Abstract: To provide a refrigerating cycle apparatus which uses carbon dioxide as a working medium, in which a problem associated with reliability arisen from introduction of water into a refrigeration cycle has been solved. Carbonic acid produced by a reaction of carbon dioxide or a mixed refrigerant including carbon dioxide and water is efficiently removed by providing a flow channel of the refrigeration cycle with a carbonic acid trapping agent, and consequently, the refrigerating cycle apparatus with high reliability which can prevent deterioration of a carbon dioxide refrigerant, decomposition of a refrigeration oil, corrosion of metal components or the like is constructed.

Abstract: A service device connects to a service port of a pressurized system. The device includes a valve opening member for opening a valve within the port. The device can attach to a service unit for servicing the pressurized system. The system can be an air conditioning or refrigeration system.

Abstract: In an ejector cycle having an ejector, a throttle is provided inside a passenger compartment adjacent to an evaporator so that a length of a refrigerant passage between the throttle and the evaporator is shortened. Therefore, it can restrict a part of liquid refrigerant after being decompressed in the throttle from being evaporated in the refrigerant passage, before being introduced into the evaporator. In addition, a refrigerant inlet is provided at a lower header tank of an evaporator. Therefore, a gas-liquid refrigerant distribution difference due to the density difference between gas refrigerant and liquid refrigerant can be effectively restricted. Thus, refrigerant distributed into the plural tubes from the lower header tank can be made uniform, even if the refrigerant flow speed is low in the ejector cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for recovering vapor during de-pressuring of a vessel, and for those facilities with such a need, for recovering vapor during the liquid filling, or liquid removing, from a vessel. In de-pressuring mode, the vapor and inert gas purging the vessel are processed to recover multiple product vapors with vapor pressures from as low as 0.1 PSIG to about 100 PSIG. Higher values up to 250 PSIG are also processed economically by an optional third-stage, stand-alone system. This system produces overall product recovery rates over 99% and inert gas recovery over 99% at the latter part of the cycle as recycle gas. The system is purged after each use to prevent cross contamination. In the liquid filling mode, displaced vapor and pad gas (inert gas added to maintain pressure in tanks during liquid removing) are processed to recover multiple products and the pad gas.

Abstract: Adsorption cooling apparatus with an intermittently heated adsorbent container (12) containing an adsorbent (19) that exothermically adsorbs a working medium during an adsorption phase and again desorbs at higher temperatures while heat is added during a subsequent desorption phase, and with a condenser (4) that leads condensed working medium through a connection line (10) into the evaporator (4) which is in turn connected with the adsorbent through a working medium vapor line (9), wherein the condenser (4) is coupled to a buffer reservoir (14) that buffers at least a part of the condensation heat of the working medium vapor and that also can again dissipate the stored heat into the surroundings even during the adsorption phase.

Abstract: The Flexible Natural Gas Storage Facility stores natural gas in one or more man-made salt caverns typically located in a single salt dome or in bedded salt. The Flexible Natural Gas Storage Facility can access different sources of natural gas. A first gas source is from a natural gas pipeline(s) and a second gas source is from LNG. Depending on economic conditions, supply conditions and other factors, the Flexible Natural Gas Storage Facility can receive gas from the natural gas pipeline(s) and/or from LNG to fill the salt caverns. Of course, the LNG must be warmed before being stored in a salt cavern.

Abstract: For high reliability through redundancy, in a thermal chamber, heat exchange tubes are configured in multiple parallel runs. Typically three tubes are attached side-by-side in a strip which is formed into folded-back horizontal rows to be built into or attached to the walls of the chamber. In a freezer, each tube can serve independently as an evaporator when connected to a compressor/condenser source. Versatile source interfacing is provided by two valve-manifold routing units, one at each end of the multi-tube strip, enabling easy tube substitution in case of failure, as well as facilitating source-swapping, networking, defrosting and refrigerant operations such as purging, flushing, replenishing, changing or replacement, all without interrupting the required cooling process or affecting the chamber temperature.

Abstract: A cryostat configuration for keeping liquid helium, comprising an outer jacket (2) accommodating a helium container (5), a neck pipe (3) which is filled with gaseous helium during operation, and a refrigerator (1; 1b), wherein the outer jacket (2), the helium container (5) and the neck pipe (3) delimit an evacuated chamber (9) which surrounds the helium container (5); and wherein the refrigerator (1; 1b) has a cooling finger (4) which has a condensation body (15; 15b) in the region of the lower end of the neck pipe (3), is characterized in that the condensation body (15; 15b) is partially surrounded by a condensation chamber (16; 16b) which has a first lower opening (17) to permit draining of liquid helium, and a second opening which communicates with a lower end of a gas supply pipe (18), wherein the upper end of the gas supply pipe (18) terminates in the region of the upper end of the neck pipe (3). This improves the thermal properties of the cryostat configuration.

Abstract: A fountain aerator for propelling and aerating water includes a float having a flow tube extending therethrough for suspending the aerator in a body of water. A motor base assembly contains a motor provided with a rotatable output shaft. An open ended housing is spaced from the float and connected between the flow tube and the motor base assembly. A wear ring is secured within the housing and defines a central opening therein. A covered impeller is retained in the housing in spaced relationship with the float and is coupled to the motor output shaft for rotation therewith. The impeller has a series of radially extending blades which define a series of outlet passages in communication with the inlet. A flow straightener is spaced from the float and fixed to the housing in overlying, surrounding relationship with the impeller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooler and to a method for cooling hot bulk material. The hot bulk material is fed on a stationary aerating base through which cooling gas can flow and is transported by means of reciprocating conveyor elements disposed above the aerating base. In the cooler and cooling method, at least two groups of conveyor elements are used which are actuated jointly in the transport direction and separately from one another against the transport direction.

