Patents by Inventor Robert Ekins

Robert Ekins 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).

  • Process and unit for supplying a gas under pressure to an installation that consumes a constituent of air
    Patent number: 5566556
    Abstract: Air is distilled in a distillation apparatus (13) associated with a heat exchange line (11) in which is circulated a heat transfer fluid under high pressure. A storage (20, 23) is supplied, at least intermittently, with gas in liquid phase; and gas in liquid phase withdrawn from the storage is raised to a vaporization pressure, and vaporized under this pressure in the heat exchange line (11). The supply of liquefied gas to the storage can be from the distillation apparatus (13) and/or from an external source such as a tank truck (29, 34). It is useful particularly for the supply of oxygen, nitrogen and argon under pressure to installations for the production of stainless steel such as electric arc furnaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Robert Ekins, Alain Guillard
  • Process and unit for supplying a gas under pressure to an installation that consumes a constituent of air
    Patent number: 5505052
    Abstract: Air is distilled in a distillation apparatus (13) associated with a heat exchange line (11) in which is circulated a heat transfer fluid under high pressure. A storage (20, 23)is supplied, at least intermittently, with gas in liquid phase; and gas in liquid phase withdrawn from the storage is raised to a vaporization pressure, and vaporized under this pressure in the heat exchange line (11). The supply of liquefied gas to the storage can be from the distillation apparatus (13) and/or from an external source such as a tank truck (29, 34). It is useful particularly for the supply of oxygen, nitrogen and argon under pressure to installations for the production of stainless steel such as electric arc furnaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Robert Ekins, Alain Guillard