Patents by Inventor Pierre-Etienne Franc

Pierre-Etienne Franc 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).

  • Integration of industrial gas site with liquid hydrogen production
    Patent number: 10634425
    Abstract: The method for producing liquid hydrogen can include the steps of: introducing pressurized natural gas from a high pressure natural gas pipeline to a gas processing unit under conditions effective for producing a purified hydrogen stream; and introducing the purified hydrogen stream to a hydrogen liquefaction unit under conditions effective to produce a liquid hydrogen stream, wherein the hydrogen liquefaction unit provides a warm temperature cooling and a cold temperature cooling to the purified hydrogen stream, wherein the warm temperature cooling is provided by utilizing letdown energy of a pressurized stream selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen stream sourced from a nitrogen pipeline, a natural gas stream sourced from the high pressure natural gas pipeline, an air gas sourced from an air separation unit, and combinations thereof, wherein the cold temperature is provided by utilizing letdown energy of the purified hydrogen stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Guillard, Pierre-Etienne Franc, Michael A. Turney, Kirill Andreev, Alexander Roesch
  • INTEGRATION OF INDUSTRIAL GAS SITE WITH LIQUID HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
    Publication number: 20180038638
    Abstract: The method for producing liquid hydrogen can include the steps of: introducing pressurized natural gas from a high pressure natural gas pipeline to a gas processing unit under conditions effective for producing a purified hydrogen stream; and introducing the purified hydrogen stream to a hydrogen liquefaction unit under conditions effective to produce a liquid hydrogen stream, wherein the hydrogen liquefaction unit provides a warm temperature cooling and a cold temperature cooling to the purified hydrogen stream, wherein the warm temperature cooling is provided by utilizing letdown energy of a pressurized stream selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen stream sourced from a nitrogen pipeline, a natural gas stream sourced from the high pressure natural gas pipeline, an air gas sourced from an air separation unit, and combinations thereof, wherein the cold temperature is provided by utilizing letdown energy of the purified hydrogen stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain GUILLARD, Pierre-Etienne FRANC, Michael A. TURNEY, Kirill ANDREEV, Alexander ROESCH
  • METHOD FOR OPERATING AT LEAST ONE AIR SEPARATION APPARATUS AND OXYGEN CONSUMPTION UNIT
    Publication number: 20120174624
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for operating at least one air separation unit and an oxygen-rich gas consumer, comprising a carbon fuel combustion unit or a gasification unit, the oxygen-rich gas consumer being capable of generating electricity. The consumer is supplied with an oxygen-rich gas coming from the air separation unit or units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Alain Guillard, Nicolas Allard, Pierre-Etienne Franc, Hadi Moussavi