Patents Assigned to L'Exploitation Des
  • Method and installation for laser welding with a N/He gas mixture, the N/He content being controlled according to the laser power
    Patent number: 7385158
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for welding with a laser beam. A shielding gas mixture of nitrogen and helium is used and the proportions of the component gases are modified depending on the laser beam's power or power density. Plasma formation in the shield gas is minimized by increasing the proportion of helium as the laser beam's power or power density increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    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
  • Method and system for treating an oxygen-rich liquid bath collected at the foot of a cryogenic distillation column
    Patent number: 7380414
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating a liquid bath of oxygen. A liquid bath of at least 70 mol % of oxygen is located at the base of a cryogenic distillation column. The bath is continuously boiled by an aluminum reboiler. A portion of the liquid bath is purged to prevent a build up of inflammable impurities in the bath. A portion of the purge is sent to a second reboiler, which is less inflammable than the first reboiler. Oxygen boiled by the second reboiler is sent back to the column, and a portion of the oxygen rich liquid bath treated by the second reboiler is also purged. The invention also relates to an apparatus of carrying out this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 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, Bernard Saulnier
  • Treatment of hydrogen/hydrocarbon mixtures on adsorbents regenerated at high pressure
    Patent number: 7381242
    Abstract: A method of PSA gas separation for a gas mixture containing hydrogen and hydrocarbon impurities. The gas mixture is put in contact with silica gel and activated carbon so as to adsorb the impurities in the gas mixture. Hydrogen rich and waste gas flows are produced. The waste gas flow may be sent to the combustible network of a petrochemical site, without having to make a pressure adjustment to the waste gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme á Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Guillaume De Souza, Pascal Tromeur
  • Method and installation for separating a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide
    Patent number: 7380413
    Abstract: A method for simultaneously producing hydrogen and carbon monoxide by subjecting synthesis gas to a decarbonation in a decarbonation unit, and to desiccation in a desiccation unit. After the decarbonation and the desiccation, the remaining synthesis gas components are cryogenically separated and a hydrogen-enriched gas is recycled upstream from the decarbonation unit and downstream from synthesis gas producing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Eric Dumont, Antoine Hernandez
  • LASER WELDING PROCESS WITH IMPROVED PENETRATION
    Publication number: 20080116175
    Abstract: The invention relates to a welding process using a laser beam (FL1, FL2) to weld at least one metal workpiece, preferably to weld two metal workpieces together, in which: a first laser beam (FL1) is employed and said first laser beam (FL1) is focused so that it strikes at least one workpiece to be welded and creates a keyhole-type capillary (KH) having a keyhole opening; a second laser beam (FL2) is used and said second laser beam (FL2) is focused in the keyhole (KH) opening created by said first laser beam (FL1); and the workpiece or workpieces are progressively welded by melting the metal of the workpiece or workpieces to be welded at the points of impact of the laser beams (FL1, FL2) with the workpiece or workpieces to be welded. The depth of penetration (x) of the first laser beam (FL1) is greater than the depth of penetration (y) of the second laser beam (FL2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
    Inventors: Gaia Ballerini, Francis BRIAND, Philippe Lefebvre
  • Method and installation for producing, in gaseous form and under high pressure, at least one fluid chosen from oxygen, argon and nitrogen by cryogenic distillation of air
    Patent number: 7370494
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for highly efficient production of industrial gases by the cryogenic distillation of air, wherein a feed stream of compressed air, is supercharged to high pressure, cooled, and mixed with various recycle streams of supercharged air, to regulate the expander turbine operating temperature. The need for pre-cooling equipment downstream of the supercharger, which is widely employed in industry to manage the temperature of the incoming compressed air stream, is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Lasad Jaouani, Bao Ha, Ovidiu Balog, Maurice Grenier, Xavier Pontone
  • Method for producing silicon nitride films and process for fabricating semiconductor devices using said method
    Patent number: 7351670
    Abstract: Silicon nitride film is formed on a silicon wafer mounted in a boat in an LPCVD tool by feeding a silicon source (SiH2Cl2, SiCl4, Si2Cl6, etc.) from an injector and feeding a mixed gas of monomethylamine (CH3NH2) and ammonia (NH3) as the nitrogen source from an injector. This addition of monomethylamine to the source substances for film production makes it possible to provide an improved film quality and improved leakage characteristics even at low temperatures (450-600° C.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 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: Takeshi Hoshi, Tsuyoshi Saito, Takako Kimura, Christian Dussarrat, Kazutaka Yanagita
  • System for heating tanks of liquefied gas by induction
