Patents Examined by Christopher Kilner
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Patent number: 5644931Abstract: This invention relates to a gas liquefying method in which a power saving of a compressor for refrigerant can be attained.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko ShoInventors: Koichi Ueno, Kenichiro Mitsuhashi
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Patent number: 5644933Abstract: A stream of compressed air is purified in a unit by removal of carbon dioxide and water vapour. The air is cooled by passage through a heat exchanger to a temperature suitable for its rectification. The air is separated in a higher pressure rectifier into oxygen-enriched liquid and nitrogen vapour. A stream of the oxygen-enriched liquid is reduced in pressure and introduced into a phase separator provided with a reboiler with the result that further separation takes place and a liquid further enriched in oxygen and an intermediate vapour are formed. A stream of the further-enriched liquid is separated into oxygen and nitrogen in a lower pressure rectifier. A stream of the intermediate vapour is condensed in a condenser and is introduced into the lower pressure rectifier.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 1996Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: The BOC Group plcInventor: Thomas Rathbone
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Patent number: 5644921Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing ultra high purity non-cryogenic liquefied compressed gases, such as ammonia (NH.sub.3), and delivering a vaporized gaseous product from those liquefied gases for semiconductor processing applications. The delivery method includes withdrawing and heating gaseous product from a storage vessel containing the liquefied compressed gas, and then piping the heated gas through the liquid contained in the storage vessel in a heat exchange fashion. The heat exchange with the liquid inside the vessel induces boiling to maintain a vaporized gaseous product under a minimum positive pressure in said vessel. After liberating its heat, the gaseous product is delivered to a semiconductor manufacturing point of use.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 1996Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventor: Naser Mahmud Chowdhury
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System for filtering residual contaminant particles for smoke and gas through atomized ultrafreezing
Patent number: 5644923Abstract: A system for filtering contaminants from a gas stream through atomized ultrafreezing including: a housing having an inlet mouth and an outlet mouth; a fluid temperature regulating element disposed within the inlet mouth; a venturi-type valve having a fluid speed regulator disposed downstream of the temperature regulating element; a down pipe disposed downstream of the venturi-type valve; at least one atomized water injector at the inlet of the down pipe which is capable of spraying the contaminated gas stream exiting the venturi-type valve; at least one liquid nitrogen shower element disposed in the down pipe downstream of the water injector which is capable of freezing the water, wherein water containing the contaminant is capable of solidifying into hail and precipitating; and a decanter connected to the outlet of the down pipe having a first separator for removing the hail from the gas stream, a discharge valve at the bottom of the decanter for discharging the hail from the decanter, and a second separatorType: GrantFiled: December 18, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Inventor: Eusebio Moro-Franco -
Patent number: 5644934Abstract: The process and the device are used for low-temperature separation of air. A first split stream of compressed and purified air is cooled, fed to a main rectifying system and separated there into liquid oxygen and gaseous nitrogen. A liquid product fraction (for example, oxygen and/or nitrogen) is vaporized in indirect heat exchange with a second split stream of compressed and purified air. The second split stream condenses during indirect heat exchange at least partially. At least a portion of the second split stream, downstream from indirect heat exchange with the liquid product fraction, is used as cooling medium for top cooling of a crude argon column downstream from the main rectifying system. The second split stream makes available all or essentially all the cold needed for liquefaction of crude argon.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Linde AktiengesellchaftInventor: Gerhard Pompl
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Patent number: 5642624Abstract: A super-conducting electro-magnet for use in an MRI system comprising a helium vessel within which magnet windings are positioned, a vacuum chamber within which the helium vessel is contained, at least one thermal shield positioned between the helium vessel and the vacuum chamber, a service turret having a neck tube which is arranged to extend through the thermal shield within the vacuum chamber so as to communicate with the helium vessel for filling purposes, the thermal shield being thermally coupled to the service turret neck tube by means of a plurality of flexible connector strips fabricated from laminated conductive material which at one end are secured to the thermal shield and which at the other end thereof are secured to the service turret neck tube, sufficient strips being provided substantially to surround the service turret neck tube thereby to provide a substantially continuous thermally conductive junction between the service turret neck tube and the thermal shield.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1996Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: Oxford Magnet Technology LimitedInventor: Russell Peter Gore
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Patent number: 5642623Abstract: A multi-staged gas cycle refrigerator having a first stage regeneration part including a compression piston, a second stage regeneration part including a double inlet pulse tube and a buffer is described. Temperatures below 10K are achieved without leakage of refrigerant gas, this configuration resulting in the improvement of efficiency and reduction of cost.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 1995Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: Suzuki Shokan Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yu Hiresaki, Jin Lin Gao, Yoichi Matsubara
