Abstract: Each adsorber (1, 2) is dimensioned in such a way that it operates in substantially adiabatic mode and its production dead volume (27), which is the free volume in permanent communication with the outlet side end of the mass of adsorbent (6), is between about 10% and 60% of the volume of the mass of adsorbent. Oxygen may thus be produced from atmospheric air.

Abstract: A process for treating perfluorinated and/or hydrofluorocarbon gases, comprising the steps ofcreating an atmospheric-pressure gas plasma in at least one hollow dielectric tube;making the gases to be treated flow through the at least one dielectric tube in contact with the plasma for the purpose of dissociating molecules of the gases into reactive compounds; andreacting the reactive compounds with a corresponding reactive element for the purpose of destroying them.

Abstract: This process comprises at least one stage of first decompression/first recompression by balancing the pressures between two adsorbers (2A to 2D) as well as the taking off of a constant product gas rate during the adsorption phase. In the course of the first decompression, the product gas taken off is passed to an auxiliary capacity (6) which is arranged in parallel to the product line (1) and can be connected to the product outlet side of each adsorber (2A to 2D). During the second recompression stage, the adsorber receives the product gas taken off in countercurrent and is at the same time put into communication with the auxiliary capacity. The process is useful in the production of hydrogen from a constant rate of a feed gas mixture.

Abstract: The apparatus for the separation of a gas mixture by pressure swing adsorption (PSA) comprises at least one adsorber A and a first vessel T which can be selectively connected to the adsorber in order temporarily to store the gas which is extracted from the adsorber and reintroduced into it during a cycle, the vessel T having a fixed free internal volume V, a vertical main direction of height h, with the relationship 25.ltoreq.h.sup.3 /V.ltoreq.150, and the gas fraction entering and leaving the vessel T at its lower part, and remaining therein for a time which does not exceed 300 seconds. The apparatus is useful in the production of oxygen or hydrogen.

Abstract: Provided is a process for the preparation of an ultrapure hydrogen peroxide solution. The process comprises at least one sequence which includes successively passing a solution to be purified through at least two beds of cation-exchange adsorbents (CEA) and two beds of anion-exchange adsorbents (AEA) according to the sequence:AEA .fwdarw. CEA .fwdarw. AEA .fwdarw. CEAAlso provided is a plant for the implementation of the inventive process.

Abstract: Burner firing method and device are presented where an oxidizing oxygen-fuel burner is fired at an angle to the reducing air-fuel burner flame to reduce overall NOx emissions from high temperature furnaces. The oxidizing oxy-fuel burner stoichiometric equivalence ratio (oxygen/fuel) is maintained in the range of about 1.5 to about 12.5. The reducing air-fuel burner is fired at an equivalence ratio of 0.6 to 1.00 to reduce the availability of oxygen in the flame and reducing NOx emissions. The oxidizing flame from the oxy-fuel burner is oriented such that the oxidizing flame gas stream intersects the reducing air-fuel flame gas stream at or near the tail section of the air-fuel flame. The inventive methods improve furnace temperature control and thermal efficiency by eliminating some nitrogen and provide an effective burnout of CO and other hydrocarbons using the higher mixing ability of the oxidizing flame combustion products.

Abstract: A product substrate coated with a uniform deposit of silicon oxide created by subjecting the substrate to an electrical discharge with a dielectric barrier in the presence of a controlled atmosphere containing a silane and an oxidizing gas, the atmosphere being at a pressure higher than 10,000 Pa, and wherein the atmosphere is maintained in the immediate vicinity of an electrode in the region where the electrical discharge is produced and further wherein any entrainment of oxygen other than that forming part of the atmosphere in the region is prevented.

Abstract: A food processing plant includes a food processing apparatus. The food processing apparatus including a device for setting set-point parameters for operation of the apparatus and a device for controlling operation of the apparatus based on the set-point parameters. The plant also includes a device for acquiring information relating to actual operation of the food processing apparatus, a unit for monitoring the apparatus, the unit being located remote from the apparatus and including a device for detecting anomalies in operation of the apparatus, and a device for communicating the information relating to the actual operation of the apparatus from the apparatus to the remote monitoring unit.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of a gaseous mixture by adsorption with variable pressure, in an adsorption installation comprising at least one adsorber. For each adsorber, there is a succession of steps defining an adsorption phase, a regeneration phase for the adsorbent comprising a depressurization step, and a pressure increase phase. The passage from one phase to the following comprises switching of at least one valve between open and closed positions. At least one valve switching is carried out according to a programmed progressive slope to control a first cocurrent decompression stage of the adsorber with transfer of gas toward a lower pressure portion of the installation. The transferred gas is sent, for at least partially balancing pressure, to another adsorber in a pressure increase phase.

Abstract: A method for dry fluxing at least one metallic surface of an article comprising the steps of:a) passing at least one initial gas mixture comprising (1) at least one of an inert gas and a reducing gas and (2) an oxidizing gas mixture comprising water vapor into at least one apparatus for forming excited or unstable gas species, the initial gas mixture including 50 ppm to 6% water vapor;b) converting the at least one initial gas mixture to at least one primary gas mixture comprising excited or unstable gas species; andc) treating the surface to be fluxed, at a pressure close to atmospheric pressure, with a gaseous treatment atmosphere comprising excited or unstable gas species and substantially free of electrically charged species obtained from the primary gas mixture.

