Patents by Inventor Marc Bernhardt
Marc Bernhardt 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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Publication number: 20250052375Abstract: A device and a method for keeping a liquefied gas store cold having a cryogenic refrigerator, a subcooling circuit having an aspiration end intended to be seated in a liquefied gas store, a heat exchanger exchanging heat between the aspirated subcooling circuit and the refrigerator, the subcooling circuit having at least one injection end configured to inject the fluid cooled in the heat exchanger into the store, the device further including a boil-off gas recovery pipe having an upstream end intended to be connected to the store to recover the boil-off gas, the recovery pipe comprising a downstream end intended to be connected to a consumer, the device having a bypass pipe and a set of valves configured to enable boil-off gas to be transferred from the recovery pipe to the subcooling circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Remi NICOLAS, Fabien DURAND, Cecile GONDRAND, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Patent number: 12203700Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cooling and/or liquefying a user fluid flow, the method using a cooling and/or liquefying system comprising a low-temperature refrigeration device, the refrigeration device comprising a working circuit forming a loop and containing a working fluid, the refrigeration device comprising a cooling exchanger intended to extract heat from the user fluid flow by heat exchange with the working fluid circulating in the working circuit, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, in a series: a compression mechanism a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism, and a reheating mechanism, the system comprising a pipe for circulation of the user fluid flow to be cooled in heat exchange with the cooling exchanger of the refrigeration device, the method comprising a step of cooling a user fluid flow in the cooling exchanger and after this cooling step, a step of cleaning impurities solidified in the cooling exchanger, the cleaning step comprising stopping of the refrigeration deviceType: GrantFiled: July 8, 2020Date of Patent: January 21, 2025Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Fabien Durand, Remi Nicolas, Cecile Gondrand, Jean-Marc Bernhardt
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Patent number: 12158242Abstract: A tank for storing liquefied gas, having a shell delimiting a storage volume extending in a main direction which is horizontal in the use configuration of the tank, the tank comprising multiple deflecting walls in the storage volume which extend in an offset manner in the main direction configured to force the fluid to perform at least one back-and-forth movement in the main direction as the fluid passes between the lower end and the upper end of the storage volume, wherein a plurality of these deflecting walls are located in the lower half of the storage volume.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2021Date of Patent: December 3, 2024Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventor: Jean-Marc Bernhardt
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Publication number: 20240352366Abstract: A plant for production of purified methane from natural gas and biogas, having, arranged in series in a gas circuit, a heavy hydrocarbon removal unit and a CO2 removal unit. The plant includes a biogas purification unit having an inlet intended to be connected to a biogas source and a first purified biogas outlet connected to the first inlet of the CO2 removal unit, the biogas purification unit being configured to produce biogas or biomethane with a variable/defined CO2 concentration, and a boiler having a first inlet connected to the second outlet of the heavy hydrocarbon removal unit, the boiler being configured to produce a thermal power determined as a function of the amount of hydrocarbons removed and supplied by the heavy hydrocarbon removal unit, the boiler being fluidically connected to the CO2 removal unit to provide said unit with thermal energy produced for CO2 removal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2024Publication date: October 24, 2024Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Romain LOEB, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT, Golo ZICK
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Patent number: 12123645Abstract: An installation and method for purifying and liquefying natural gas having, arranged in series, an adsorption purification unit, a unit for separating hydrocarbons by refrigeration, and a liquefier. The installation has a gas power plant for combined production of heat and electricity by hydrocarbon combustion. The installation has at least one electrical member, with the power plant being electrically connected to at least one of the electrical members in order to supply them with electrical energy.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2019Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Jean-Marc Bernhardt, Golo Zick, Rémi Nicolas
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Patent number: 12000541Abstract: Plant and method for storing and distributing pressurized liquefied cryogenic fluid, comprising a liquefied gas source and a distribution member, comprising a first fluid inlet connected to the liquefied gas source and a second end intended to be connected to a user of the pressurized liquefied gas supplied by the distribution member, the source comprising a first liquefied gas store configured to store and supply the liquefied gas to the distribution member at a first determined pressure, the source comprising a second liquefied gas store configured to store the liquefied gas at a second determined pressure which is lower than the first pressure, the plant comprising a connecting pipe having a valve assembly connecting the first and second liquefied gas stores, the plant comprising a filling pipe having a valve assembly and having a first end connected to the second liquefied gas store and a second end intended to be connected to a mobile store for supplying liquefied gas to fill the source.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: June 4, 2024Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventor: Jean-Marc Bernhardt
