Patents Examined by John F Pettitt
  • Patent number: 10281208
    Abstract: In a purification method, a carbon dioxide-rich gas is cooled in a first brazed aluminum plate-fin heat exchanger, the cooled gas or at least one fluid derived from the cooled gas is sent to a purification step comprising a distillation step, the purification step produces a carbon dioxide-rich liquid which is cooled, then expanded, then sent to a second heat exchanger where it is heated by means of a fluid of the method, the exchanger carrying out an indirect heat exchange only between the carbon dioxide-rich liquid and the fluid of the method, the carbon dioxide-rich liquid at least partially vaporizes in the second exchanger and the vaporized gas formed heats up again in the first exchanger to form a carbon dioxide-rich gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Benoit Davidian, Mathieu Leclerc
  • Patent number: 10215487
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the control systems of the compression refrigerating machines, namely, to the methods of control of the natural gas liquefaction process to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG), and can be used for liquefaction and cooling of natural gas on the most major technological lines and LNG production plants, working on the mixed refrigerant (MR). The method of control of the natural gas liquefaction process on the mixed refrigerant-operating LNG production plant comprises a periodic measuring of the current parameters of the said process, and controlling composition of the mixed refrigerant entering the main cryogenic heat exchanger, in order to achieve the optimal process parameters. Carnot factor is used as an optimality criterion for parameters of the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SAKHALIN ENERGY INVESTMENT COMPANY LTD.
    Inventor: Ivan Vladimirovich Nemov
  • Patent number: 10203068
    Abstract: A method is provided for precooling a cryostat having a hollow cold head turret into which a neck tube protrudes and connects an object to be cooled to the exterior of the cryostat, wherein a cold head having a cold head stage for cooling a cryogenic working medium may be introduced into the neck tube. During a condensation operation the cryogenic working medium flows through a heat pipe into an evaporator chamber which is thermally conductively connected to the object to be cooled. During a precooling phase a precisely fitting, thermally conductive short circuit block is inserted through the neck tube into the heat pipe to provide thermal conduction between the object to be cooled and a cooling device The short circuit block is removed from the heat pipe after the target temperature is reached, and heat is subsequently transmitted through the heat pipe during a condensation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Inventor: Marco Strobel
  • Patent number: 10197305
    Abstract: In a cryocooler for developing coldness of 4 K or lower by expanding helium, an expander expands high-pressure helium. A compressor compresses low-pressure helium returned from the expander, to generate high-pressure helium, and supplies the high-pressure helium to the expander. When helium temperature in the expander is 2.17 K or lower, the pressure of the low-pressure helium is equal to or higher than pressure given by a curve, in a helium state diagram in which the horizontal axis is temperature and the vertical axis is pressure, along which helium's volumetric thermal expansion coefficient is 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: A. T. A. M de Waele, Mingyao Xu, Qian Bao
  • Patent number: 10197328
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide-rich mixture is cooled in a first brazed aluminum plate-fin heat exchanger, at least one fluid derived from the cooled mixture is sent to a purification step having a distillation step and/or at least two successive partial condensation steps, the purification step produces a carbon dioxide-depleted gas which heats up again in the first exchanger, the purification step produces a carbon-dioxide rich liquid which is expanded, then sent to a second heat exchanger where it is heated by means of a fluid of the method, the exchanger carrying out an indirect heat exchange only between the carbon dioxide-rich liquid and the fluid of the method, the carbon dioxide-rich liquid at least partially vaporizes in the second exchanger and the vaporized gas formed heats up again in the first exchanger to form a carbon dioxide-rich gas which can be the end product of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploirtation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Arthur Darde
  • Patent number: 10138930
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a natural gas hydrate tank container loading system for transporting natural gas hydrate, and the present invention provides a natural gas hydrate tank container loading system which enables automated connection of an electric power line and a boil-off pipe, and may automatically connect an electric power line and automatically connect the pipe by simultaneously stacking respective natural gas hydrate tank containers, in order to solve problems of a transportation method using the existing natural gas hydrate tank containers in the related art in that an operation of connecting an electric power line to a refrigerator for minimizing the occurrence of boil-off gas and maintaining a phase equilibrium condition in the tank containers and an operation of connecting the pipe for discharging the boil-off gas need to be manually and individually performed for long-distance transportation of a large amount of natural gas hydrate by using a ship, which causes an inconvenience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Hee Jin Kang, Gyeong Joong Lee, Beom Jin Park