    Patent number: 7347054
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for delivering gas stored in a vessel in liquefied form, said vessel having in its lower part a liquefied phase of said gas and in the upper part a gaseous phase of said gas, which vessel includes a means for connecting to a means for utilization as well as a means for heating the lower part of said vessel. In accordance with the invention, the liquefied gas and/or the shell of the vessel are electrically conductive elements and the means for heating comprises an electromagnetic induction means capable of producing an alternating magnetic field in the shell and/or the liquid so as to heat the shell in its lower part and/or the liquid in the vessel, all while limiting the heating of the gas by said means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Guillaume Rameau, Valère Laurent, Thierry Breville
  • Process for the heat treatment of a series of objects and associated apparatus
    Patent number: 7341449
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for heat treating objects in an enclosure, where the enclosure has an inlet passage, an outlet passage, and a treatment zone. Gaseous first fluid is injected into the treatment zone and the objects to be treated are passed through the treatment zone. A second fluid, with a density greater than that of the first fluid, is injected near the inlet and outlet passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Claude Carsac, Joseph Paganessi, Jérôme Perrin, Patrick Kae-Nune
  • Cold box and cryogenic plant including a cold box
    Patent number: 7340921
    Abstract: This disclosure discusses providing safer and more accessible insulating cold boxes for cryogenic equipment. A cold box of the current invention includes a housing partially extending out of the cold box jacket wherein equipment that may need to be accessed can be located. The housing includes a breakaway barrier between the main cold box and the external housing to allow overpressures to be relieved into the cold box. Cold boxes may contain cryogenic columns, sections of cryogenic columns, distillation columns, mixing columns, storage vessels, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and combinations thereof. The housing may contain auxiliary elements such as rotating equipment, pumps, turboexpanders, instrument devices, valves, and piping. Placing auxiliary elements in a housing outside the main cold box allows for safer access to cryogenic equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide - Société Anonyme à Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Denis Cote, Jean-Pierre Gourbier, Richard Pawulski
  • WIRE, FLUX AND PROCESS FOR WELDING STEEL HAVING A HIGH NICKEL CONTENT
    Publication number: 20080057341
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flux-cored wire for welding nickel steels, comprising a steel sheath and filling elements, and containing, relative to the weight of the wire, 2 to 15% fluorine, 8 to 13% nickel, and iron; a welding flux containing, in proportions by weight, 25 to 35% MgO, 20 to 30% CaO, 10 to 15% Si02, 10 to 30% A1203 and 5 to 20% fluorine; and a welding process in particular a submerged-arc welding process using this wire and this flux to join steel workpieces containing more than 6% nickel, preferably around 9% nickel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGE
    Inventors: Claude BOUILLOT, Corinne CHOVET
  • System for sampling cryogenic liquids, and air separation unit provided with at least one such system
    Patent number: 7337616
    Abstract: A system for sampling cryogenic liquids, and an air separation unit provided with at least one such system. The cryogenic liquid is introduced into a vaporizer, through heat exchange with the compressed air. The liquid passes through the vaporizer generally downwards. The walls of the vaporizer that are intended to come into contact with the cryogenic liquid are maintained at a temperature above the sublimation temperature or the boiling point of the least volatile impurity contained in this liquid. Downstream of the vaporizer, a gaseous phase coming from the vaporization of the cryogenic liquid is withdrawn and at least some of the gaseous phase is sent to an analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 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: David Meneses, Jean-Yves Thonnelier, Jean-Yves Lehman
  • Integral blocks, chemical delivery systems and methods for delivering an ultrapure chemical
    Patent number: 7334708
    Abstract: Integral blocks, chemical delivery systems and methods for delivering an ultrapure chemical to a point of use or to another integral block are provided. More particularly, the integral blocks include a recharge container block, a pressurization gas block, a purge gas block, a waste recovery block, a vacuum block, a solvent supply block, a degas block, a control block, and a filtration block. Various integral blocks may be selected to form a chemical delivery system, which is particularly suited for a given application. A chemical delivery system will typically comprise a chemical container block, a chemical delivery block, and a point of use in line with the chemical container block and chemical delivery block, as well as one or more integral blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Air Liquide America Corporation, American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mindi Xu, Tay Sayasane, Joseph E. Paganessi, Gregory M. Jursich, Naoyuki Nakamoto, Yukinobu Nishikawa, Herve E. Dulphy, Guillaume Rameau, Lorrin Honda
  • Method for reducing sludge of a biological ozone treatment system
    Patent number: 7335304