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Publication number: 20240102728Abstract: The invention relates to an installation and a process for production of a cryogenic fluid, in particular of liquefied hydrogen, comprising, positioned in at least one cold box, a set of heat exchangers in thermal exchange with the circuit for hydrogen to be cooled, the installation comprising a device for pre-cooling, which is configured to pre-cool the circuit for gas to be cooled to a first determined temperature, and a device for cryogenic cooling which is configured to cool the circuit for gas to be cooled to a second determined temperature, lower than the first temperature, the cycle gas cooling unit and/or the cycle gas heating unit comprise(s) one or more first cycle heat exchangers distinct from the first part of the pre-cooling heat exchangers of the circuit for the gas to be cooled, these first cycle heat exchangers also being cooled by thermal exchange with the pre-cooling fluid circuit of the pre-cooling device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l’Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Emeline VANDROUX, Florian MARTIN, Ludovic GRANADOS, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Patent number: 11879597Abstract: Device for storing and transferring cryogenic fluid, comprising at least one elementary container comprising a liquefied gas tank, the tank being provided with a first pipe for transferring fluid, which pipe has a first end connected to an upper end of the tank, the tank being provided with a second pipe for transferring fluid, which pipe has a first end connected to a lower end of the tank, the first and the second transfer pipes each comprising an assembly of respective valves, characterized in that the first transfer pipe comprises two arms forming two second ends connected in parallel to the first end of the first transfer pipe, the two second ends of the first transfer pipe each being provided with a respective fluidic connection coupling, and in that the second transfer pipe comprises two arms forming two second ends connected in parallel to the first end of the second transfer pipe, the two second ends of the second transfer pipe each being provided with a respective fluidic connection coupling.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2020Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges ClaudeInventor: Jean-Marc Bernhardt
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Publication number: 20230349513Abstract: Plant and method for storing and distributing pressurized liquefied cryogenic fluid, comprising a liquefied gas source and a distribution member, comprising a first fluid inlet connected to the liquefied gas source and a second end intended to be connected to a user of the pressurized liquefied gas supplied by the distribution member, the source comprising a first liquefied gas store configured to store and supply the liquefied gas to the distribution member at a first determined pressure, the source comprising a second liquefied gas store configured to store the liquefied gas at a second determined pressure which is lower than the first pressure, the plant comprising a connecting pipe having a valve assembly connecting the first and second liquefied gas stores, the plant comprising a filling pipe having a valve assembly and having a first end connected to the second liquefied gas store and a second end intended to be connected to a mobile store for supplying liquefied gas to fill the source.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2020Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l?Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventor: Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Publication number: 20230194160Abstract: The invention relates to a liquefied gas storage facility, in particular for liquid hydrogen, comprising a liquefied gas tank intended to contain gas in liquid form and a gaseous phase, a device for cooling the contents of the tank, the cooling device comprising at least a first refrigerator with a cycle for refrigerating a cycle gas, said first refrigerator comprising, arranged in series in a cycle circuit: a member for compressing the cycle gas, a member for cooling the cycle gas, a member for expanding the second cycle gas and a member for reheating the expanded cycle gas, the cooling device comprising a first heat transfer fluid loop comprising a first end exchanging heat with a cold end of the first refrigerator and a second end comprising a first heat exchanger located in the tank, the first heat transfer fluid loop comprising a member for circulating the heat transfer fluid, characterized in that the first heat exchanger exchanges heat directly with the inside of the tank, that is to say that the firstType: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2021Publication date: June 22, 2023Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Francois LAGOUTTE, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT, Remi NICOLAS
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Publication number: 20230184381Abstract: A tank for storing liquefied gas, having a shell delimiting a storage volume extending in a main direction which is horizontal in the use configuration of the tank, the tank comprising multiple deflecting walls in the storage volume which extend in an offset manner in the main direction configured to force the fluid to perform at least one back-and-forth movement in the main direction as the fluid passes between the lower end and the upper end of the storage volume, wherein a plurality of these deflecting walls are located in the lower half of the storage volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2021Publication date: June 15, 2023Inventor: Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Publication number: 20230135431Abstract: Device for storing and transferring cryogenic fluid, comprising at least one elementary container comprising a liquefied gas tank, the tank being provided with a first pipe for transferring fluid, which pipe has a first end connected to an upper end of the tank, the tank being provided with a second pipe for transferring fluid, which pipe has a first end connected to a lower end of the tank, the first and the second transfer pipes each comprising an assembly of respective valves, characterized in that the first transfer pipe comprises two arms forming two second ends connected in parallel to the first end of the first transfer pipe, the two second ends of the first transfer pipe each being provided with a respective fluidic connection coupling, and in that the second transfer pipe comprises two arms forming two second ends connected in parallel to the first end of the second transfer pipe, the two second ends of the second transfer pipe each being provided with a respective fluidic connection coupling.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2020Publication date: May 4, 2023Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventor: Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Patent number: 11549646Abstract: The invention primarily concerns a facility for storing and cooling a liquefied gas, for example a liquefied natural gas, the facility comprising at least one tank configured to contain the liquefied gas, a closed cooling circuit configured to be supplied with liquefied gas in the liquid state coming from the tank, at least one injection member configured for reinjecting cooled liquefied gas into the tank, the facility being characterized in that it comprises at least one connection line configured to recover a cooled gas from at least one remote container that is separate and independent from the facility.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2017Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Jean-Marc Bernhardt, Fabien Durand, Cecile Gondrand, Veronique Grabie
