Patents by Inventor David C. Braithwaite

David C. Braithwaite 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: 9930907
    Abstract: A cryogenic freezer includes a plurality of conveyor rail supports that rest upon side walls of a lower housing of the freezer. The conveyor rail supports include upper and lower bars that support upper and lower conveyor support rails extending perpendicular to the bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Airgas, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Bilger, David C. Braithwaite
  • Publication number: 20170049126
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of forming frozen ice cream pellets includes supplying an ice cream premix into a loading vessel; loading a loading cylinder with the ice cream premix from the loading vessel, the loading cylinder being connected to the loading vessel; applying a machine-controllable force to expel the ice cream premix from the loading cylinder as ice cream premix pellets; and exposing the ice cream premix pellets to a cryogenic fluid, thereby at least partially freezing the ice cream premix pellets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventor: David C. BRAITHWAITE
  • Patent number: 9521854
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of forming frozen ice cream pellets includes supplying an ice cream premix into a loading vessel; loading a loading cylinder with the ice cream premix from the loading vessel, the loading cylinder being connected to the loading vessel; applying a machine-controllable force to expel the ice cream premix from the loading cylinder as ice cream premix pellets; and exposing the ice cream premix pellets to a cryogenic fluid, thereby at least partially freezing the ice cream premix pellets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventor: David C. Braithwaite
  • Patent number: 9273239
    Abstract: A method of proportionally mixing two fluids is provided. The method includes introducing a first fluid stream, introducing a second fluid stream, wherein the flow rate of the second stream is modulated by a valve, thereby producing a modulated stream, combining the first fluid stream and the second fluid stream, thereby forming a compounded fluid stream, introducing said compounded fluid stream into a fluid containment region, wherein a vapor fraction and a liquid fraction are formed, determining the composition of the vapor fraction, comparing the composition of the vapor fraction with a predetermined composition to determine a composition error, and modulating the valve to reduce the composition error to a predetermined error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: David C. Braithwaite, Scott Terdic
  • Patent number: 9151532
    Abstract: A material to be frozen is fed to an immersion bath having a recirculating flow of liquid nitrogen thereinside and at least partially frozen material is withdrawn from the bath downstream of where it is fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: David C. Braithwaite, Chris Redlarczyk
  • Publication number: 20150219280
    Abstract: In another embodiment of the invention, a method for reducing boil-off gas losses from a liquid storage tank having a liquid and boil-off gas contained therein is provided. In one embodiment, the method can include the steps of pumping the liquid from the liquid storage tank to a heat exchanger using a liquid pump; subcooling the liquid within the heat exchanger by using cold energy from vaporization of liquid nitrogen to form a subcooled liquid; and introducing the subcooled liquid to the liquid storage tank, thereby reducing the temperature within the liquid storage tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: David C. BRAITHWAITE, Ken KRAWCZYK
  • Publication number: 20150219391
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering boil-off gas from a head space of a liquid storage tank having a fluid contained therein is provided. The method can include the steps of withdrawing the boil-off gas from the storage tank and introducing said boil-off gas to a heat exchanger using a vapor flow inducer; cooling the boil-off gas in the heat exchanger by using cold energy from vaporization of liquid nitrogen to form a cooled fluid; and introducing the cooled fluid to the liquid storage tank, thereby reducing the temperature within the liquid storage tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Richard A. SAUER, John BUONASSISI, Rozalia PAPP, David C. BRAITHWAITE
  • Patent number: 9034407
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods and systems that distribute an additive in solid carbon dioxide in an interior of food processing equipment. The additive may be injected into a flow of liquid carbon dioxide upstream of an expander at or adjacent to the interior. Injection of the additive into the interior may be alternated with directing a flow of expanded carbon dioxide into the interior. In some embodiments, the freezing point of the additive with or without a diluent composition and/or additive(s) is lower than a temperature of the liquid carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignees: American Air Liquide, Inc., Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: David C. Braithwaite, Meenakshi Sundaram, Vasuhi Rasanayagam
  • Patent number: 8974845
    Abstract: An improved process for peeling hard boiled eggs includes contacting the cooked egg with a cold inert gas before peeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignees: American Air Liquide, Inc., Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: David C. Braithwaite, Vasuhi Jian Rasanayagam, Timothy Lawrence Murray
  • Publication number: 20150060722
    Abstract: A method of proportionally mixing two fluids is provided. The method includes introducing a first fluid stream, introducing a second fluid stream, wherein the flow rate of the second stream is modulated by a valve, thereby producing a modulated stream, combining the first fluid stream and the second fluid stream, thereby forming a compounded fluid stream, introducing said compounded fluid stream into a fluid containment region, wherein a vapor fraction and a liquid fraction are formed, determining the composition of the vapor fraction, comparing the composition of the vapor fraction with a predetermined composition to determine a composition error, and modulating the valve to reduce the composition error to a predetermined error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: David C. BRAITHWAITE, Scott Terdic