    Abstract: Methods for treating aqueous effluent, which include reducing sludge formation during the biological treatment of an aqueous effluent. The sludge formation is reduced by injecting an ozone containing gas into an aeration tank which contains the effluent. The affluent is in contact with microorganisms in the tank at least once during the method. The ozone containing gas contains at least 2.5 mg of ozone per liter of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Philippe Campo, Jérôme Cluzeau, Christian Jalbert
  • Method of preparing a thin ceramic composition with two materials, the composition thus obtained and the constituent electrochemical cell and membrane
    Patent number: 7332108
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for preparing a thin ceramic and/or metallic solid-state composition consisting of three phases: a material (A), a material (B) and pores. The concentration of each phase varies continuously from one face of the article to the other in a continuous and controlled gradient. The porous matrix of material (A) has a porosity gradient of 0% to about 80%, the pores being completely or partly filled with material (B). The concentration of material (B) in the article therefore varies from 80% to 0% of small thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Thierry Chartier, François Guillotin
  • Integrated Air Separation and Oxygen Fired Power Generation System
    Publication number: 20080034758
    Abstract: An integrated air separation and oxygen fired power generation system includes an air separation unit and a gas turbine including an air compressor to provide compressed air for the air separation unit. The system further includes a gas turbine expander and at least one additional turbine to drive the air compressor, as well as at least one combustion unit to provide drive gas for expander and additional turbine(s). A portion of oxygen produced by the air separation unit is delivered to the combustor(s) to facilitate production of drive gas for use by the expander and additional turbine(s). Turbine inlet temperatures are controlled by recycling water or steam to the combustor(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil De Surveilance Pour L' Etude Et L'Exploitation Des
    Inventors: Ovidiu Marin, Scott Macadam, Frederic Fillet, Pietro Zanno
  • Method for determining the operating parameters of a system comprising a cooling chamber
    Patent number: 7330778
    Abstract: A method for determining the operating parameters of a system for cooling articles. The temperature of the articles, as they leave a chamber, is predicted. The prediction is made on the basis of operating parameters of the chamber, thermodynamic and physical characteristics of the chamber, and thermodynamic and physical characteristics of the articles. The method may be used to determine the operating parameters for food freezing tunnels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Bernard Delpuech, Pascal Favier, Sylvain Fourage
  • Wire-guide nozzle assembly for a robotic TIG welding torch
    Patent number: 7329827
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wire-guide/nozzle assembly (11, 13) for an electric arc welding torch, comprising at least one nozzle (11) for delivering gas and at least one wire-guide system (13) for guiding at least one consumable wire, characterized in that the downstream end (20) of the wire-guide system (13) runs into the nozzle (11). The peripheral wall of the nozzle (11) has at least one cut-out (10) through which the wire-guide system (13) passes. The wire-guide system (13) is fastened to the nozzle (11). The TIG welding torch comprises a wire-guide/nozzle assembly (11, 13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: André Borne, Jean-Marie Fortain
  • Perovskite catalyst for the partial oxidation of natural gas
    Patent number: 7329691
    Abstract: A composition and method for a Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPO) of methane to synthesis gas. The catalyst allows the process to proceed at low residence time providing a long time thermal stability. The perovskite structure [AzA?1-z][B1-x-yNix Rhy] O3-? of the catalyst is obtained using mainly La, Sr, as A and A? cation sites (A, A?: actinide and/or lanthanide, elements and/or elements from Group I and II) and mainly Fe, Ni, as B cation sites (B: transition metal element and/or element from Group III to V).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: L'Air Liquid, Societe Anonyme A Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Francesco Basile, Giuseppe Fornasari, Angelo Vaccari, Pascal Del Gallo, Daniel Gary
  • Fluid distribution and control valve and use thereof to supply enriched air to the occupants of an aircraft
    Patent number: 7320337
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for fluid distribution and control. A valve body defines at least two pairs of chambers which are each connectable to an external fluid circuit. A mobile structure, which moves according to a controlling unit, forms an internal penetrating passage. An internal bearing surface, which is located at the first end of the internal passage, is capable of cooperating in a sliding manner with a stationary piston head. The internal bearing surface may move beyond either side of the piston head. When the mobile structure is in an extreme position, an end chamber of the valve body is in fluid communication with the internal passage. When coupled with a PSA adsorber system, the system is capable of supplying oxygen enriched air to an occupant of an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 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 Arnault, Stéphane Lessi