Patents by Inventor Alain Briglia

Alain Briglia has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10571158
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigeration method, during which a user is supplied with frigories by means of a working gas, such as helium, that is cooled by having the same flow into a cold box that comprises, in series, at least one first aluminum heat exchanger having brazed plates and flanges, one second heat exchanger having welded plates, and one third aluminum heat exchanger having brazed plates and flanges in such a way that the flow of said working gas is at least partially caused to pass, consecutively, through the first exchanger, then through the second exchanger, and finally through the third exchanger before said working gas flow is directed to the user in order to supply the user with frigories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Frederic Bonne, Mustapha Tebbani, Alain Briglia, Oriane De La Forterie
  • Patent number: 10571043
    Abstract: A press-fit in situ retrofit assembly for a top entry valve and a method thereof are disclosed. The assembly includes an annular conduit (201) including a segment (202) of reduced outside diameter and a shoulder (203) on the exterior surface at the proximal end (204), and is configured to conform with an interior surface (205) of a valve seat (206) at the distal end (207). A valve body extension (208) with an interior annular region (301), and an inlet port (209) fluidically connected to the annular region (301). A gland packing push plate (211) is configured to allow the annular conduit (201) to pass through thereby forming an outlet port (212). And a thrust plate (403) is attached to the thrust screws (401). The thrust plate (403) allows the segment (202) of reduced outside diameter at the proximal end (204) of the annular conduit (201) to pass through, with the thrust plate (403) seating on the shoulder (203).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Jianwei Li
  • Publication number: 20200056840
    Abstract: Disclosed are a cold box structure with cold box panels partly built-in and an installation method therefor. The cold box structure is mainly applied to plate-fin heat exchangers, and in particular to high-pressure aluminum plate-fin heat exchangers. The cold box structure comprises a base, a cold box support frame, four cold box panels, and a cold box top plate, and a plate-fin heat exchanger is placed inside the cold box. Some of or all the four cold box panels can be placed inside the cold box support frame as needed. The cold box structure can protect the cold box support frame from being damaged by cryogenic steam ejected from the plate fin-heat exchanger due to leakage, and further enables the discovering of leakage situations of the plate-fin heat exchanger from outer surfaces of the cold box panels in a timely manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain BRIGLIA, Remy KURTZ
  • Publication number: 20200041204
    Abstract: Plant for the production of argon by cryogenic distillation, comprising an argon separation column, means for sending a gas containing argon and oxygen to the argon separation column, means for extracting a fluid enriched in argon at the top of the argon separation column, means for extracting a liquid enriched in oxygen at the bottom of the argon separation column and at least two storage tanks, positioned one above the other, each storage tank being connected to two different intermediate levels of the argon separation column by two pipes, the two storage tanks being contiguous.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain BRIGLIA, Frederic STAINE, Mathieu LEAUTE, Ingrid BERTHAUME, Benedicte DOS SANTOS
  • Publication number: 20190353422
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a skid-mounted cold box and its prefabricated structure and assembly method. Each prefabricated structure includes a framework and a first panel that is used to enclose sides of the framework. Ring beams of two adjacent prefabricated structures are connected through bolts on site. A second panel connected through bolts encloses the gap between ring beams of the two adjacent prefabricated structures from sides. The present invention cancels all field welding seams and omits the field welding and nondestructive testing operations. The crane can be dismissed after the upper prefabricated structure of the cold box is lifted into place and bolts corresponding to columns on ring beams are connected. The present invention guarantees the connection strength of steel structures relying on bolt-based connection between ring beams and the second panel connected through bolts guarantees the airtightness of the cold box. This effectively reduces field assembly work and saves time and cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Precedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Chenxi GAO, Remy KURTZ, Alain BRiGLIA, Jia DING
  • Patent number: 10337791
    Abstract: In a process for the cryogenic separation of a feed mixture of at least carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane, the feed mixture is separated in a methane wash column fed by a liquid methane stream at the top of the methane wash column to produce a gas enriched in hydrogen, a liquid stream from the bottom of the methane wash column is treated to produce a mixture of carbon monoxide and methane, the mixture of carbon monoxide and methane is separated in a separation column to produce a gas enriched in carbon monoxide and a liquid methane flow at least part of which forms a purge stream, the purge stream being varied to take account of load variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Emmanuelle Brocheriou, Pascal Marty, Bhadri Prasad
