Patents Assigned to L'Exploitation Des
  • Apparatus for cryogenic treatment, such as air distillation
    Patent number: 5412954
    Abstract: In this apparatus, the treatment column is insulated by means of a sheath under vacuum while the heat exchange line is insulated by means of a cold box under atmospheric pressure containing a solid insulating material such as a material in particulate form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Precedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Maurice Grenier
  • Unitary assembly of beverage keg and gas reservoir
    Patent number: 5411172
    Abstract: Assembly of a pressurizable beverage keg (8) and a reservoir (1) of pressurization gas containing CO.sub.2 and comprising an expansion valve (5). The reservoir (1) is a toric portion (2) disposed concentrically at one end of the keg (8). The expansion valve (5) is mounted on one of the ends (3) of the torus. The keg (8) has at one end a handling skirt (11) defining an internal space, and the reservoir (1) is entirely disposed in the internal space of the skirt (11). The expansion valve (5) is coaxial to its end (3) of the torus (2) and has a passage (6) for emptying and filling the reservoir (1), opening through the peripheral wall of the reservoir (1) adjacent the same end (3) of the torus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jean-Renaud Brugerolle, Alain Robin
  • Method for separating gases using a particulate composite material with carbon matrix
    Patent number: 5411577
    Abstract: A method for separating gases wherein the gases to be separated are contacted with a particulate composite material with a carbon matrix to selectively adsorb gases. The material contains a microporous phase which is essentially carbon with a microporous volume between 0.1 cm.sup.2 /g and 1 cm.sup.2 /g, which is associated with an amorphous mineral dispersed phase containing an oxide of silicon, aluminum, titanium or magnesium disposed on the carbon phase at a thickness of less than 10 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: l'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Serge Moreau, Bernard Sardan, Pierre Ehrburger
  • Process and installation for the production of gaseous oxygen under pressure
    Patent number: 5408831
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for the production of gaseous oxygen under median pressure with a double distillation column (5). The low pressure column (7) of the double column (5)is operated under a pressure substantially greater than atmospheric pressure and slightly greater than the desired production pressure of oxygen, this low pressure being about 2 to 5 bars. The medium pressure column (6) of the double column (5) is under a corresponding pressure, namely, about 8 to 16 bars. The gaseous production oxygen is directly recovered from the base of the low pressure column, and the installation is maintained cold, at least in part, by free expansion of at least one gaseous product leaving the low pressure column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Guillard, Norbert Rieth
  • Process and installation for the combined production of synthetic ammonia and pure hydrogen
    Patent number: 5409684
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for the combined production of ammonia synthesis gas and pure hydrogen. There is withdrawn (at 21) a flow of synthesis gas which is first treated in a permeation unit (24) with the return (at 28) of the non-permeated gas, while the permeate (32)is treated by adsorption (34) (35) (36), which permits producing (in 57) very pure hydrogen. The process has a high energy efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Francois Fuentes
  • Apparatus and methods for inerting solder during wave soldering operations
    Patent number: 5409159
    Abstract: A circuit board is wave soldered as it is carried by a conveyor through a solder wave established in a solder reservoir. Disposed on both sides of the solder wave are gas plenums which discharge shield gas. Each gas plenum includes a top wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall. The side wall is spaced horizontally from the wave, and the bottom wall is submerged within the solder. The side and (optionally) top walls include orifices for directing shield gas (i) at high velocity toward the solder wave to protect the solder wave with an atmosphere of shield gas, and (ii) upwardly toward an underside of the circuit board to strip entrained air therefrom. Instead of being submerged within the solder, the bottom wall could be spaced above the solder and provided with orifices to emit shield gas downwardly between the plenum and solder reservoir to create an inert atmosphere above the solder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, American Air Liquide, Inc., Air Liquide America Corp.