Abstract: A high capacity, continuous production blast freezer includes an insulated enclosure and a plurality of adjustable product-carrying trolleys, individually moveable with the enclosure from an entrance location to an exit location. A heat exchanger in the form of an evaporator is provided in the enclosure. The mechanical equipment for the refrigeration system can be placed within the enclosure and separated from the freezing cell by a bulkhead. In one embodiment the enclosure is in the form of a container adapted to be transportable by ship, rail or truck. The arrangement of the heat exchanger or evaporator relative to the product carrying devices and the enclosure is designed to maximize the capacity of the heat exchanger and minimize frost formation, while providing for a maximum amount of product space within the enclosure to maximize throughput of the system.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a thermoacoustic device has a complaint enclosure which includes a rigid portion and a compliant portion. The compliant portion includes an oscillating member and a flexure seal with a pair of ends and a flexure body extending between the ends. One of the ends is sealed to the rigid portion and the other end is sealed to the oscillating member. The flexure seal has an average cross-sectional area and an end-to-end equilibrium length. A flexure volume is defined as the product of the average cross-sectional area and the end-to-end equilibrium length. A thermal core is disposed in the complaint enclosure and includes at least a first and a second heat exchanger. A working volume of gaseous working fluid fills the complaint enclosure. The working volume of gaseous working fluid has an equilibrium pressure.

Abstract: A refrigerant cycle includes an ejector having a throttle changeable nozzle. In the refrigerant cycle, a control valve having a needle valve controls a pressure of a middle-pressure refrigerant in a bypass passage, and a pilot valve controls a throttle opening degree of the nozzle in accordance with a pressure difference between the pressure of the middle-pressure refrigerant in the bypass passage and the refrigerant pressure in a high-pressure refrigerant inlet port of the ejector. When an opening degree of the needle valve is changed in accordance with a load variation or a load state, the pressure of the middle-pressure refrigerant in the bypass passage is changed. Accordingly, the moving position of the pilot valve is controlled, and the throttle opening degree of the nozzle is controlled.

Abstract: The pressurized waste nitrogen (11) from a column of an air separation unit (10) is sent, optionally after being compressed, to a combustion chamber (15) where it is heated, to a turbine (17) in which it is expanded and again to the combustion chamber (15) where it is mixed with the flue gases in order to give up waste heat thereto.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for low-temperature fractionation of air in a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation (5, 6) introduces into first feed air stream (4) into a distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation. An oxygen-rich fraction (22) from the distillation column system for nitrogen-oxygen separation is pressurized (23) in liquid form and is added (25) to a mixing column (26). A heat transfer medium stream is introduced into the lower region of the mixing column (26) and is brought into countercurrent contact with the oxygen-rich fraction (22, 25). Gaseous top product (260) from the upper region of the mixing column (26) is introduced into an additional column (27). A liquid (38, 39, 40, 41) from the lower or middle region of the mixing column is introduced into the distillation column system.

Abstract: Natural gas liquefaction method wherein the natural gas is cooled, condensed and subcooled by indirect heat exchange with two cooling mixtures to a temperature such that the natural gas does not remain entirely liquid under pressure after expansion to the atmospheric pressure. The liquid natural gas under pressure is expanded to form a gas phase and a liquid phase. The gas phase can be either compressed and recycled to the process inlet, or used as a fuel. The liquid phase is expanded to form a gas phase and a liquid phase. The gas phase is compressed and recycled to the process inlet. The liquid phase constitutes the liquefied natural gas produced.

Abstract: A rotor nozzle is described whose rotor body is supported in the housing with a pre-settable axial clearance and whose end facing away from the nozzle is made in conical shape, with the conical surface forming a running surface which cooperates in operation with an axial thrust surface and braking surface fixed with respect to the housing.

Abstract: The present invention is a confined space conditioning system, which is used to provide conditioning to localized zones of an enclosure. The confined space conditioning system consists of a conditioning unit and an enveloped space, enveloping the localized zone, connected to the conditioning unit. The conditioning unit uses a low wattage compressor and a heater element to generate cool, dehumidified air or warm conditioned air to the enveloped space, as is required by a user of the system. The used conditioned air is extracted from the enveloped space and is recirculated to the conditioning unit for reconditioning. The surfaces of the enveloped space are thermally insulated using thermally insulating media in order to minimize the cross flow of heat.

Abstract: In cooling plants which work with water as both primary and secondary coolant, it is customary for use to be made of both an evaporator and a condenser which must be supplied wi5th water in the form of e.g. a spray for achieving an effective heat exchange, and out of regard for the effectiveness it is necessary for a continuous deaeration of the water to be carried out, which is effected by the sucking of air direct from the condenser, possibly supplemented with an external NCG condenser or by leading the supply water through a pre-deaerator under vacuum. With the invention it has been found possible to configure both the evaporator and the condenser with associated deaeration/pre-deaeration units in a fully integrated manner, namely by mounting a pair of sieve plates in a vacuum container for the dividing of the container into an upper supply- and distribution chamber, a centremost pre-deaeration chamber (one or more), and a bottom chamber in the form of an evaporator- and a condenser chamber respectively.

Abstract: An insulated container utilizing Stirling cooler technology. The insulated container and the Stirling cooler include a portable power source, such as a battery, a fuel cell, or a solar panel. The Stirling cooler may provide cooling to the inside of the insulated container, for example by a heat sink and a fan, direct connection to a liner in the insulated container, or a thermosyphon or heat pipe connected to the heat acceptor for the Stirling cooler and routed through the insulated container. Controls may be provided that regulate the cycling of the Stirling cooler so that the internal temperature of the insulated container may be controlled. An embodiment includes both a freezer portion and a refrigeration portion.