass of a particulate material between two perforated walls. Near the upper part of the mass, at least one deflector extends from the first wall towards the second wall. Fluid flows through the walls horizontally, and the deflector is positioned at an angle to this horizontal fluid flow direction. With this particular apparatus configuration, an area close to the second wall and opposite the adjacent end of the deflector is formed, which is generally free of particulate matter; thus, resulting in a more efficient treatment process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jean-Yves Lehman, Benoît Davidian, Philippe Fert
  • Patent number: 7393383
    Abstract: Membranes are used to separate fluids for the production of oxygen-enriched air, nitrogen-enriched-air, for the separation of carbon dioxide from hydrocarbons, and the separation of hydrogen from various petrochemical and oil refining streams. Membranes are discussed that provide a resistance to interaction with process components or contaminants, which can lead to plasticizing of the membrane, while providing the mechanical strength required to withstand high membrane differential pressures and high process temperatures. Membranes of blended polymers are used to improve the mechanical strength of the polymers used to make separation membranes. Specifically, polyimide polymers are combined with a blend polymer that is a polyamide and/or a polyamide-imde polymer. The resulting polymer mix is used to produce various forms of high strength, chemically resistant membranes, including hollow-fiber membranes that are suitable for high pressure, high temperature applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Okan Max Ekiner, John Warren Simmons
  • Patent number: 7393380
    Abstract: A method for guaranteeing at least one characteristic of a fluid used for producing food products. This method utilizes a system for piping and delivering the fluid, combined with means for producing the products, in order to use the fluid for producing the products; the measuring a value of the characteristic; the comparing the measured value with a predetermined threshold value; the act of executing an action if the measured value departs from the threshold value; the combining the measured value with first information for identifying at least one product; and then the storing the associated value and the associated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jean-François Vie, Henry Ledon, Philippe Girardon, Christel Girault