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Patent number: 5638699Abstract: A high purity nitrogen gas generator is provided which can be rapidly returned to a stable state when boil-off gas is generated in a liquid nitrogen storage tank 10. The high purity nitrogen gas generator includes a liquid nitrogen storage tank 10, a rectification column 7, a liquid nitrogen introduction pipe P15 for supplying liquid nitrogen from the liquid nitrogen storage tank to the rectification column, an inverted U-type pipe P13 whose upper end is positioned at a height in the vicinity of the top portion of said liquid nitrogen storage tank connected to the bottom portion of said liquid nitrogen storage tank 10, said liquid nitrogen storage tank 10 and said liquid nitrogen introduction pipe P15 being connected with each other by way of said inverted U-type pipe, the upper end of the inverted U-type pipe and the top portion of said liquid nitrogen storage tank are connected with each other by means of a pipe P17 and a control valve V3 provided on the way of said pipe P17.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 1996Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignee: Teisan Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takao Yamamoto, Shingo Koizumi
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Patent number: 5638685Abstract: Superconducting magnet and regenerative refrigerator can be reduced in size of the apparatus and is capable of reducing the evaporating amount of liquid helium. A coil portion second thermal shield 17a and a coil portion thermal shield 8a are disposed so as to enclose a coil portion helium tank 2a which contains superconducting coil 1. Further, a helium portion second thermal shield 17b and a helium reservoir portion thermal shield 8b are disposed so as to enclose a helium reservoir tank 2b which stores liquid helium 3. A coil portion second thermal shield 17a and a coil portion thermal shield 8a are cooled by a coil portion 2-stage type Gifford-McMahon cycle refrigerator 50a while a helium portion second thermal shield 17b and a helium reservoir portion thermal shield 8b are cooled by a helium reservoir portion 2-stage type Gifford-McMahon cycle refrigerator 50b.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1996Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Inaguchi, Itsuo Kodera, Akinori Ohara, Toshiyuki Amano, Takeo Kawaguchi
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Patent number: 5638698Abstract: A system for processing nitrogen-containing effluent from an industrial process wherein the effluent is cooled and liquid nitrogen is added directly to the cooled effluent. The direct contact and heat exchange produces gaseous nitrogen and liquid organics which are both used to cool the effluent and are subsequently recovered.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 1996Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.Inventors: Mary Anne Knight, James Joseph Maloney
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Patent number: 5632152Abstract: Artificial snow granule in granule form comprising a super absorbent polymer in granule form as a nucleus and an ice layer surrounding the nucleus is provided here. An aggregate form is provided by linkage of adjacent ice layers and/or granules. Further, a snow granule quality improver is provided. A method for making the above-mentioned snow granule in a granule or an aggregate form is also provided here.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1995Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignees: Miura Dolphins Co., Ltd., Tonen Corporation, Osaka Organic Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Tonen Chemical Corporation, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Masahisa OhtsukaInventors: Yuichiro Miura, Kazuo Hirano, Takayuki Nate, Taiji Kambayashi, Masahisa Ohtsuka, Toshitake Nagai
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Patent number: 5632162Abstract: The plant comprises an adsorbent-filled tank (8) permanently interposed in the line (2), between the purification unit (3), operating by adsorption of solidifiable impurities from the gas mixture (5) containing carbon monoxide, and the cryogenic separation unit which delivers pure carbon monoxide at its outlet (6). The adsorbent in the tank (8), advantageously the same as the adsorbent in the adsorbers (4A, 4B) of the purification unit (3), has an affinity for carbon monoxide, thus making it possible to reduce the cyclic variations in the carbon monoxide production delivery rate which results from the cyclic operation of the adsorbers (4A, 4B) of the separation unit (3).Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1996Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventor: Jean Billy
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Patent number: 5632149Abstract: An improved heat exchanger for use in a gas compression/expansion apparatus. The heat exchanger comprises: a tube connected with a compression/expansion space of a compression/expansion cylinder of the apparatus; a central cylinder coaxially disposed in the tube such that a narrow gap for the working gas is formed only between the central cylinder and the tube. The heat exchanger may liberate heat from, or providing heat to, the compression/expansion cylinder through heat transfer between the working gas in the tube and an ambient medium surrounding said tube. The heat exchanger is capable to serve as a low/high temperature heat source for an external heat load.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 1995Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company, Ltd.Inventors: Naohide Tanigawa, Tatuya Hirose, Takashi Morita, Kazuo Ikegami, Kenichi Sato
