Liquefaction Patents (Class 62/606)
  • Patent number: 8524048
    Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams are disclosed with relatively less silane being lost in impurity streams by use of distillation and/or condensation operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhihui Gu, Timothy D. Truong, Puneet Gupta
  • Patent number: 8524044
    Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams are disclosed with relatively less silane being lost in impurity streams by use of distillation and/or condensation operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhihui Gu, Timothy D. Truong, Puneet Gupta
  • Patent number: 8524045
    Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams are disclosed with relatively less silane being lost in impurity streams by use of distillation and/or condensation operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Dinh Truong, Zhihui Gu, Puneet Gupta
  • Patent number: 8518149
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a process for the production of chlorine gas. For the various embodiments, the process includes compressing a gas mixture of vaporized liquid chlorine and a feed gas containing chlorine to form a compressed gas. Chlorine in the compressed gas is condensed into liquid chlorine. A first portion of the liquid chlorine is vaporized to provide a heat of condensation to condense chlorine from the compressed gas into liquid chlorine. A second portion of the liquid chlorine is vaporized to provide both the vaporized liquid chlorine for the gas mixture and a heat of condensation to cool a tail gas from the process. A chlorine gas product from the vaporized first portion of the liquid chlorine is also produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: James J. Hiemenz
  • Publication number: 20130205827
    Abstract: A plant for CO2 separation is described that has a high security level, minimized energy consumption and can deliver liquid CO2 from the flue gas of a fossil fired power plant at different purity levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Olaf Stallmann
  • Patent number: 8500853
    Abstract: The invention provides gas purification methods and systems for the recovery and liquefaction of low boiling point organic and inorganic gases, such as methane, propane, CO2, NH3, and chlorofluorocarbons. Many such gases are in the effluent gas of industrial processes and the invention can increase the sustainability and economics of such industrial processes. In a preferred method of the invention, low boiling point gases are adsorbed with a heated activated carbon fiber material maintained at an adsorption temperature during an adsorption cycle. During a low boiling point desorption cycle the activated carbon fiber is heated to a desorption temperature to create a desorption gas stream with concentrated low boiling point gases. The desorption gas stream is actively compressed and/or cooled to condense and liquefy the low boiling point gases, which can then be collected, stored, re-used, sold, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Mark J. Rood, K. James Hay, David Johnsen, Kaitlin Mallouk
  • Patent number: 8500874
    Abstract: One ozone concentrating chamber is provided therein with a part of a cooling temperature range where ozone can be selectively condensed or an oxygen gas can be selectively removed by transmission from an ozonized oxygen gas, and a part of a temperature range where condensed ozone can be vaporized, and condensed ozone is vaporized by moving condensed ozone with flow of a fluid or by gravitation to the part where condensed ozone can be vaporized, whereby the ozonized oxygen gas can be increased in concentration. Such a constitution is provided that a particle material 13 for condensation and vaporization filled in the ozone concentrating chambers 11 and 12 has a spherical shape of a special shape with multifaceted planes on side surfaces, or an oxygen transmission membrane 130 capable of selectively transmitting an oxygen gas in an ozone gas is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro Tabata, Tetsuya Saitsu, Yujiro Okihara, Nobuyuki Itoh, Ryohei Ueda, Yasuhiro Tanimura, Koji Ohta
  • Publication number: 20130192273
    Abstract: A system and a method for liquefaction of gases which are utilized in their liquid state as refrigerants in applications that require low temperatures, throughout various pressure ranges, from slightly above atmospheric pressures to pressures near the critical point. The system and method are based on closed-cycle cryocoolers and utilize the thermodynamic properties of the gas to achieve optimal liquefaction rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicants: CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS (CSIC), GWR INSTRUMENTS, INC., UNIVERSIDAD DE ZARAGOZA
    Inventors: Conrado RILLO MILLÁN, Leticia TOCADO MARTÍNEZ, Richard C. REINEMAN, Richard J. WARBURTON
  • Publication number: 20130174603
    Abstract: A method for liquefaction using a closed loop refrigeration system, the method comprising the steps of (a) compressing a gaseous refrigerant stream in at least one compressor; (b) cooling the compressed gaseous refrigerant stream in a first heat exchanger; (c) expanding at least a first portion of the cooled, compressed gaseous refrigerant stream from the first heat exchanger in a first expander to provide a first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream; and (d) cooling and substantially liquefying a feed gas stream to form a substantially liquefied feed gas stream in a second heat exchanger through indirect heat exchange against at least a first portion of the first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream from the first expander, wherein the first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream exiting the first expander is substantially vapor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventor: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130139542
