Patents Assigned to Societe Anonyme
  • Publication number: 20240066493
    Abstract: A hydrogen production facility having equipment with a nitridation protective layer is provided. The hydrogen production facility can include a reformer configured to catalytically convert a feed stream into a product stream comprising hydrogen, the reformer having a plurality of catalyst tubes and a plurality of burners configured to provide heat to the catalyst tubes; means for providing the feed stream to the reformer from an ammonia source, wherein the feed stream comprises at least 90% of ammonia, wherein the plurality of catalyst tubes comprise a nitridation protective layer on an inner surface of the catalyst tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Christoph BEYER, Robert BREINING, Dieter ULBER
  • Publication number: 20240068744
    Abstract: In a method for liquefying a gas rich in carbon dioxide, the gas is compressed to a first pressure greater than its critical pressure in a compressor to form a compressed gas, the compressed gas is cooled through heat exchange with a refrigerant to a variable temperature to form a cooled compressed gas with a density between 370 and 900 kg/m3, the cooled compressed gas is cooled at supercritical pressure in a first heat exchanger to a temperature below the critical temperature, the gas cooled below the critical temperature is expanded to a second pressure between 45 and 60 bara to form a diphasic fluid which is separated in a phase separator to form a liquid and a gas, and a liquid portion originating from the phase separator provides cold to the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Michael TRAN, Mathieu LECLERC
  • Publication number: 20240068081
    Abstract: A method for converting an existing steam methane reformer (SMR) to produce hydrogen via ammonia cracking is provided. The method can include the steps of: providing the existing SMR, wherein the SMR was formerly used to produce hydrogen from a hydrocarbon feedstock; and improving the nitridation resistance of the inner surface of the equipment by adding a protective layer to an inner surface of equipment to be used in the existing SMR, wherein the equipment is selected from the group consisting of a catalyst tube, feed piping, a feed preheater, process gas heat exchangers, and combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Christoph BEYER, Robert BREINING, Dieter ULBER
  • Publication number: 20240068746
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for restarting an air separation unit comprising a system of columns including at least a first distillation column and a heat exchanger positioned below the first column with its main axis vertical and with its cold end adjacent to the bottom of the first column, in which, during the restart, air is sent to the exchanger and at least one portion of the cooled air is sent in gaseous form to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Benoit DAVIDIAN, Jean-Marc PEYRON
  • Patent number: 11916267
    Abstract: An installation for supplying a fuel cell with hydrogen comprising a fuel cell, a liquefied hydrogen storage facility and a supply circuit that includes at least one upstream end connected to the storage facility and one downstream end connected to a fuel inlet of the fuel cell, the supply circuit including at least one system for heating hydrogen by heat exchange with a heat source and a set of control valves, the liquefied hydrogen storage facility being configured to keep the liquefied hydrogen in equilibrium with a gaseous phase at a determined nominal storage pressure of between 1.5 and 4.5 bar, the supply circuit including a buffer tank for pressurized gaseous hydrogen which is configured to store the hydrogen withdrawn from the storage facility and heated by the heating system, the set of valves being configured to accumulate pressurized gas in the buffer tank at a determined storage pressure of between 4 and 100 bar, for example between 6 and 8 bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Laurent Allidieres
  • Patent number: 11912651
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing methanol from a synthesis gas is provided. The method includes (i) producing, in a partial oxidation chamber, the synthesis gas having a stoichiometric number of less than 1.8 by performing a partial oxidation process with a hydrocarbon stream and an oxygen stream, (ii) passing, in a water-gas shift reactor, the synthesis gas over a water-gas shift catalyst to convert at least a portion of carbon monoxide and water into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, (iii) producing a dry, shifted synthesis gas by separating liquid condensate from shifted synthesis gas, (iv) combining, in a recycle compressor, the dry, shifted synthesis gas with a recycle synthesis gas comprised of unreacted synthesis gas and a hydrogen rich product to form a mixed synthesis gas stream, and (v) converting, in a cooled methanol synthesis reactor, at least a portion of the mixed synthesis gas stream into methanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Karsten Covella, Hans Kopetsch, Bryce Williams, Julien Aoun
  • Patent number: 11912576
    Abstract: An integrated process for producing a purified and converted synthesis gas and a corresponding plant including initially converting in a synthesis gas generation stage a carbon-containing input material into a raw synthesis gas which in a subsequent CO conversion zone is altered in respect of its H2/CO ratio and finally sent to a gas scrubbing zone operating according to a physical gas scrubbing process with methanol as the absorption medium in which the content of unwanted gas constituents, in particular of acidic gas constituents, in the synthesis gas is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventor: Stefan Walter