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Publication number: 20220275999Abstract: Disclosed is a refrigeration and/or liquefaction method using a system that includes a low-temperature refrigeration device comprising a working circuit which forms a loop and contains a working fluid, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, connected in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism the refrigeration device further comprising a cooling exchanger for extracting heat from the useful fluid stream by exchanging heat with the working fluid flowing in the working circuit, the system comprising a pipe through which the useful fluid stream flows in the cooling exchanger, the method comprising a cooling step in which the refrigeration device is in a first operating mode for cooling the cooling exchanger while a useful fluid stream flows in the cooling exchanger, the method comprising, after said cooling step, a step of cleaning impurities that have solidified in the cooling exchanger, characterized in that during the cleaning step, the refType: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2020Publication date: September 1, 2022Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Fabien DURAND, Damien GUILLET, Remi NICOLAS, Cecile GONDRAND, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Publication number: 20220268516Abstract: Disclosed is a low-temperature refrigeration device comprising a working circuit that forms a loop and contains a working fluid, the device further comprising a cooling exchanger for extracting heat from at least one member by exchanging heat with the working fluid, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, connected in series: a compression mechanism, a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a heating mechanism, wherein the mechanism for cooling the working fluid and the heating mechanism comprise a common heat exchanger in which the working fluid flows in opposite directions in two separate transit portions of the circuit according to whether it is cooled or heated, the device being designed to ensure equal mass flow rates in the two transit portions in the common heat exchanger, the device also comprising a bypass for bypassing one of the two transit portions, said bypass comprising a bypass valve which, in the open state, changes the mass flow rate in one of the two transit portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2020Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Fabien DURAND, Remi NICOLAS, Cecile GONDRAND, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Publication number: 20220260310Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cooling and/or liquefying a user fluid flow the method using a cooling and/or liquefying system comprising a low-temperature refrigeration device, the refrigeration device comprising a working circuit forming a loop and containing a working fluid, the refrigeration device comprising a cooling exchanger intended to extract heat from the user fluid flow by heat exchange with the working fluid circulating in the working circuit, the working circuit forming a cycle comprising, in a series: a compression mechanism a cooling mechanism, an expansion mechanism, and a reheating mechanism, the system comprising a pipe for circulation of the user fluid flow to be cooled in heat exchange with the cooling exchanger of the refrigeration device, the method comprising a step of cooling a user fluid flow in the cooling exchanger and after this cooling step, a step of cleaning impurities solidified in the cooling exchanger, the cleaning step comprising stopping of the refrigeration deviceType: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2020Publication date: August 18, 2022Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l?Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Fabien DURAND, Remi NICOLAS, Cecile GONDRAND, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Publication number: 20210364228Abstract: A plant for the production of liquefied methane having, arranged in series, a means for the generation of methane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, a means for drying the gas mixture produced by the methane generation means, a purification means configured to remove carbon dioxide from the gas mixture dried in the drying means, a liquefier configured to liquefy the methane contained in the gas mixture purified in the purification means, and a liquefied gas storage facility configured to store the methane liquefied by the liquefier.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2019Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Jean-Marc BERNHARDT, Mathieu ROIG
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Publication number: 20210356204Abstract: An installation and method for purifying and liquefying natural gas having, arranged in series, an adsorption purification unit, a unit for separating hydrocarbons by refrigeration, and a liquefier. The installation has a gas power plant for combined production of heat and electricity by hydrocarbon combustion. The installation has at least one electrical member, with the power plant being electrically connected to at least one of the electrical members in order to supply them with electrical energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2019Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: Jean-Marc BERNHARDT, Golo ZICK, Rémi NICOLAS
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Publication number: 20210254789Abstract: A method for storing and distributing liquefied hydrogen using an installation having a storage facility for liquid hydrogen, a source of gaseous hydrogen, a liquefier having an inlet connected to the source and an outlet connected to the liquid hydrogen storage facility, the storage facility having a liquid withdrawal pipe having an end connected to the liquid hydrogen storage facility and an end configured to be connected to at least one mobile tank, the method having a stage of liquefying gaseous hydrogen and a stage of transferring the liquefied hydrogen to the storage facility, wherein the liquefied hydrogen has a temperature below the bubble point of hydrogen at the storage pressure and further having a stage of transfer of liquid hydrogen directly to the tank at a temperature between the saturation temperature at the pressure of the liquid and a temperature above the solidification temperature of the hydrogen.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2019Publication date: August 19, 2021Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour I'Etude et I'Exploitation des Precédés Georges ClaudeInventors: François LAGOUTTE, Laurent ALLIDIERES, Fabien DURAND, Pierre BARJHOUX, Jean-Marc BERNHARDT
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Patent number: 11073245Abstract: Installation and method for storing and dispensing liquefied hydrogen involving a source of gaseous hydrogen, a liquefier, and two storage reservoirs for liquid hydrogen at determined respective storage pressures, wherein the liquefier includes an inlet connected to the source and an outlet connected in parallel, via a set of valves, to a respective inlet of each storage reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Jean-Marc Bernhardt, Francois Lagoutte