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for producing carbon dioxide-rich liquid, which includes a separation unit including a column for physically washing with a solvent and means for cooling a fluid of the separation unit, and a unit for compressing and liquefying a carbon dioxide-rich gas derived from the separation unit, including means for cooling the gas upstream and/or downstream from the compression operation, a single refrigerating cycle using carbon dioxide as the refrigerant, which is suitable for providing frigories to the means for cooling the fluid of the separation unit and to the means for cooling the gas upstream and/or downstream from the compression operation, and means for sending a portion of the liquid from the liquefaction unit to the refrigerating cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Alain Briglia, Alain Guillard
  • Patent number: 8448673
    Abstract: A method and system for transporting fluid is described. The method includes coupling a transit vessel to a terminal vessel associated with at least one terminal. The transit vessel and the terminal vessel are coupled at an open sea or lightering location, which may be selected based upon operational conditions. Then, cryogenic fluid is transferred between the transit vessel and the terminal vessel, while the transit vessel and terminal vessel are moving in substantially the same direction. Once the transfer is complete, the terminal vessel decouples from the transit vessel and moves a terminal to provide the cryogenic fluid to the terminal. The cryogenic fluid may include liquefied natural gas (LNG) and/or liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Danaczko, Mark C. Gentry, Robert E. Sandstrom
  • Publication number: 20130118204
    Abstract: A system and process for liquefying a gas, comprising introducing a feed stream into a liquefier comprising at least a warm expander and a cold expander; compressing the feed stream in the liquefier to a pressure greater than its critical pressure and cooling the compressed feed stream to a temperature below its critical temperature to form a high pressure dense-phase stream; removing the high pressure dense-phase stream from the liquefier, reducing the pressure of the high pressure dense-phase stream in an expansion device to form a resultant two-phase stream and then directly introducing the resultant two-phase stream into a storage tank; and combining a flash portion of the resultant two-phase stream with a boil-off vapor from a liquid in the storage tank to form a combined vapor stream, wherein the temperature of the high pressure dense-phase stream is lower than the temperature of a discharge stream of the cold expander.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Higginbotham, Anthony Knut James Topham, Kevin David Thomas Tapsfield, John Crawford Rossman
  • Publication number: 20130104595
    Abstract: A heat exchange assembly for treating carbon dioxide (CO2) is described. The heat exchange assembly includes a housing that includes an inlet, an outlet, and an inner surface that defines a cavity extending between the inlet and the outlet. The housing is configured to receive solid CO2 through the inlet. At least one heat exchange tube extends through the housing. The heat exchange tube is oriented to contact solid CO2 to facilitate transferring heat from solid CO2 to a heat exchanger fluid being channeled through the heat exchange tube to facilitate converting at least a portion of solid CO2 into liquid CO2. The heat exchange assembly is configured to recover a refrigeration value from the solid CO2 and transfer at least a portion of the recovered refrigeration value to a flue gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Jalal Hunain Zia, Douglas Carl Hofer, Vitali Victor Lissianski, Stephen Duane Sanborn, Mehmet Arik, Roger Allen Shisler, Paul Brian Wickersham
  • Publication number: 20130104596
    Abstract: A pumping system is disclosed comprising a supply pipe, a delivery pipe, a pump capable of pumping a liquid, a first tank with a top port and a bottom port, a second tank with top port and a bottom port, a first pipe switcher operable to switch connections the supply/delivery pipes and the top ports, and a second pipe switcher operable to switch connections between the bottom ports and the pump inlet/outlet. The pipe switchers serve to switch input and output connections such that the tanks are swapped from a position between the supply pipe and the pump inlet and a position between the pump outlet and the delivery pipe. Uses for cooling systems, air compressors, deep wells, and oil extraction are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Jasim Saleh Al-Azzawi
  • Publication number: 20130091893
    Abstract: A gas liquefaction apparatus includes a spraying tank, a pump, a heater, a separating member, a heat-releasing member, a flow control assembly and a liquid tank. The spraying tank includes a chamber, a gas inlet and a mixture outlet. The gas inlet and the mixture outlet are in communication with the chamber. A plurality of nozzles is installed in the chamber. The pump is connected to the mixture outlet. The heater is connected to the pump. The separating member includes a container and a heating device. The container comprises a mixture inlet and a gas outlet. The mixture inlet is connected to the heater. The container is equipped with the heating device. The heat-releasing member is connected to the gas outlet of the container. The flow control assembly is connected to the heat-releasing member. The liquid tank is connected to the flow control assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Chang-Hsien TAI, Jr-Ming Miao, Lung-Ming Fu
  • Publication number: 20130067953
    Abstract: A liquefied gas storage/delivery system and method that includes a liquefied gas storage system. The liquefied gas storage system includes a housing containing a storage vessel suited to contain a supply of liquefied gas, such as liquid oxygen (LOX). A rotatable turntable is provided on an exterior surface of the housing. An interface shaped to match the shape of at least a portion of a portable liquid storage/delivery device is provide in or on the turntable. A connector is disposed in the interface that couples to a corresponding connector on the portable liquid storage/delivery device. The two connectors are coupled by placing the portable liquid storage/delivery device in the interface and rotating the turntable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: RIC INVESTMENTS, LLC.