  • Patent number: 10118122
    Abstract: Methods and systems of collecting carbon dioxide are disclosed. In one example, a method includes removing water from atmospheric air with a condenser and a desiccant material to produce dry air, adsorbing carbon dioxide to a material from the dry air, releasing the adsorbed carbon dioxide to a vacuum chamber, and transitioning the released carbon dioxide from a gas to a solid in the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Anthony M. DiCenzo, Joseph P. Bruschi, James G. Parlett, Douglas Anthony Galasso, Tab Hunter Crooks
  • Patent number: 10101081
    Abstract: A method of temperature control in a cryogenic temperature control apparatus. The method includes operating the cryogenic temperature control apparatus in a first mode, and delivering a first flow rate of cryogen from a storage tank to an evaporator coil in the first mode. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus is operated in a second mode after operating the cryogenic temperature control apparatus in the first mode for a predetermined time duration. A second flow rate of cryogen that is lower than the first flow rate is delivered to the evaporator coil in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Herman H. Viegas, David J. Vander Woude, Suresh Kumar, Joseph L. Glentz
  • Patent number: 9975077
    Abstract: Hybrid apparatus for drying compressed gas and including an adsorption dryer with first and second columns and an outflow device for the dried gas therefrom, a first diverting device to convey the compressed gas toward and through the first and second columns, a second diverting device to convey toward a downstream connected device the compressed gas coming from the first or second column, in which is arranged the command and control device to implement an adsorption cycle and a regeneration cycle that includes, for each column, an initialization, gas exhausting, regeneration, cooling and pressurization phases, and in which the initialization phase includes the determination of an assigned time within which subsequent phases must be maintained; the regeneration phase including tapping previously heated gas from the first column and feeding it into the second. The apparatus also includes a heating device connected to the second diverting device for the regeneration phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: PARKER HANNIFIN MANUFACTURING S.R.L.
    Inventor: Chiara Favero
  • Patent number: 9970427
    Abstract: A system and method is provided to control a purge valve during an unsafe condition associated with a cryopump. An electronic controller may be used to control the opening and closing of one or more purge valves during the unsafe condition. The purge valve can be a cryo-purge valve or exhaust purge valve. The purge valve can be a normally open valve. The electronic controller can release the normally open valve in response to the unsafe condition. The electronic controller can delay its response to the unsafe condition for a safe period of time. Attempts from other systems to control these valves during unsafe conditions can be preempted during unsafe conditions. A user can be inhibited from manually controlling the purge valve during unsafe conditions. A power failure recovery routine may be initiated in response to a restoration of power. The power failure recovery routine can respond to an unsafe condition even if the power failure recovery routine has been manually turned off by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. Amundsen, Maureen C. Buonpane, Douglas Andrews, Jordan Jacobs
  • Patent number: 9945606
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cryogenic distillation of air. In a system of air separation columns, all the air is taken to a high pressure which is 5 to 10 bar greater than a medium pressure. A portion of air, between 10% and 50% of the high pressure air stream, is boosted in a cold booster. This boosted air is then sent to an exchanger and a portion of it liquefies at the cold end of the exchanger. Part of the air is sent to one column of the column system, and another fraction is partly expanded in a Claude turbine. After expansion in the turbine, the air is sent to a medium pressure column, and a liquid stream is withdrawn for one of the columns of the system. The withdrawn stream is pressurized and vaporizes in the exchange line. The cold booster is coupled to either an expansion turbine, an electric motor, or a combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
    Inventors: Patrick Le Bot, Olivier De Cayeux, Frédéric Judas
  • Patent number: 9945605
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the removal of CO2 from acid gas by cryogenic distillation performed in two steps. The feed mixture is first distilled at high pressure (at least 45 bar) in a first distillation column. The top product or a part thereof is then, after heating, subjected to a second distillation step at a lower pressure (lower than 45 bar). The top product of the second distillation step is methane of high purity (more than 99 mol. %). The bottom product of the second distillation step is recycled back to the first distillation column. The method according to the invention allows complete separation of methane also at higher level of acidic components, is economical and does not result in solid CO2 build-up, which is a common problem in cryogenic distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: TECNIMONT S.P.A.
