Patents by Inventor Jeremiah J. Rauch
Jeremiah J. Rauch 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).
-
Publication number: 20240019207Abstract: A method and a system are provided for liquefying an industrial gas. Industrial gas is compressed, at a three-stage feed recycle compressor, to produce a first compressed gas portion and a second compressed gas portion. The second compressed gas portion is further compressed and divided into a first part and a second part. The first compressed gas portion is turbo-expanded to form a first turbo-expanded gas portion. The first turbo-expanded gas portion is warmed, at a heat exchanger, to form a first return stream. The first return stream is fed back to the three-stage feed recycle compressor, between a first compression stage and a second compression stage. A cooled first part is turbo-expanded to form a turbo-expanded first part. The turbo-expanded first part is warmed at the heat exchanger to form a second return stream. The cooled and liquefied second part is recovered as liquefied industrial gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis
-
Patent number: 11740014Abstract: Liquefier arrangements configured for flexible co-production of both liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid nitrogen (LIN) are provided. Each liquefier arrangement comprises separate and independent nitrogen recycle circuits or loops, including a warm recycle circuit and a cold recycle circuit with a means for diverting nitrogen refrigerant between the two recycle circuits or loops. The warm recycle circuit includes a booster loaded warm turbine, a warm booster compressor and warm recycle compression whereas the cold recycle circuit includes a booster loaded cold turbine, a cold booster compressor and a separate cold recycle compression.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Neil M. Prosser, Dalar Nazarian, Jeremiah J. Rauch
-
Patent number: 11719594Abstract: A method for leak detection in a system including a compressor. A first pressure differential is determined in the system via a first pressure differential indicator (PDI). The first pressure differential is converted into a first flow measurement. A second flow measurement is determined downstream of the compressor using a second PDI. The first flow measurement and the second flow measurement are compared to determine whether a leak exists between the first PDI and the second PDI.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2021Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Jeremiah J. Rauch, Mårten Källström
-
Publication number: 20230113326Abstract: A small to mid-scale liquefied natural gas production system and method is provided. The disclosed liquefied natural gas production system employs a nitrogen-based refrigerant, at least one heat exchanger, three turbine/expanders and two or more refrigerant compression stages. The expansion ratio of one turbine/expander is appreciably lower than the expansion ratio of the other turbine/expanders such that the temperature of the exhaust stream from the turbine/expander with the lower expansion ratio is above the critical point temperature of the compressed natural gas containing feed stream but colder than ?15° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2022Publication date: April 13, 2023Inventors: Henry Edward Howard, Jeremiah J. Rauch
-
Publication number: 20230115492Abstract: A small to mid-scale liquefied natural gas production system and method is provided. The disclosed liquefied natural gas production system employs a nitrogen-based refrigerant, at least one heat exchanger, three turbine/expanders and two or more refrigerant compression stages. The expansion ratio of one turbine/expander is appreciably lower than the expansion ratio of the other turbine/expanders such that the temperature of the exhaust stream from the turbine/expander with the lower expansion ratio is above the critical point temperature of the compressed natural gas feed stream but colder than ?15° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2022Publication date: April 13, 2023Inventors: Henry Edward Howard, Jeremiah J. Rauch
-
Publication number: 20220326109Abstract: A method for leak detection in a system including a compressor. A first pressure differential is determined in the system via a first pressure differential indicator (PDI). The first pressure differential is converted into a first flow measurement. A second flow measurement is determined downstream of the compressor using a second PDI. The first flow measurement and the second flow measurement are compared to determine whether a leak exists between the first PDI and the second PDI.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2021Publication date: October 13, 2022Inventors: Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Jeremiah J. Rauch, Mårten Källström
-
Publication number: 20210348839Abstract: A system and method for cryogenic air separation arrangement having a booster loaded liquid turbine for expansion of a liquid air stream or other fluid having liquid-like densities is provided. The disclosed booster loaded liquid turbines are relatively small to provide an aerodynamic and speed match between the turbine and the coupled gas compressor. The coupled gas compressor is a supplemental booster compressor and may be a dedicated warm booster compressor or alternatively a cold booster compressor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2020Publication date: November 11, 2021Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Edward Joseph Colman, Zhengrong Xu
-
Publication number: 20210348838Abstract: Liquefier arrangements configured for co-production of both liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid nitrogen (LIN) configured to operate using direct drive motor/generator arrangement for the warm and/or cold booster compressors and turbines. Alternatively, the use of a conventional generator with a bull gear in lieu of the direct drive motor/generator arrangement on the warm turbine and warm booster compressor coupling is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2020Publication date: November 11, 2021Inventors: Neil M. Prosser, Jeremiah J. Rauch, James R. Handley, Nathaniel J. Parr
-
Publication number: 20210270523Abstract: Liquefier arrangements configured for flexible co-production of both liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid nitrogen (LIN) are provided. Each liquefier arrangement comprises separate and independent nitrogen recycle circuits or loops, including a warm recycle circuit and a cold recycle circuit with a means for diverting nitrogen refrigerant between the two recycle circuits or loops. The warm recycle circuit includes a booster loaded warm turbine, a warm booster compressor and warm recycle compression whereas the cold recycle circuit includes a booster loaded cold turbine, a cold booster compressor and a separate cold recycle compression.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2020Publication date: September 2, 2021Inventors: Neil M. Prosser, Dalar Nazarian, Jeremiah J. Rauch
-