    Inventors: Robert W. Connors, Frederick W. Giacobbe, Benjamin J. Jurcik, Jr., Frederic Rotman, Kevin P. McKean
  • Process and installation for producing nitrogen and oxygen
    Patent number: 5404725
    Abstract: A column (4) for producing nitrogen comprises, below the air introduction point, a section (17, 18) enriched in oxygen and a sump reboiler (9) supplied by recycled high pressure nitrogen. The expanded liquid (at 19) for supplying the overhead condenser (8) is withdrawn at an intermediate level between the level of air introduction and the reboiler, and the liquid in the sump of the column, after vaporization, constitutes a minority product of the installation consisting essentially of oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Pascal Arriulou
  • Process and installation for the production of gaseous oxygen under pressure
    Patent number: 5400600
    Abstract: Entering air, all of which is compressed to a first high pressure P1, is partly further compressed to a pressure P2. At intermediate temperatures, a portion of each air current is expanded in a turbine (7, 8). One of the turbines can have an output at a pressure P3 comprised between P1 and the medium pressure. The major proportion of the separated oxygen is withdrawn as a liquid from the low pressure column (13), pumped to the production pressure and vaporized in the heat exchange line (2) by condensation or pseudo-condensation of air at one of the pressures P1, P2 and P3, depending on whether the condensation occurs at subcritical or supercritical pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Maurice Grenier
  • Process and device for the distribution of quantities of liquid, particularly liquefied gas
    Patent number: 5400601
    Abstract: Quantities of liquid are distributed via a conduit (5) connected to a source (4) of the liquid, by periodically opening and closing a closure member (7) disposed in the conduit, and injecting, during a predetermined period, immediately after the 5 closing of the closure member (7), a quantity of gas into the conduit portion (6)immediately downstream of the closure member. The duration of the cycle between two successive openings of the closure member (7)is less than 0.1 second. The liquid is an inert liquefied gas, e.g. nitrogen or argon. The injected gas is the same as the liquefied gas and comes from a same cryogenic receptacle (1). The invention is useful for rendering inert or pressurizing containers of food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Germain, Cornelis Klok
  • Method for de-inking printed paper
    Patent number: 5401360
    Abstract: A two phase method for deinking printed waste paper having a mixture of printing inks is shown. The first phase is carried out in a neutral or slightly acid medium and the second phase in an alkaline medium. The first phase has disintegration, ink removal, and thickening steps. The second phase includes mixing and treating the thickened output from phase one with alkaline reagents, removal of any residual ink, and a second thickening. A third treatment of the removed ink and recycling of the media is also indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Centre Technique de l'Industrie des Papiers, Cartons et Celluloses
    Inventor: Gerard Galland
  • Isothermal container, particularly for transporting fresh or frozen products
    Patent number: 5397010
    Abstract: The container (1) is divided interiorly into an upper chamber (3) receiving a reservoir (9) for refrigerant product, typically dry ice, and a lower chamber (4) receiving the load, by a thermal shield (6) from the edges of which extend into the lower chamber (4) a flexible baffle structure (12) guiding the circulation of cold gas between the upper chamber (3) and gas passages along the walls of the lower chamber (4) defined by vertical (10) and horizontal (11) strips. The container is especially useful for the transport of fresh or frozen products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Claude Gibot
  • Process for assembling piping or components by TIG welding
    Patent number: 5396039
    Abstract: A process to avoid or limit corrosion at the junction of two piping comprising devices welded together, said piping comprising devices being adapted to flow corrosive gases through them, said process comprising the steps of:a) providing a first piping comprising device and connecting it to an inert gas source;b) purging it with an inert gas comprising substantially not more than 10 ppb of an oxidizing gas selected from the group consisting of oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor or mixtures thereof, said inert gas flowing from a first opening to a second opening of said piping comprising device;c) providing a second pipe comprising device in flow communication with the first one, while continuing to purge the first piping comprising device;d) welding the two piping comprising devices, said welding being carried out under an inert gas atmosphere; ande) repeating steps c and d if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Henri Chevrel, Taeko Hattori, Hideki Takagi, Eiichi Ozawa, Jean-Marie Friedt
  • Fast response membrane generator using heat accumulation
    Patent number: 5393328