  • Patent number: 10317111
    Abstract: In a process for vaporizing a liquid stream rich in carbon dioxide wherein a liquid first stream rich in carbon dioxide is withdrawn from a chamber containing liquid rich in carbon dioxide and gas rich in carbon dioxide, the gas being at a pressure P1, the liquid first stream is sent to a heat exchanger where it is vaporized, all the liquid from the first stream is vaporized in the heat exchanger at a pressure or several pressures greater than P1, the vaporized first stream is extracted from the heat exchanger, expanded in a first expansion valve and sent to the heat exchanger where it is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Arthur Darde, Ludovic Granados, Christophe Szamlewski
  • Patent number: 10317135
    Abstract: A device for separating a gas mixture containing at least 35 mol % carbon dioxide and also at least one gas lighter than carbon dioxide, comprising a first phase separator configured to receive a first partially condensed flow from an exchange line; a first phase separator configured to separate the gas phase from the liquid phase; a cooling means configured to receive the gas phase from the first phase separator and cool said gas phase to form a second partially condensed flow. The resulting liquid phase is then sent to a first valve and is expanded to a lower pressure that is at most 300 mbar lower in order to form a first expanded liquid, which is then mixed with a second liquid originating from the second phase separator in a mixing means that is located upstream of a third valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Mathieu Leclerc
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20180372241
    Abstract: A press-fit in situ retrofit assembly for a top entry valve and a method thereof are disclosed. The assembly includes an annular conduit (201) including a segment (202) of reduced outside diameter and a shoulder (203) on the exterior surface at the proximal end (204), and is configured to conform with an interior surface (205) of a valve seat (206) at the distal end (207). A valve body extension (208) with an interior annular region (301), and an inlet port (209) fluidically connected to the annular region (301). A gland packing push plate (211) is configured to allow the annular conduit (201) to pass through thereby forming an outlet port (212). And a thrust plate (403) is attached to the thrust screws (401). The thrust plate (403) allows the segment (202) of reduced outside diameter at the proximal end (204) of the annular conduit (201) to pass through, with the thrust plate (403) seating on the shoulder (203).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Alain BRIGLIA, Jianwei LI
  • Publication number: 20180328509
    Abstract: An in situ retrofit assembly for a top entry valve includes an annular conduit (100) configured to conform with a seat support (106) at the distal end (207) and a valve body extension (208) with an interior annular region (301). The valve body extension (208) comprises an inlet port (209) fluidically connected to the annular area (301). A gland packing push plate (211) is configured to allow the annular conduit (100) to pass through thereby forming an outlet port (212). This allows the removal of a portion of the fluid from the cold box for downstream processing or manipulation as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Alain BRIGLIA
  • Patent number: 10006699
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for denitrogenation of natural gas by distillation, in which natural gas cooled in an exchange line is separated in a system of columns including at least one column, a nitrogen-enriched gas is drawn from one column of the system of columns and is heated in the exchange line, a methane-enriched liquid is drawn from one column of the system of columns, pressurized and vaporized in the exchange line at at least one vaporization pressure, and at least one portion of the cooled natural gas expands in gaseous form in a turbine and is sent to one column of the system of columns in gaseous form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Selim Chouik
  • Patent number: 9976803
    Abstract: Process for producing gaseous oxygen by cryogenic distillation of air, wherein a portion of the feed air flow is brought to a pressure P1, by means of a first compressor, the suction temperature T0 of which is between 0 and 50° C., the gas at the pressure P1 is cooled, in order to generate an air stream at the pressure P1 and the temperature T1 between 5 and 45° C., a portion of the air compressed in the first compressor undergoes an additional compression step starting from the temperature T1 and pressure P1 to a pressure P2 greater than P1, then is cooled, to the temperature T2 where T2 and T1 differ by less than 10° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATTION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
    Inventors: Alexis Asse, Ingrid Berthaume, Alain Briglia, Richard Dubettier-Grenier, Patrick Le Bot, Jean-Marc Peyron
  • Patent number: 9950274
