Abstract: Methods of cooling an object are presented, the methods comprising contacting a heat transfer fluid with a liquid cryogen to form a precooled, substantially pure heat transfer fluid, and contacting the object with the precooled substantially pure heat transfer fluid to form a cooled object and a recycle flow of the heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer fluid consists essentially of a compound selected from the group consisting of substantially pure hydrogen, substantially pure helium, substantially pure argon, substantially pure nitrogen, and substantially pure carbon dioxide. Each of the contacting steps may be either direct contact, indirect contact, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Heat transfer fluid mixtures and methods of making and using same are presented. The inventive heat transfer fluid mixtures consist essentially of at least one light gas, such as helium, and at least one heavy fluid, such as argon, which may be adjusted between a first composition having a high heat transfer coefficient and high cost, and a second composition of a lower cost.

Abstract: Heat transfer fluid mixtures and methods of making and using same are presented. The inventive heat transfer fluid mixtures consist essentially of a light gas, such as helium, and at least one heavy fluid, such as argon, which may be adjusted between a first composition having a high heat transfer coefficient and high cost, and a second composition having a lower cost.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus to measure specific mass increases (due to the absorption of moisture) that occur in materials and for predicting moisture absorption in materials. In one method, pre-dried plastic encapsulated microchip packages (PEMs) are exposed to moist air over a period of time and moisture absorption is determined over a period of time resulting in prediction of moisture absorption of a particular material and determination of methods of care and storage of material to prevent excessive moisture absorption.

Abstract: An inert gas production system which primarily employs the exhaust gas of an engine as an inert gas source and uses a catalytic purifier to remove oxygen from the engine exhaust to produce the inert gas. The engine is preferably an internal combustion engine which operates on methane. The catalytic purification of the exhaust gas to remove oxygen is preferably performed by a packed bed catalytic purifying system including two catalyst vessels operated in series. The inert gas production system using engine exhaust can operate at a lower cost than the known membrane purification systems which produce an inert gas from air. In addition, the engine can be connected to a generator to provide an electrical energy advantage and the entire system can produce an inert gas stream containing less than 1,000 ppm of oxygen.

Abstract: A circuit board is wave soldered as it is carried by a conveyor through a solder wave established in a solder reservoir. Disposed on both sides of the solder wave are gas plenums which discharge shield gas. The gas plenums include orifices for directing shield gas (i) at high velocity toward the solder wave to protect the solder wave with an atmosphere of shield gas, and/or (ii) upwardly toward an underside of the circuit board to strip entrained air therefrom. The solder wave is generated by a pump driven by a drive shaft that extends downwardly into the solder reservoir. An upper portion of the drive shaft is surrounded by a stationary hollow sleeve which projects into the solder reservoir to restrict the churning of the solder during rotation of the drive shaft. A shield gas is introduced into the sleeve to inert the solder being churned. An enclosure is positioned above the solder reservoir having an inlet and an outlet through which the circuit boards are conveyed.

Abstract: A circuit board is wave soldered as it is carried by a conveyor through a solder wave established in a solder reservoir. Disposed on both sides of the solder wave are gas plenums which discharge shield gas. Each gas plenum includes a top wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall. The side wall is spaced horizontally from the wave, and the bottom wall is submerged within the solder. The side and (optionally) top walls include orifices for directing shield gas (i) at high velocity toward the solder wave to protect the solder wave with an atmosphere of shield gas, and (ii) upwardly toward an underside of the circuit board to strip entrained air therefrom. Instead of being submerged within the solder, the bottom wall could be spaced above the solder and provided with orifices to emit shield gas downwardly between the plenum and solder reservoir to create an inert atmosphere above the solder.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for removing impurities from liquified gases at cryogenic temperatures is provided which can be utilized on site at every stage of transport and storage subsequent to manufacture and prior to use. Liquified gas to be purified which is at cryogenic temperatures is passed preferably through a prefilter to remove solid particulates, followed by passage through an adsorbent bed to remove impurities from the gas and then through a postfilter to remove any entrained particles of adsorbent material from the gas stream. The process can be made continuous between, for example, a storage tank and an adsorption device. The apparatus includes at least one chamber having adsorbent material substantially filling it. A prefilter removes particulates upsteam of the adsorbent chamber and a postfilter downstream of said adsorbent chamber removes entrained adsorbent bed material.