    Abstract: A membrane gas generator, which entails:a) a feed stream compressor having a feed stream input;b) a heat source downstream of the feed stream compressor, and in fluid connection therewith;c) a heat accumulator downstream of the heat source, and in fluid connection therewith; andd) at least one membrane with a permeate side and a non-permeate side in fluid connection with the heat accumulator, wherein the at least one membrane and the heat accumulator are contained together in an insulated shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Christian Barbe
  • Process and apparatus for the production of impure oxygen
    Patent number: 5392609
    Abstract: According to this process: the medium pressure column is operated under a pressure which is higher than six bars and is preferably at least equal to about 9 bars absolute; a first vaporization gas which is less volatile than the nitrogen from the top of the medium pressure column is condensed in the vat condenser of the low pressure column; and nitrogen from the top of the medium pressure column is condensed, it is thereafter sent under reflux to the top of the medium pressure column, at a level of the low pressure column located above said vat condenser application to apparatuses for air distillation with double column associated with a gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Girault, Philippe Mazieres, Jean-Pierre Tranier
  • Canister for specimen holders
    Patent number: 5392943
    Abstract: A canister for specimen holders, includes a receptacle (1) having an upper opening (50) and a rod (3) for supporting the receptacle. A cover (5), supported on a support (8) mounted on the rod (3), is displaceable between a first position, over the opening (50) and a second position freeing the opening. The support (8) is mounted by hooking (10, 11) on the rod (3). A manually releasable lock (18) releasably locks the cover (5) in its first position. The cover (5) is pivotally mounted on the support (8) about a pivot (14) whose axis is parallel to the rod (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Daniel Delatte, Cornelis Klok
  • Process for the production of a gas with a substantial oxygen content
    Patent number: 5393326
    Abstract: In a unit for the production of oxygen by separation of air by adsorption with regeneration of the adsorbers (1-5) under vacuum, the sub-atmospheric depressurization is ensured with rejection to the atmosphere by pumping with two successive pumping devices: one, for example of the type of a volumetric compressor (13), operates to a pressure of the order of 0.5.times.10.sup.5 Pa absolute, while the other, for example of the type of a centrifugal compressor (14), operates alone to a pressure of the order of 0.2.times.10.sup.5 Pa absolute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Yves Engler, Wilfrid Petrie, Christian Monereau
  • Process for the operation of a gas turbine group and the production of at least one air gas
    Patent number: 5386686
    Abstract: Process for the operation of a gas turbine group (1) producing energy by combustion of a gaseous fuel (24) with a mixture of air gas. There is interconnected with the group (1) an air gas separation unit (7) producing at least two air gases (9; 10-13). The operating conditions of the turbine (3) of the group are maintained similar to those of maximum power production by selecting, with the aid of the separation unit (7), the parameters of the mixture of air gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Denis Chretien, Jean-Louis Girault, Bernard Darredeau
  • Process for removing gaseous hydrides from a solid support comprising metallic oxides
    Patent number: 5378439
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for removing gaseous hydrides from a solid support of metallic oxides, which consists in causing a gas flow to circulate, at room temperature, on a solid support comprising at least copper and chromium and having a specific area lower than or equal to 100 m.sup.2 /g. This process may be used for the destruction of gaseous hydrides from the industry of semi-conductors, for example silanes, arsine, phosphine, diborane, germane, stannane, gallane, stibine, and hydrogen telluride, selenide and sulfide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Olivier Delobel, Jean Louise, Philippe Cornut
  • Cryogenic reservoir
    Patent number: 5375423
    Abstract: A cryogenic reservoir (1) comprising an internal reservoir (2) and an external reservoir (5) with vacuum insulation between them, is provided with a plug-valve (17) in a conduit (12) passing through the external reservoir (5). This plug valve (17) incorporates the trapping agent of the desorption gases, as a getter. In the case of accidental overpressure in the intermediate vacuum space, due to an escape of fluid from the internal reservoir (2), the "getter" is ejected to a distance with the plug valve (17), which avoids any dangerous reaction between the getter and the cryogenic fluid, which can for example be oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: l'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Daniel Delatte
  • Process for the production of nitrogen by cryogenic distillation of atmospheric air
    Patent number: 5373699
    Abstract: An air separation process wherein a nitrogen enriched fraction is withdrawn from the distillation column, a portion of which is compressed and recycled through the lowest positioned reboiler in the column and directed to an upper portion of the column as reflux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation des Procedes George Claude, Liquid Air Engineering Corporation, Teisan, K.K.
    Inventors: Sophie Gastinne, Francois Venet, Bao Ha, Naohiko Yamashita