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: A ring-shaped jacket is fitted around the warm section of a Stirling refrigerating device, and a cylindrical heat-rejecting heat exchanger is disposed around the body of the Stirling refrigerating device with a gap secured in between. The jacket and the heat-rejecting heat exchanger are connected together with a pipe to form a closed circuit, and a refrigerant is circulated through the closed circuit. This allows the heat in the warm section to be transferred by the refrigerant, permitting efficient heat rejection from the heat-rejecting heat exchanger. Thus, the desired cold is obtained stably from the cold section of the Stirling refrigerating device.

Abstract: A cryogenic air separation system having enhanced liquid production capacity wherein a feed air stream bypasses the primary heat exchanger and is processed through cooling and warming passes of a feed air liquefier to produce liquid feed air for introduction into the cryogenic air separation plant.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing environmental control, secondary power and emergency power for an aircraft, comprises a cooling turbine coupled to a first electromechanical machine rotor, and including an input for receiving compressed air or ram air, and an output for discharging cooled air or exhaust air; a compressor coupled to a second electromechanical machine rotor, and including an input for receiving engine bleed air or ambient air, and an output for discharging compressed air; means for magnetically coupling the first and second rotors; a power turbine coupled to the compressor; a heat exchanger connected between the compressor output and the cooling turbine input; and a control unit for controlling the magnetic coupling between the first and second rotors.

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: 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: 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: 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: In a cryogenic vacuum pump, after determining that a power fail recovery mode is on, and that the temperature is below a setpoint, the cryopump is automatically cooled. If the power fail recovery mode is on, and the temperature is above the setpoint, a regeneration cycle is started automatically. If the power fail recovery mode is off, the cryopump may be maintained in an off state. When a command to turn on a pressure sensing thermocouple (TC) gauge is received, the TC gauge is turned on only if there is not a sufficient amount of gas to ignite. When a command to turn on a roughing valve is received, an additional command must be received before the roughing valve is turned on. When a temperature-sensing diode is faulty, temperature control is automatically turned off. During a regeneration cycle, a purge test is performed. If the purge test passes, heaters are turned on. If the purge test fails, the heaters are turned on only if the temperature reaches a threshold within a predetermined period.

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: 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: This invention is a method and apparatus for production of pressurized liquefied gas. First, a gas stream is cooled and expanded to liquefy the gas stream. The liquefied gas stream is then withdrawn as pressurized gas product and a portion is recycled through the heat exchanger to provide at least part of the cooling and is returned to the stream. Recycling the pressurized liquefied gas product helps keep the cooling and compression of the gas stream in the supercritcal region of the phase diagram. J-T valves in parallel with the expander permits running the system until the stream is in the supercritical region of its phase diagram and the hydraulic expander can operate. This process is suitable for natural gas streams containing methane to form a pressurized liquefied natural gas (PLNG) product.

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.

Abstract: An inhalation device for dispensing medicament comprising a body; a medicament carrier; a mouthpiece, reversibly movable from a storage position wherein said mouthpiece is within said body to an in-use position wherein a portion of the mouthpiece protrudes from the body and wherein the mouthpiece is in communication with said medicament carrier to allow passage of medicament therebetween; and a mouthpiece actuator coupled to the mouthpiece by a coupling mechanism comprising a rack and pinion mechanism or a hinged lever mechanism such that actuation of said mouthpiece actuator moves the mouthpiece towards said storage position and deactuation of the mouthpiece actuator moves the mouthpiece towards said in-use position, wherein said body is shaped to be holdable in one hand and the mouthpiece actuator is actuable in response to a discrete motion of the thumb on the same hand.