Patent number: 10254040Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2017Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang
-
Patent number: 10113792Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2016Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Andrew M. Warta, Sophia J. Dowd
-
Patent number: 10018412Abstract: A system and method for providing supplemental refrigeration to an air separation plant is provided. A closed loop supplemental refrigeration circuit that can be easily retrofitted or added onto an air separation plant that increases the liquid product production capability of the air separation plant. The supplemental refrigeration capacity of the supplemental refrigeration circuit is controlled by removing or adding a portion of the refrigerant in the supplemental refrigeration circuit to adjust the inlet pressure while maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow rate and substantially constant pressure ratio across the compressor. Removing the refrigerant from the supplemental refrigeration circuit decreases the refrigeration imparted by the supplemental refrigeration circuit and thus provides the capacity to turn-down liquid product make without shutting down the compressors and turbo-expanders in the supplemental refrigeration circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Anna Knight, Evelyn Juandi, Wei Zhang, Jeremiah J. Rauch
-
Publication number: 20170131029Abstract: A system and method for providing supplemental refrigeration to an air separation plant is provided. A closed loop supplemental refrigeration circuit that can be easily retrofitted or added onto an air separation plant that increases the liquid product production capability of the air separation plant. The supplemental refrigeration capacity of the supplemental refrigeration circuit is controlled by removing or adding a portion of the refrigerant in the supplemental refrigeration circuit to adjust the inlet pressure while maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow rate and substantially constant pressure ratio across the compressor. Removing the refrigerant from the supplemental refrigeration circuit decreases the refrigeration imparted by the supplemental refrigeration circuit and thus provides the capacity to turn-down liquid product make without shutting down the compressors and turbo-expanders in the supplemental refrigeration circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Anna Knight, Evelyn Juandi, Wei Zhang, Jeremiah J. Rauch
-
Publication number: 20170115053Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang
-
Patent number: 9574821Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang
-
Publication number: 20170030643Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Andrew M. Warta, Sophia J. Dowd
-
Patent number: 9518778Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating air in which production of the liquid products can be selectively varied between high and low production rates by varying the pressure ratio across a turboexpander used in imparting refrigeration with the use of a branched flow path. The branched flow path has a system of valves to selectively and gradually introduce a compressed refrigerant air stream into either a booster compressor branch having a booster compressor to increase the pressure ratio during high modes of liquid production or a bypass branch that bypasses the booster compressor to decrease the pressure ratio during low modes of liquid production. A recycle branch is connected to the booster compressor branch to allow compressed air to be independently recycled from the outlet to the inlet of the booster compressor during turndown from the high to the low liquid mode of liquid production to prevent surge.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2012Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Andrew M. Warta, Sophia J. Dowd
-
Publication number: 20160153711Abstract: A system and method for air separation using a supplemental refrigeration cycle is provided. A portion of the refrigeration required by the air separation plant to produce a liquid product stream is supplied via a supplemental refrigeration circuit configured to direct a cooled refrigerant produced by the turboexpander through the main heat exchanger of the air separation plant. The refrigeration capacity is controlled by removing or adding a portion of the refrigerant in the supplemental refrigeration circuit to adjust the inlet pressure while maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow rate and substantially constant pressure ratio across the compressor. Removing the refrigerant from the supplemental refrigeration circuit decreases the refrigeration imparted by the supplemental refrigeration circuit and thus decreases the production of the liquid product stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2016Publication date: June 2, 2016Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Andrew M. Warta, Hao Wu, David R. Parsnick, Sophia J. Dowd
-
Patent number: 9291388Abstract: A system and method for air separation using a supplemental refrigeration cycle is provided. A portion of the refrigeration required by the air separation plant to produce a liquid product stream is supplied via a supplemental refrigeration circuit configured to direct a cooled refrigerant produced by the turboexpander through the main heat exchanger of the air separation plant. The refrigeration capacity is controlled by removing or adding a portion of the refrigerant in the supplemental refrigeration circuit to adjust the inlet pressure while maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow rate and substantially constant pressure ratio across the compressor. Removing the refrigerant from the supplemental refrigeration circuit decreases the refrigeration imparted by the supplemental refrigeration circuit and thus decreases the production of the liquid product stream.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Andrew M. Warta, Hao Wu, David R. Parsnick, Sophia J. Dowd
-
Publication number: 20150345857Abstract: A system and method for separating air in an air separation plant is provided. The disclosed systems and methods divert a portion of the compressed, purified air stream to a bypass system configured to selectively produce a higher pressure compressed output stream or a lower pressure compressed output stream. The higher pressure and/or lower pressure compressed output streams are cooled in a main heat exchanger by indirect heat transfer with a plurality of product streams from the air separation plant and then rectified in the distillation column system. A second portion of the compressed, purified air stream is partially cooled in the main heat exchanger and expanding in a turbo-expander to produce power and an exhaust stream which is directed to the distillation column system of the air separation plant where it imparts additional refrigeration generated by the expansion of the compressed air stream in the turbo-expander.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2014Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventors: Jeremiah J. Rauch, Sophia J. Dowd, Andrew M. Warta, Catherine B. Sarigiannis, Wei Zhang