  • Publication number: 20140377432
    Abstract: A cryogenic freezer includes a plurality of conveyor rail supports that rest upon side walls of a lower housing of the freezer. The conveyor rail supports include upper and lower bars that support upper and lower conveyor support rails extending perpendicular to the bars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Stephen BILGER, David C. BRAITHWAITE
  • Patent number: 8894894
    Abstract: Systems and methods compress, freeze and store forms at sufficiently low temperatures. A system provides a storage tank of liquefied gas, a gas-liquid separation tank, and a compression chamber. The compression chamber provides compression plates chilled by flow of liquefied gas through conduits traversing an interior volume of the plates. The method comprises recirculating liquefied gas to improve cooling efficiency while lowering operation costs. The system and method further provide for integrated measurement and control of the flow of liquefied gas through the primary components of the system. In one embodiment, the forms are rubber cylinders utilized in the production of torsion axles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventor: David C. Braithwaite
  • Patent number: 8844315
    Abstract: A cryogenic freezer includes a plurality of conveyor rail supports that rest upon side walls of a lower housing of the freezer. The conveyor rail supports include upper and lower bars that support upper and lower conveyor support rails extending perpendicular to the bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: Stephen Bilger, David C. Braithwaite
  • Publication number: 20140220213
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods and systems that distribute an additive in solid carbon dioxide in an interior of food processing equipment. The additive may be injected into a flow of liquid carbon dioxide upstream of an expander at or adjacent to the interior. Injection of the additive into the interior may be alternated with directing a flow of expanded carbon dioxide into the interior. In some embodiments, the freezing point of the additive with or without a diluent composition and/or additive(s) is lower than a temperature of the liquid carbon dioxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicants: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. L.P., American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. BRAITHWAITE, Meenakshi SUNDARAM, Vasuhi RASANAYAGAM
  • Publication number: 20140186502
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods and systems that distribute an additive in solid carbon dioxide in an interior of food processing equipment. The additive may be injected into a flow of liquid carbon dioxide upstream of an expander at or adjacent to the interior. Injection of the additive into the interior may be alternated with directing a flow of expanded carbon dioxide into the interior. In some embodiments, the freezing point of the additive with or without a diluent composition and/or additive(s) is lower than a temperature of the liquid carbon dioxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicants: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. L.P., American Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. BRAITHWAITE, Meenakshi Sundaram, Vasuhi Rasanayagam
  • Patent number: 8691308
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods and systems that distribute an additive in solid carbon dioxide in an interior of food processing equipment. The additive may be injected into a flow of liquid carbon dioxide upstream of an expander at or adjacent to the interior. Injection of the additive into the interior may be alternated with directing a flow of expanded carbon dioxide into the interior. In some embodiments, the freezing point of the additive with or without a diluent composition and/or additive(s) is lower than a temperature of the liquid carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: American Air Liquide, Inc., Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: David C. Braithwaite, Meenakshi Sundaram, Vasuhi Rasanayagam
  • Publication number: 20140000296
    Abstract: An upwardly helical flow path of mechanically refrigerated air inside a spiral freezer may be used to chill or freeze products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventor: David C. Braithwaite
  • Publication number: 20140004236
    Abstract: An improved process for peeling hard boiled eggs includes contacting the cooked egg with a cold inert gas before peeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicants: American Air Liquide, Inc., Air Liquide Industrial U.S. L.P.
    Inventors: David C. BRAITHWAITE, Vasuhi Jian Rasanayagam, Timothy Lawrence Murray
  • Publication number: 20130327067
    Abstract: A method of improving the efficiency in delivery of a cryogenic liquid to the surface of a metal body in a furnace, the method comprising the steps of delivering a liquid cryogen (10, 20) to a liquid-gas phase separator (30), allowing a gaseous cryogen (45) present in a liquid phase (40) of the liquid cryogen to separate from the liquid cryogen (40), condensing (60, 70, 80) the gaseous cryogen (45) to an additional amount of liquid cryogen (40), delivering the liquid cryogen and the additional amount of liquid cryogen (50) to the surface of a metal body in a furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: Rozalia Papp, David C. Braithwaite, Richard Sauer, John Buonassisi
  • Publication number: 20130327404
    Abstract: A method of improving the efficiency in delivery of a cryogenic liquid (10, 160) to the surface of a metal body in a furnace, the method comprising the steps of a) causing a flow of the liquid cryogen i) from a source of the liquid cryogen (10, 160), ii) to the surface of a metal body, and b) sub-cooling the liquid cryogen or a combination of the liquid cryogen and a cryogen gas (40, 180) between step a), sub-step i) and step a), sub-step ii) to reduce a temperature of the liquid cryogen or the combination of the liquid cryogen and the cryogen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP
    Inventors: Rozalia PAPP, David C. Braithwaite, Richard Sauer, John Bounassisi