  • Patent number: 11913720
    Abstract: A supply quantity adjustment device 500 comprises: a total demand quantity calculation unit 502 that calculates a total demand quantity used at a supply destination, based on plant information; an excess/deficit information setting unit 503 that compares the total demand quantity and a flow rate set value and sets a first calculated pressure value; a backup coefficient setting unit that sets a backup coefficient set value based on a reference gasholder pressure, the first calculated pressure value, a reference backup pressure set value, and a measured gasholder pressure value; and a production coefficient setting unit that compares a production pressure set value obtained by adding the reference gasholder pressure and a first pressure output value with the measured gasholder pressure value, and sets a production coefficient so as to modify a variation in the quantity of product gas produced by the air separation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Takuya Kaneda, Shigenobu Kuwada
  • Patent number: 11913719
    Abstract: A liquefaction apparatus that automatically adjusts the load on the liquefaction apparatus correspondingly with an upper limit value of contracted power in different time slots, and which is capable of maximizing the amount of liquefied product produced and of achieving optimum operating efficiency is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Takuya Kaneda
  • Patent number: 11913718
    Abstract: A method for producing power and argon is provided by providing a residual gas stream, purifying the residual gas stream in a front-end purification unit to remove carbon dioxide, thereby forming a purified residual gas stream, and introducing the purified residual gas stream to a cold box, wherein the purified residual gas stream is cooled and expanded within the cold box to produce power and then fed to a distillation column system for separation therein, thereby forming an argon-enriched stream and optionally a nitrogen-enriched stream and/or an oxygen-enriched stream, wherein the residual gas stream is sourced from a retentate stream of a cold membrane having oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Guillard, Michael A. Turney, Abigail Bonifacio
  • Publication number: 20240060715
    Abstract: A liquefaction system comprises: a temperature setting unit for setting an inlet gas temperature on entry to a cold turbine; a control valve for controlling an amount of gas fed to the cold turbine, correspondingly with an inlet gas temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit; and a control unit which compares the inlet gas temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit with a warning temperature set value plus a margin, and sets a first operating state when the inlet gas temperature is equal to or less than the warning temperature set value plus the margin and also sets an emergency stoppage temperature set value at the warning temperature set value plus the margin, and sets a second operating state when the inlet gas temperature is greater than the warning temperature set value plus the margin, the control unit performing control in response to the second operating state to make a degree of opening of the control valve greater than a degree of opening during the first operating state in o
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Takuya KANEDA
  • Publication number: 20240058762
    Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane bundle useful for manufacturing a wide variety of hollow fiber membrane modules having different flow configurations includes hollow fiber membranes arranged around a porous support tube, a cured resin tubesheet formed at first end of the bundle, and either a cured resin nub or a cured resin tubesheet formed at a second end of the bundle. The bore(s) of the hollow fiber membranes are open at a face of the tubesheet adjacent the first end of the bundle. The tubesheet has an annular structure that encapsulates the hollow fiber membranes and the porous support tube at the first end of the bundle but which does not completely block a bore of the porous support tube, wherein the collection tube has a plurality of orifices formed therein at least at positions adjacent the nub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicants: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l?Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Sandeep K. KARODE, Karl BEERS, Sudhir S. KULKARNI, Tim POLUDNIAK, Fan Z. WORLEY, Ed SANDERS, JR.
  • Publication number: 20240058763
    Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane bundle useful for manufacturing a wide variety of hollow fiber membrane modules having different flow configurations includes hollow fiber membranes arranged around a porous support tube, a cured resin tubesheet formed at first end of the bundle, and either a cured resin nub or a cured resin tubesheet formed at a second end of the bundle. The bore(s) of the hollow fiber membranes are open at a face of the tubesheet adjacent the first end of the bundle. The tubesheet has an annular structure that encapsulates the hollow fiber membranes and the porous support tube at the first end of the bundle but which does not completely block a bore of the porous support tube, wherein the collection tube has a plurality of orifices formed therein at least at positions adjacent the nub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicants: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Sandeep K. KARODE, Karl BEERS, Sudhir S. KULKARNI, Tim POLUDNIAK, Fan Z. WORLEY, Ed SANDERS, JR.