    Inventors: RICKY DEAN BURNS, TORY D. WERNE, MICHELE MARUT, PAUL MCGROARY, MARK HOEVELER, AASHI VEL
  • Publication number: 20130047632
    Abstract: A system and a method for liquefaction of gases which are utilized in their liquid state as refrigerants in applications that require low temperatures, throughout various pressure ranges, from slightly above atmospheric pressures to pressures near the critical point. The system and method are based on closed-cycle cryocoolers and utilize the thermodynamic properties of the gas to achieve optimal liquefaction rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicants: Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), GWR Instruments, Inc., Universidad De Zaragoza
    Inventors: Conrado Rillo Millán, Leticia Tocado Martínez, Richard C. Reineman, Richard J. Warburton
  • Patent number: 8375742
    Abstract: A reliquifier using a cryocooler in which an insulated sleeve surrounds a portion of the cold head, a first stage cooling station, and a second stage cooling station, including a condenser. Gas is conveyed from a cryostat to the insulated sleeve, where it is liquefied as it passes over the cold head. An end of the insulated sleeve is connected to a liquid transfer tube for conveying condensed fluid back to the cryostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Cryomech, Inc.
    Inventor: Chao Wang
  • Publication number: 20130019632
    Abstract: Normal operation of an oxygen liquefaction system (100) may be established responsive to a deviation in current supplied thereto. Current being supplied to a compressor (118) included in the oxygen liquefaction system may be monitored. The compressor may be deactivated responsive to commencement of a current level deviation event in the monitored current. The compressor may be energized responsive to cessation of the current level deviation event in the monitored current. Performance characteristics of the oxygen liquefaction system may be identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Tory Deane Werne, Kwok Chi Cheng
  • Publication number: 20130014517
    Abstract: A liquefier includes a Dewar having a storage portion and a neck portion extending therefrom. A hermetically isolated liquefaction chamber is disposed within the neck of the Dewar. One or more control components including a temperature and pressure sensor are coupled to a CPU and disposed within the liquefaction chamber for dynamic control of liquefaction conditions. A gas flow control is coupled to the CPU for regulating an input gas flow into the liquefaction chamber. A volume surrounding the liquefaction chamber may be adapted to provide a counter-flow heat exchange. These and other features provide improved liquefaction efficiency among other benefits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: QUANTUM DESIGN, INC.