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Patent number: 5632161Abstract: A laminate-type evaporator is disclosed which is formed of a main heat exchanger, an auxiliary heat exchanger, and a connecting member integrally brazed, such that brazing performance between the auxiliary heat exchanger and the connecting member is enhanced and moisture does not remain between the auxiliary heat exchanger and the connecting member, while setting brazing temperature to a temperature which does not melt the main heat exchanger and also while shortening brazing time. Convexities are formed on a block joint, and a width of a brazed portion connecting these convexities and an end plate is made to be 5 mm or less. Additionally, a dimension of a clearance between the end plate and block joint is made to be 0.5 mm or more.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1995Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Shimoya, Toshiya Nagasawa, Keiichi Yoshii, Ryouichi Sanada
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Patent number: 5630321Abstract: A tunnel freezer is cooled by selectively supplying liquid nitrogen to banks of spray nozzles. The banks are switched on and off as required so that at any given time the pressure upstream of each operational spray nozzle will be substantially constant at a level which closely approximates the maximum heat transfer coefficient associated with the spray nozzle or the maximum effectiveness of the spray nozzle or a balance therebetween. The invention is in contrast to the prior art where the flow of liquid nitrogen to the spray nozzles is continuously varied in response to the thermal load.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 1995Date of Patent: May 20, 1997Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventor: Jeremy P. Miller
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Patent number: 5628196Abstract: Cooling apparatus has a cryogenic cooler which is connected thermally by a heat transfer system to a hot object to be cooled, wherein the heat transfer system is constructed of a cold finger, a heat sink or energy control module, and a thermal diffuser. The cold finger thermally connects the heat sink to the cooler, and the diffuser thermally connects the hot object to the heat sink. The heat sink is formed of a thermally conductive material, preferably lithium which has a high energy storage capacity, and which is enclosed within a housing of thermally conductive material to prevent interaction of the lithium chemically with the external environment. The diffuser is fabricated of solid industrial diamond which has great thermal diffusivity at cryogenic temperatures to distribute, virtually instantaneously, and over a wide area of the heat sink much larger than the hot object, the energy dissipated within the hot object.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1995Date of Patent: May 13, 1997Assignee: Loral Electro-Optical Systems, Inc.Inventor: Roger C. Farmer
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Patent number: 5626033Abstract: A process for recovering a given component from a first gas stream in which the given component is intermittently present by PSA or TSA using an adsorbent which more strongly adsorbs the given component by introducing into the first gas stream, prior to PSA or TSA treatment, a second gas stream that is enriched in the given component. The second gas stream may be introduced into the first gas stream only during periods when the concentration of given component in the first gas stream is below its maximum concentration or it may be continuously introduced into the first gas stream at a level which is greater than the maximum concentration of given component originally present in the first gas stream.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1996Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventors: Satish S. Tamhankar, Paul A. Sweeney, Neeraj Saxena
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Patent number: 5626028Abstract: A modular food display case system permits a particular display case arrangement to be easily customized from a basic design. A plurality of modular bed sections, which are pre-manufactured from a lightweight composite honeycomb material, are used as the basic building blocks of the customized display case, and are arranged end to end. Their lengths may be cut and angled as desired to further customize the arrangement of the customized display case. Partitions divide different temperature-controlled zones within the display case, and may be positioned anywhere along the length of the case, according to the specific arrangement and lengths of hot, cold, and dry (ambient temperature) zones employed, without regard to the ends of the case or the location of joints separating each of the bed sections.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 1994Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: Architectural Stainless, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth T. Graat, Randall C. Danta
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Patent number: 5623831Abstract: A fluidized particle production system includes a solidifying unit having a forming surface for supporting a solidified layer of a medium, e.g. ice and a treatment apparatus for removing the solidified medium from the solidifying surface and sizing the removed solidified medium into particles of desired dimensions. The treatment apparatus comprising a sizing device co-operating and moving with the solidifying surface for effecting therebetween the sizing of the particles. A housing encloses the solidifying unit and the treatment apparatus and a sweep fluid outlet is positioned to discharge sweep fluid towards the sizing device for fluidizing the particles and transporting the fluidized particles through an outlet duct from the housing.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1995Date of Patent: April 29, 1997Inventor: Terry Mesher
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Patent number: 5617742Abstract: A distillation apparatus having applicability to an air separation plant in which a distillation column is suspended within a containment sleeve from a main heat exchanger or a head condenser of the distillation column. The suspension of the distillation column is flexible so that the distillation column can assume a vertical orientation under influence of gravitational force to be self-leveling.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1996Date of Patent: April 8, 1997Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.Inventor: Karl O. Toppel