Abstract: A device and method for controlling the temperature of a semiconductor module in which the semiconductor module is sandwiched by a first supporting unit and a second supporting unit. An area of the second supporting unit with which the semiconductor module comes into contact is shielded from heat of external ambient atmosphere, and has a temperature sensor provided thereat. The temperature of the first supporting unit is controlled so that the temperature of this area becomes equal to a predetermined temperature. The amount of heat moving from the heat-shielded area to the semiconductor module is small, so that the difference between the temperatures in the region extending from the heat-shielded area and the semiconductor module is small. The first and second supporting units may be separately controlled at different predetermined temperatures. By this, changes in the temperature of the semiconductor module caused by changes in outside air temperature are reduced.

Abstract: A sprinkler valving apparatus and method are provided. An irrigation system has a plurality of valves designed to be electrically activated by a control unit. Each valve may have a first diaphragm that is flexible to control irrigation water flow through the valve. Each of the valves may have a solenoid isolated from irrigation water within the valve by a second diaphragm. The first and second diaphragms are separated by an interior divider with an orifice that can be blocked or unblocked via flexure of the second diaphragm to trigger motion of the first diaphragm. The second diaphragm is actuated by a magnetically actuatable plunger of the solenoid, which extends through an aperture of an interior retainer to reach the second diaphragm. The second diaphragm has a peripheral ring to ensure that it is movable even when negative outlet pressure is applied to the valve.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage and supply apparatus is described. The apparatus has a container that includes a cold enclosure. A porous material capable of occluding hydrogen pervades the cold enclosure. The porous material contains a plurality of light elements including Be, B, C, N, O, F, Mg, P, S, Li, Na, Al, Si and Cl. The cold enclosure can have a temperature in a range between about 30K and 270K and can withstand pressures up to about 50 bara. The container can have a layered wall structure with at least two walls, and there can be a cavity between the walls, which can provide thermal insulation. A hydrogen-consuming system is described in which the hydrogen storage and supply apparatus is used to provide hydrogen to a hydrogen-fueled device. A hydrogen production and distribution system, which used the hydrogen storage and supply apparatuses is described. Methods of storing, supplying and using hydrogen are also described.

Abstract: Stranded natural gas is sometimes liquefied and sent to other countries that can use the gas in a transport ship. Conventional receiving terminals use large cryogenic storage tanks to hold the liquefied natural gas (LNG) after it has been offloaded from the ship. The present invention eliminates the need for the conventional cryogenic storage tanks and instead uses uncompensated salt caverns to store the product. The present invention can use a special heat exchanger, referred to as a Bishop Process heat exchanger, to warm the LNG prior to storage in the salt caverns or the invention can use conventional vaporizing systems some of which may be reinforced and strengthened to accommodate higher operating pressures. In one embodiment, the LNG is pumped to higher pressures and converted to dense phase natural gas prior to being transferred into the heat exchanger and the uncompensated salt caverns.

Abstract: A refrigerant circuit (10) is formed by connecting, in series and in the order given, a compressor (11), a four-way selector valve (12), an outdoor heat exchanger (13), an expansion valve (14), and an indoor heat exchanger (15) by a gas side pipe (31) and a liquid side pipe (32). The refrigerant circuit (10) is charged with an R32 single refrigerant or with an R32/R125 mixed refrigerant in which R32 is present in an amount of not less than 75 wt. %. A dg/dl ratio, which is the ratio of the inside diameter dg of the gas side pipe (31) to the inside diameter dl of the liquid side pipe (32), is so set as to fall in the range of 2.1 to 3.5 when the cooling rated capacity is more than 5 kW but not more than 9 kW whereas when the cooling rated capacity is not more than 5 kW or more than 9 kW the dg/dl ratio is so set as to fall in the range of 2.6 to 3.5.

Abstract: A method for hydrogen storage includes providing water and hydrogen gas to a containment volume, reducing the temperature of the water and hydrogen gas to form a hydrogen clathrate at a first cryogenic temperature and a first pressure and maintaining the hydrogen clathrate at second cryogenic temperature within a temperature range of up to 250 K to effect hydrogen storage. The low-pressure hydrogen hydrate includes H2O molecules, H2 molecules and a unit cell including polyhedron cages of hydrogen-bonded frameworks of the H2O molecules built around the H2 molecules.