Patents by Inventor Brian S. Powell
Brian S. Powell 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).
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Patent number: 11619442Abstract: A system and method of regenerating a pre-purification vessel is provided that is particularly suitable for pre-purification of a feed air stream in cryogenic air separation unit that uses an oxygen-enriched purge gas stream for regeneration of the pre-purification unit. The disclosed pre-purification systems and methods are configured to remove substantially all of the water, carbon dioxide and other impurities from a feed air stream, optionally including hydrogen and carbon monoxide impurities. The method of regenerating a pre-purification vessel preferably involves regenerating the pre-purification vessel with an oxygen-enriched purge gas after depressurization of the vessel and thereafter partially repressurizing the pre-purification vessel with an auxiliary purge gas thereby diluting the oxygen concentration of the gases contained in the pre-purification vessel and optionally depressurizing the partially repressurized vessel.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: James R. Handley, Richard C. Cyganovich, Cem E. Celik, Brian S. Powell, Devang Ashok Dasani
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Publication number: 20220333860Abstract: A system and method of regenerating a pre-purification vessel is provided that is particularly suitable for pre-purification of a feed air stream in cryogenic air separation unit that uses an oxygen-enriched purge gas stream for regeneration of the pre-purification unit. The disclosed pre-purification systems and methods are configured to remove substantially all of the water, carbon dioxide and other impurities from a feed air stream, optionally including hydrogen and carbon monoxide impurities. The method of regenerating a pre-purification vessel preferably involves regenerating the pre-purification vessel with an oxygen-enriched purge gas after depressurization of the vessel and thereafter partially repressurizing the pre-purification vessel with an auxiliary purge gas thereby diluting the oxygen concentration of the gases contained in the pre-purification vessel and optionally depressurizing the partially repressurized vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2021Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: James R. Handley, Richard C. Cyganovich, Cem E. Celik, Brian S. Powell, Devang Ashok Dasani
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Patent number: 10247471Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through condensers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the air separation plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Prior to flowing into the once-through condensers, the partially vaporized crude oxygen stream enters a phase separator which separates the crude oxygen vapor from the crude liquid oxygen.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2018Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: James R. Handley, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy, Maulik R. Shelat, Steven R. Falta
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Patent number: 10190819Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through heat exchangers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Feed stream flow rate to the argon column is controlled in response to air flow rate to the plant and product flow rate is controlled in response to the feed stream flow rate to the argon column.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2018Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Steven R. Falta, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy, Maulik R. Shelat
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Publication number: 20180328655Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through condensers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the air separation plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Prior to flowing into the once-through condensers, the partially vaporized crude oxygen stream enters a phase separator which separates the crude oxygen vapor from the crude liquid oxygen.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2018Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: James R. Handley, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy, Maulik R. Shelat, Steven R. Falta
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Publication number: 20180320962Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through heat exchangers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Feed stream flow rate to the argon column is controlled in response to air flow rate to the plant and product flow rate is controlled in response to the feed stream flow rate to the argon column.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2018Publication date: November 8, 2018Inventors: Steven R. Falta, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy, Maulik R. Shelat
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Patent number: 10082333Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through condensers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the air separation plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Prior to flowing into the once-through condensers, the partially vaporized crude oxygen stream enters a phase separator which separates the crude oxygen vapor from the crude liquid oxygen.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: James R. Handley, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy, Maulik R. Shelat, Steven R. Falta
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Patent number: 10060673Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through heat exchangers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Feed stream flow rate to the argon column is controlled in response to air flow rate to the plant and product flow rate is controlled in response to the feed stream flow rate to the argon column.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Steven R. Falta, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy
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Publication number: 20160186930Abstract: A method and delivery system for delivering a pressurized product stream from an air separation plant in which a liquid stream is pumped by a pump at cryogenic temperature and then heated in a heat exchanger of a flow network to produce the pressurized product stream. The flow network is designed to control flow of the pressurized product stream and to maintain the pressure of the pressurized product stream at a constant design pressure. The design pressure is maintained by sensing pressure of the pressurized product stream and varying the speed of a motor driving the pump to maintain the pressure at the design pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2014Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: David Parsnick, John F. Billingham, James P. Meagher, Brian S. Powell
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Publication number: 20160003538Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through heat exchangers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Feed stream flow rate to the argon column is controlled in response to air flow rate to the plant and product flow rate is controlled in response to the feed stream flow rate to the argon column.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2015Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Steven R. Falta, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy
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Publication number: 20160003539Abstract: An argon reflux condensation system and method in which a plurality of once-through condensers are connected to an argon column of an air separation plant to condense argon-rich vapor streams for production of reflux to the argon column. Condensation of the argon-rich vapor streams is brought about through indirect heat exchange with crude liquid oxygen streams that partially vaporize and are introduced into a lower pressure column of the plant for further refinement. The flow rate of the crude liquid oxygen streams are sensed and controlled at locations in the air separation plant where the crude liquid oxygen is in a liquid state and in proportion to the size of the once-through heat exchangers. Prior to flowing into the once-through condensers, the partially vaporized crude oxygen stream enters a phase separator which separates the crude oxygen vapor from the crude liquid oxygen.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2015Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: James R. Handley, Brian S. Powell, Henry E. Howard, Vijayaraghavan S. Chakravarthy, Maulik R. Shelat, Steven R. Falta
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Patent number: D520362Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2005Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Inventor: Brian S. Powell