    Abstract: In a method for cooling a flow containing at least 35% carbon dioxide and at least 0.2 ?g/Nm3 of mercury, the mercury being in liquid and/or gas form, the flow is cooled in a first brazed aluminum plate-fin heat exchanger from a first temperature to a second temperature higher than ?38.6° C. to form a cold flow at the second temperature, and the flow cooled to the second temperature is cooled in a second heat exchanger, which is a tube and shell heat exchanger, to a third temperature lower than ?38.6° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Arthur Darde, Ludovic Granados, Mathieu Leclerc, Frederick Lockwood, Xavier Traversac
  • Patent number: 9903648
    Abstract: According to certain embodiments of the invention, a gas containing at least 50% of carbon dioxide is cooled in a first exchanger so as to produce a cooled fluid, a liquid derived from the cooled fluid is sent to a distillation column to be separated therein, a head gas is withdrawn from the distillation column and reheated in the first exchanger, a vat liquid, which is richer in carbon dioxide than the gas containing at least 50% of carbon dioxide, is withdrawn and at least a portion thereof is heated in the first exchanger, at least a first portion of the vat liquid is vaporized in the first exchanger in order to produce a vaporized portion, the vaporized portion is sent back to the column and an NOx removal column is supplied with the liquefied cycle gas produced by vaporizing and reliquefying the vat liquid from the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: L'AIR LIQUIDE SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Arthur Darde, Frederick Lockwood, Xavier Traversac
  • Patent number: 9746233
    Abstract: In a process for the separation of a gas rich in carbon dioxide and containing at least one component lighter than carbon dioxide, the feed gas rich in carbon dioxide is cooled in a first heat exchanger, partially condensed and separated to form a gaseous portion and a liquid, sending the liquid portion to the top of a distillation column, removing a liquid stream richer in carbon dioxide than the feed gas from the bottom of the distillation column, removing a gaseous stream less rich in carbon dioxide than the feed gas from the top of the distillation column and warming the gaseous stream in the first heat exchanger, sending the gaseous portion to a shell and tube heat exchanger having tubes in a bath of triple point carbon dioxide, in which it condenses at least partially to form a liquid fraction, sending the liquid fraction to the top of the distillation column, vaporizing a liquid stream from the bottom of the distillation column outside or within the distillation column to form a gas which is subsequent
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Socieété Anonyme Pour l'Étude Et l'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Clause
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Arthur Darde, Paul Terrien
  • Publication number: 20160341452
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigeration method, during which a user is supplied with frigories by means of a working gas, such as helium, that is cooled by having the same flow into a cold box that comprises, in series, at least one first aluminum heat exchanger having brazed plates and flanges, one second heat exchanger having welded plates, and one third aluminum heat exchanger having brazed plates and flanges in such a way that the flow of said working gas is at least partially caused to pass, consecutively, through the first exchanger, then through the second exchanger, and finally through the third exchanger before said working gas flow is directed to the user in order to supply the user with frigories.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Frederic BONNE, Mustapha TEBBANI, Alain BRIGLIA, Oriane DE LA FORTERIE
  • Patent number: 9459043
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing carbon monoxide by cryogenic distillation is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Société Anonyme Pour L'Étude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Arthur Darde, Natacha Haik-Beraud, Marie-Khuny Khy
  • Publication number: 20160245584
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for denitrogenation of natural gas by distillation, in which natural gas cooled in an exchange line is separated in a system of columns including at least one column, a nitrogen-enriched gas is drawn from one column of the system of columns and is heated in the exchange line, a methane-enriched liquid is drawn from one column of the system of columns, pressurized and vaporized in the exchange line at at least one vaporization pressure, and at least one portion of the cooled natural gas expands in gaseous form in a turbine and is sent to one column of the system of columns in gaseous form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain BRIGLIA, Selim CHOUIK
  • Publication number: 20160231053
    Abstract: Process for producing gaseous oxygen by cryogenic distillation of air, wherein a portion of the feed air flow is brought to a pressure P1, by means of a first compressor, the suction temperature T0 of which is between 0 and 50° C., the gas at the pressure P1 is cooled, in order to generate an air stream at the pressure P1 and the temperature T1 between 5 and 45° C., a portion of the air compressed in the first compressor undergoes an additional compression step starting from the temperature T1 and pressure P1 to a pressure P2 greater than P1, then is cooled, to the temperature T2 where T2 and T1 differ by less than 10° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alexis ASSE, Ingrid BERTHAUME, Alain BRIGLIA, Richard DUBETTIER-GRENIER, Patrick LE BOT, Jean-Marc PEYRON