Patents by Inventor Maxime Ranchoux

Maxime Ranchoux 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: 20260194271
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a combined condenser-evaporator featuring a stacked heat exchanger core submerged in a bottom liquid. The core is divided by a plate into a closed section and a semi-open section. In the closed section, a gas in a condensation channel exchanges heat with a first liquid in an isolated evaporation channel. In the semi-open section, the gas exchanges heat with a second, different liquid that enters from the surrounding bottom liquid. While the condensation channels remain sealed from the bottom liquid throughout, the second evaporation channels are in fluid communication with it, allowing for circulating evaporation. This design enables simultaneous, indirect heat exchange between a single condensing gas and two distinct liquid streams within a modular stacked structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2026
    Publication date: July 9, 2026
    Inventors: Maxime RANCHOUX, Patrick LE BOT, Shinji TOMITA, Pierre PETIT
  • Patent number: 12595961
    Abstract: An air separation apparatus comprises: a first rectification column, a first condensing portion, a second rectification column, a third rectification column, a second condensing portion, a fourth rectification column, a third condensing portion, and a recycling pipe for recycling a gas drawn from the third condensing portion to the second rectification column. The air separation apparatus furthermore comprises: a branch pipe branching from the recycling pipe; and a control unit for controlling opening/closing of a valve so that a gas drawn from the third condensing portion is fed to the branch pipe for a predetermined period from the start of driving of the third condensing portion, and for controlling opening/closing of the valve so that the gas drawn from the third condensing portion is fed to the recycling pipe after the predetermined period has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Maxime Ranchoux, Shinji Tomita
  • Publication number: 20230280093
    Abstract: An air separation apparatus comprises: a first rectification column, a first condensing portion, a second rectification column, a third rectification column, a second condensing portion, a fourth rectification column, a third condensing portion, and a recycling pipe for recycling a gas drawn from the third condensing portion to the second rectification column. The air separation apparatus furthermore comprises: a branch pipe branching from the recycling pipe; and a control unit for controlling opening/closing of a valve so that a gas drawn from the third condensing portion is fed to the branch pipe for a predetermined period from the start of driving of the third condensing portion, and for controlling opening/closing of the valve so that the gas drawn from the third condensing portion is fed to the recycling pipe after the predetermined period has elapsed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Maxime RANCHOUX, Shinji TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20220325952
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing product nitrogen gas and product argon, comprising: a first rectification column into which raw air is introduced; a second rectification column from which product nitrogen gas is drawn; a third rectification column from which product argon gas is drawn; and a first condenser configured to perform heat exchange between a gas accumulated in a column top portion of the first rectification column, and a liquid accumulated in a column bottom portion of the second rectification column, wherein an intermediate portion gas containing nitrogen is drawn from an intermediate portion of the second rectification column and merged with a condenser gas drawn from the first condenser. The merged gases are expanded and cooled by means of an expansion turbine whereby the cold thereof is utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Kenji HIROSE, Maxime RANCHOUX, Shinji TOMITA, Loic JOLY
  • Publication number: 20190293347
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing product nitrogen gas and product argon, comprising: a first rectification column into which raw air is introduced; a second rectification column from which product nitrogen gas is drawn; a third rectification column from which product argon gas is drawn; and a first condenser configured to perform heat exchange between a gas accumulated in a column top portion of the first rectification column, and a liquid accumulated in a column bottom portion of the second rectification column, wherein an intermediate portion gas containing nitrogen is drawn from an intermediate portion of the second rectification column and merged with a condenser gas drawn from the first condenser. The merged gases are expanded and cooled by means of an expansion turbine whereby the cold thereof is utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Kenji HIROSE, Maxime Ranchoux, Shinji Tomita, Loic Joly