Abstract: A system for providing refrigeration to a heat load, especially over a larger temperature range and at a cryogenic temperature, wherein pulse tube refrigeration cools a heat transfer medium to provide higher level refrigeration to a refrigeration fluid, and lower level refrigeration is provided to the refrigeration fluid using a non-pulse tube system.

Abstract: Oxygen is separated from a feed air stream to produce enriched oxygen permeate and oxygen depleted retentate gas. At least first and second process stages, arranged in series, each include a solid electrolyte membrane separating gas chambers with a retentate side in the former and a permeate side in the latter, a cathode connected to the retentate side, and an anode connected to the permeate side. Feed gas is introduced into a first gas chamber of the first process stage. The cathode and anode of the first process stage are electrically energized to drive oxygen from the feed gas in the first gas chamber through the electrolyte membrane at a first flux into a second gas chamber. Oxygen-depleted retentate gas from the first process stage is delivered to a third gas chamber of the second process stage. Similarly, the cathode and anode of the second process stage are electrically energized by a current less than that of the first process stage and at a greater voltage.

Abstract: A non-uniform graded ball adsorbent bed support is employed in the head section of an adsorption vessel to achieve a uniform flow of gas to the adsorbent bed. The open areas of an inlet gas distributor are also varied to channel gas toward the edge portion of the vessel head to enhance the uniform flow of gas to the adsorbent bed.

Abstract: A low heat-leak cryogenic system comprising a cryogenic fluid, a first lamina having an external side facing toward and exposed directly to, or indirectly to, the cryogenic fluid and an internal side facing away from the cryogenic fluid; a second lamina spaced apart from the first lamina, and at least one block or layer of coherent aerogel extending from the first lamina to the second lamina. In another version, the aerogel is in a gaseous environment having a pressure not greater than 250,000 micrometers of mercury. In another version, at least one of the lamina is flexible so as to at least partially transmit an external load, such as that imposed by the atmosphere, to the coherent aerogel, and the coherent+ aerogel is capable of at least partially transmitting a load imposed on it from one lamina to the other.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a rotatable mass of structured packing for mass or heat transfer between two contacting fluids of different densities wherein the packing mass is made up of corrugated sheets of involute shape relative to the axis of the packing mass and form a logarithmic spiral curved counter to the direction of rotation.