  • Patent number: 11904343
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for injecting a fluid, in particular a cryogenic fluid, the device comprising a fluid feed head and a fluid dispenser body, detachably mounted on said feed head, said feed head comprising a groove for circulating the fluid fed to said body, said groove being closed when the body is mounted on the feed head and said groove being open when the feed head and the body are detached from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude, Air Liquide France Industrie
    Inventors: Jo Algoet, Alain Brangeon, Michel Pichou, Christian Reymond
  • Patent number: 11906247
    Abstract: A reformer furnace having a reaction space formed with reaction tubes, a firing space fitted with burners and a flue gas channel in fluid connection with the firing space. The burners are arranged at a first end face of the reformer furnace and produce flames oriented towards a second end face to fire the reaction tubes. The flue gas channel has a transition region and a withdrawal region, wherein the flue gas channel is connected to the second end face of the firing space via the transition region and the transition region of the flue gas channel has a reduced channel diameter compared to the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel. The transition region has a constriction relative to the withdrawal region which results in a hydraulic decoupling between the firing space and the withdrawal region of the flue gas channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Expoitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventor: Antonio Coscia
  • Publication number: 20240053094
    Abstract: In a hydrogen liquefaction process, a hydrogen-rich gas originating from an apparatus for separation by distillation and/or stripping and/or partial condensation, the gas exiting from the separation apparatus at a temperature of at most 103K containing at least 99.9 mol % of hydrogen and at a pressure between 20 and 30 bar, is sent to a hydrogen liquefier, without having heated the hydrogen-rich gas to a temperature above 0° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Axelle GAERTNER, Marie-Khuny KHY
  • Publication number: 20240053066
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dilution refrigeration device comprising a working circuit, a mixing chamber, a still and a transfer component, a circuit configured to connect an outlet of the mixing chamber to an inlet of the still and an outlet of the still to an inlet of the transfer component, the circuit also being configured to connect an outlet of the transfer component to an inlet of the mixing chamber, the device further comprising at least one cooling component in thermal exchange with the working circuit, the at least one cooling component comprising a cryogenerator, the device comprising a support, a sealed enclosure, with an open end of the enclosure being mechanically connected to the support via a sealed flexible bellows, an upper end of the cryogenerator being fixed on the support, the device further comprising a sealed sheath housed in the enclosure, a lower end of the cryogenerator extending into the sheath inside the bellows so that the enclosure and the sheath are at least partially mechanically isolated f
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Olivier GUIA, Marc STORA
  • Publication number: 20240053097
    Abstract: The method for reducing or removing non-volatile impurities in a high-purity oxygen liquid comprises: an oxygen vaporization step for vaporizing a high-purity oxygen liquid obtained from a high-purity oxygen rectification column in an air separation unit for producing the high-purity oxygen liquid; and an oxygen recondensing step for recondensing oxygen gas vaporized in the oxygen vaporization step. This method may also comprise a high-purity oxygen liquid extraction step for extracting a condensate obtained in the oxygen recondensing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Kenji HIROSE
  • Publication number: 20240053098
    Abstract: An air separation unit comprises: a first waste gas control valve which is provided in a first waste gas pipe; a first waste gas flow rate control unit which measures a gas flow rate in the first waste gas pipe and adjusts a degree of opening of the first waste gas control valve so that a measured value which has been measured reaches a preset first waste gas flow rate set value; a second waste gas control valve which is provided in a second waste gas pipe; a regeneration gas flow rate control unit which measures the gas flow rate in a regeneration gas pipe and outputs a first output value based on a measured value which has been measured and a preset regeneration gas flow rate set value; and a control unit which uses, as a target set value of the flow rate of a second waste gas, a value obtained by subtracting the first waste gas flow rate set value of the first flow rate measuring unit from the flow rate set value of the regeneration gas flow rate, compares the first output value with a second output value
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventor: Takuya KANEDA
  • Publication number: 20240051675
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drive device, in particular for a flying vehicle such as an aircraft or a spacecraft, comprising at least one engine and a device for cooling the engine, the device for cooling the engine comprising a cryogenic refrigerator, i.e. refrigerating to a temperature between ?100° C. and ?273° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l?Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Martin STAEMPFLIN, Guillaume DELAUTRE, Loic JEUNESSE, Baptiste ZIMMERMANN