Abstract: A volatile component is recovered from an inert gas blanketed gas source containing the volatile component, an inert carrier gas, water vapor and oxygen as an impurity by a continuous process including the steps of adsorbing the water vapor from the stream, condensing substantially all of the volatile component from the stream, heating the water vapor-free and volatile component-free gas stream, purging the adsorbers with the heated gas stream and venting the purge gas and desorbed moisture. Inert gas depleted from the source is replenished with oxygen-free inert gas, thereby minimizing the concentration of oxygen in the source.

Abstract: In a cryostatic device for cooling an infrared detector, based on the Joule-Thomson effect, a countercurrent heat exchanger is located with a forward flow conduit in a Dewar vessel. The forward flow conduit ends in an expansion nozzle. The infrared detector is located on the front side of the inner wall of the Dewar vessel. To reduce the heat load, a heat insulating layer is arranged between the Dewar vessel and a base. To improve the cooling power of the Joule-Thomson process achievable with a predetermined pressurized gas mass flow, an inlet end of the forward flow conduit is cooled by Peltier elements. Thus the required pressurized gas flow is reduced.