    Inventor: Laura Annamaria Pellegrini
  • Patent number: 9939195
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to recover ethane, ethylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The gas stream is cooled and divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled, expanded to lower pressure, and supplied as a feed between two absorbing means. The second stream is expanded to lower pressure and supplied as a bottom feed to the lower absorbing means. A distillation liquid stream from the bottom of the lower absorbing means is heated in a heat and mass transfer means to strip out its volatile components. A distillation vapor stream from the top of the heat and mass transfer means is cooled by a distillation vapor stream from the top of the upper absorbing means, thereby forming a condensed stream that is supplied as a top feed to the upper absorbing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd., S.M.E. Products LLP
    Inventors: Andrew F. Johnke, W. Larry Lewis, John D. Wilkinson, Joe T. Lynch, Hank M. Hudson, Kyle T. Cuellar
  • Patent number: 9939196
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to remove carbon dioxide from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The gas stream is cooled, expanded to intermediate pressure, and fed to the top of a mass transfer means. A distillation liquid stream from the mass transfer means is heated in a first heat and mass transfer means to strip out its volatile components and form a bottom liquid product. A distillation vapor stream from the mass transfer means is combined with any vapor in the expanded cooled gas stream, and the combined vapor stream is cooled in a second heat and mass transfer means to partially condense it, forming a condensed stream that is fed to the top of the mass transfer means. A portion of the bottom liquid product is subcooled, expanded to lower pressure, and used to cool the combined vapor stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd., S.M.E. Products LP
    Inventors: Andrew F. Johnke, W. Larry Lewis, John D. Wilkinson, Joe T. Lynch, Hank M. Hudson, Kyle T. Cuellar
  • Patent number: 9933207
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to recover ethane, ethylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The gas stream is cooled and divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled, expanded to lower pressure, heated, and its liquid fraction is supplied as a first top feed to an absorbing means. The second stream is expanded to lower pressure and supplied as a bottom feed to the absorbing means. A distillation vapor stream from the absorbing means is combined with the vapor fraction of the first stream, then cooled by the expanded first stream to form a condensed stream that is supplied as a second top feed to the absorbing means. A distillation liquid stream from the bottom of the absorbing means is heated in a heat and mass transfer means to strip out its volatile components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignees: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd., S.M.E. Products LP
    Inventors: Andrew F. Johnke, W. Larry Lewis, John D. Wilkinson, Joe T. Lynch, Hank M. Hudson, Kyle T. Cuellar
  • Patent number: 9927068
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing the recondensation of boiloff gas in liquid natural gas storage tanks are presented. In especially preferred aspects of the inventive subject matter, BOG from a storage tank is condensed using refrigeration content of a portion of LNG sendout in a direct or indirect manner, and the BOG condensate and LNG sendout portion are combined to form a subcooled stream that is then combined with the balance of the LNG sendout, to be fed to a high pressure pump. Contemplated recondensation operations advantageously occur without using otherwise needed large volume recondensers. Moreover, the condensing and subcooling operations are decoupled from the LNG sendout rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Patent number: 9927170
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger system (1) for heat exchange between at least a first medium (M), in particular in the form of a hydrocarbon-rich phase, and a second medium (K), with at least first and second pipe space sections (101, 103; 103, 105) for accommodating the first medium (M), and with a first pipe space section connecting means (102; 104), via which the two pipe space sections (101, 103; 103, 105) are connected to one another in a flow-guiding manner. The first pipe space section (101; 103) is surrounded by a first shell space (201, 203), and the second pipe space section (103; 105) is surrounded by a second shell space (203, 205) for accommodating the second medium (K). The first shell space (201; 203) is defined by a first shell (301; 303) and the second shell space (203; 205) is defined by a second shell (303; 305).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Christiane Kerber, Jurgen Spreemann, Norbert Reiter, Markus Hammerdinger, Manfred Steinbauer
  • Patent number: 9909803
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for separating a feed containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, and optionally nitrogen to form a product gas having a desired H2:CO molar ratio and optionally a hydrogen product gas and a carbon monoxide product gas. The feed is partially condensed to form a hydrogen-enriched vapor fraction and a carbon monoxide-enriched liquid fraction. The hydrogen-enriched vapor fraction and carbon monoxide-enriched liquid fraction are combined in a regulated manner to form an admixture, which is cryogenically separated to form the product mixture having the desired H2:CO molar ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Alfred McNeil, Andrew Weaver, David Graham Winter
  • Patent number: 9841231
    Abstract: Process for efficiently operating a natural gas liquefaction system with integrated heavies removal/natural gas liquids recovery to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG) and/or natural gas liquids (NGL) products with varying characteristics, such as, for example higher heating value (HHV) and/or propane content. Resulting LNG and/or NGL products are capable of meeting the significantly different specifications of two or more markets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Wesley Qualls, Weldon L. Ransbarger, Shawn S. Huang, Jame Yao, Doug Elliot, Jong Juh Chen, Rong-Jwyn Lee
  • Patent number: 9823015
    Abstract: This method envisions cooling the supply flow in a first heat exchanger, separation in a first separation flask in order to produce a light upper flow and a heavy lower flow and dividing the light upper flow into a supply fraction of a dynamic pressure reduction turbine and a supply fraction of a first distillation column. A cooled reflux flow is formed from an effluent from a dynamic pressure reduction turbine, the portion of the effluent being cooled and at least partially liquefied in a heat exchanger. The cooled reflux flow is introduced from the heat exchanger into the first distillation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNIP FRANCE
    Inventors: Vanessa Gahier, Julie Gouriou, Loic Barthe, Sandra Thiebault