Abstract: A process for the compression of helium at low temperature and low pressure, and a compression line and refrigeration unit corresponding thereto. A plurality of centrifugal compressors (C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) in series are so dimensioned as to supply nominal compression loads .tau..sub.1N, . . . .tau..sub.nN for same nominal mass flow rate D.sub.N. A (n+1)th centrifugal compressor (C.sub.5) is dimensioned for a nominal compression load substantially equal to .tau..sub.1N for a decreased mass flow rate D.sub.D is less than D.sub.N of the precompressed gas at a pressure P.sub.0 multiplied by .tau..sub.2N .times. . . . .times..tau..sub.nN. This extra compressor is placed in series upstream of the n centrifugal compressors. The (n+1)th compressor is adjusted such that the compressors of rows 2 to n ensure substantially constant compression loads that are equal respectively to .tau..sub.2N, . . . , .tau..sub.nN, and the compressors of rows 1 and (n+1) ensure compression loads .tau..sub.1 and .tau..sub.

Abstract: Up to a certain value (D1) of the demanded flow rate (D), this flow rate is brought to the working pressure and is sent to the consumer pipe. When the demanded flow rate is less than the value (D1), the complement to (D1) is brought to a high pressure, greater than the working pressure, and is sent into a buffer tank. Above the value (D1), the flow rate is supplemented by a flow rate which is drawn from the buffer tank and expanded to the working pressure. The method is useful in supplying oxygen to steel works with electric arc furnaces or to copper refineries.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the purification of a cryogenic fluid in liquid, diphase, gaseous or supercritical state, having boiling point Pe, with at least one of its impurities having a boiling point Pe', with Pe'>Pe. The process includes at least one step selected from the group comprised by:a filtration step of at least one impurity in solid state,and an adsorption step of at least one impurity in liquid or gaseous state;and in which there is recovered at least one portion of the cryogenic fluid at least partially purified.

Abstract: A method of delivering a pure gas charged with a predetermined quantity of at least one gaseous impurity to an apparatus, comprising the steps of mixing at least two different auxiliary gases, including the impurity to form a mixture, diluting a sampled quantity of the mixture in the pure gas in a predetermined manner, delivering the pure gas charged with the impurity to the apparatus, wherein the auxiliary gases are stored in a reservoir in the form of a mixture of known composition, most of the auxiliary gases in the mixture having volume concentrations substantially of the same order of magnitude.

Abstract: The burner comprises a tap-hole block (1), a burner body (C) substantially comprised of a tubular element (2), at least one injection blowpipe (3) extending through the burner body and into the cavity (P) of the tap-hole block (1), and unlockable quick mounting means (22, 20; 16, 23; 26, 28) for mounting the injection blowpipe (3) to the tubular element (2) and the tubular element (2) to the tape-hole block (1).

Abstract: An installation for the treatment of fluid having a receptacle (1) defining a non-vertical portion of a path for fluid through at least two adjacent masses (A; B; C) of particulate materials, typically different from each other, each mass being in direct contact with its neighbor or neighbors, without the interposition of a separating grid. The installation is particularly useful for the separation or drying of air.

Abstract: Provided is a process for the preparation of an ultrapure hydrogen peroxide solution. The process includes at least one sequence which includes successively passing a solution to be purified through at least one bed of cation-exchange adsorbents (CEA) and at least one bed of anion-exchange adsorbents (AEA). The beds of adsorbents each exhibit a height to diameter ratio of greater than 3. Also provided is a plant for the implementation of the inventive process.

Abstract: A method of maintaining carbon dioxide concentration in an aqueous solution containing the same, which entails introducing an amount of a gas into the aqueous solution sufficient to maintain a desired level of carbon dioxide in the aqueous solution,the gas containing from about 25-100% by volume of argon and from about 0-75% by volume of a carrier gas therefor.

Abstract: Provided is a process for the preparation of an ultrapure hydrogen peroxide solution. The process comprises at least one sequence which includes passing a solution to be purified successively through at least one bed of anion-exchange adsorbents (AEA) and at least one bed of cation-exchange adsorbents (CEA). A non-zero proportion of the solution exiting from one of the beds is recycled to a point upstream of the one bed or upstream of a preceding bed or upstream of the first bed of the first of the at least one sequence. Also provided is a plant for the implementation of the inventive process.

Abstract: A selection device for delivering one of two gases to an apparatus includes an apparatus having an inlet and an outlet, and a gas delivery line connected to the inlet of the apparatus. A first feed line and a second feed line for respectively feeding a first and a second gas are provided. A first purge line and a second purge line are also provided, the first feed line being connected to the first purge line and the second feed line being connected to the second purge line. A common connection line connects the first and the second feed lines to the gas delivery line. An additional purge line is connected to the outlet of the apparatus. A first element, a second element, and a third element for creating a pressure drop are disposed in the first, the second, and the additional purge lines, respectively, the first element for creating a pressure drop and the third element for creating a pressure drop being flow-regulating elements, the second element for creating a pressure drop being a backpressure regulator.