    Inventors: Jost Diederichs, Ronald Sager
  • Publication number: 20130014541
    Abstract: A device for pyrolysis of a material has a horizontal receiving chamber, a horizontally moving compressing element compressing the material in the receiving chamber to form a compact body, a horizontal pyrolysis chamber communicating with the receiving chamber and subjecting the compact body to a heat treatment, a separating partition separating the chambers, and a cylinder-piston unit with a compressing plate which, with the closed partition, first compresses the material in the receiving chamber, then after vertically withdrawing the partition, moves the compressed material from the receiving chamber into pyrolysis chamber and is heated there to produce pyrolysis gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Oleg Shvabsky, Jacob Gitman
  • Publication number: 20120279227
    Abstract: An energy conversion process that also exports by-product CO2 at elevated pressure where a fuel gas feed stream is mixed with a reactant stream and additional CO2 is added to at least part of, the fuel gas feed stream, the reactant stream or both through desorption by contacting with a CO2-rich solvent stream in a first stage contactor to produce a mixed feed gas stream and a CO2-lean solvent stream; passing said mixed feed gas stream to a chemical conversion step, where further CO2 is produced; chilling at least part of the products of said chemical conversion step, at a pressure of at least 10 bar to condense and partially remove CO2 as a liquid and thereby produce a CO2-lean gas stream; and passing at least part of said CO2-lean gas stream said to a second stage contactor where further CO2 is removed, by absorption in a solvent stream lean in CO2 derived from said CO2-lean solvent stream, to produce a product gas stream and a solvent stream rich in CO2 from which said CO2-rich solvent stream is subsequentl
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Cyril TIMMINS, Bryan Christopher Timmins, Jacqueline Anne Fisher
  • Patent number: 8291717
    Abstract: A system and method to connect a cryocooler (refrigerator) to a superconducting magnet or cooled object allows for replacement without the need to break the cryostat vacuum or the need to warm up the superconducting magnet or other cooled object. A pneumatic or other type of actuator establishes a thermo-mechanical coupling. The mechanical closing forces are directed perpendicular (cross-axially) to the cryocooler axis and are not applied to the thin wall cryocooler body or to the thin cryostat walls or to the cooled object or to its shield. It is also possible that some of the compressive force be transferred to the cryocooler body. In that case, the extensions are designed so that the forces transferred to the cryocooler thermal stages do not exceed allowable stresses in the cryocooler stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Alexey L. Radovinsky, Alexander Zhukovsky
  • Publication number: 20120240616
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for treating a carbon dioxide-containing gas stream. Precompressed raw gas stream (1) is partially liquefied in a cryogenic carbon dioxide purification stage (2, 3, 4). Part of the resultant liquid is used to obtain a gas stream having an elevated carbon dioxide content (7). From the non-liquefied raw gas, a gas stream having a reduced carbon dioxide content is obtained. This vent gas stream is expanded and the refrigeration generated is recovered for cooling the raw gas stream. The carbon dioxide gas stream is compressed (8) to a final pressure and fed to further utilization and/or storage. Another part of the liquid from the cryogenic carbon dioxide purification stage is fed in a liquid phase (9) to further utilization and/or storage (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Roland RITTER, Dirk Spenner
  • Publication number: 20120240874
    Abstract: A ship for bunkering liquefied fuel gas to a liquefied-fuel-gas propulsion ship includes: a liquefied-fuel-gas storage tank installed in the ship; a fuel supply pipe connected to the liquefied-fuel-gas storage tank and supplying fuel to the liquefied-fuel-gas propulsion ship; and a BOG collection pipe collecting BOG produced in a liquefied fuel gas tank of the liquefied-fuel-gas propulsion ship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seong Jin Yoo, Sung Jun Lee, Dong Kyu Choi
  • Patent number: 8273153
    Abstract: The method allows liquefaction of a dry natural gas comprising water and heavy hydrocarbons containing more than five carbon atoms. The following stages are carried out: a) passing the dry natural gas through a water-adsorbent solid so as to obtain a water-depleted natural gas and a water-laden adsorbent solid, b) passing the water-depleted natural gas through a solid adsorbing heavy hydrocarbons comprising at least five carbon atoms so as to obtain a heavy hydrocarbon-depleted natural gas and a heavy hydrocarbon-laden adsorbent solid, c) liquefying the heavy hydrocarbon-depleted natural gas at a pressure above 40 bar abs so as to obtain a liquid natural gas under pressure, d) expanding the liquid natural gas under pressure obtained in stage c) to atmospheric pressure so as to obtain a liquid natural gas and a gas fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Michel Thomas, Beatrice Fischer, Gilles Ferschneider
  • Publication number: 20120192590
    Abstract: A fluid is liquefied from a gaseous state to a liquid state, and the liquefied fluid is stored. In one embodiment, the fluid is oxygen. Mechanisms are employed that enhance the durability, longevity, reliability, efficiency, of a system used to liquefy the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Rickey Dean Burns, Laurent Brouqueyre, Brian Edward Dickerson, Tory Deane Werne, Gregg Russell Hurst
  • Publication number: 20120180520
    Abstract: A fluid is liquefied from a gaseous state to a liquid state, and the liquefied fluid is stored. In one embodiment, the fluid is oxygen. Mechanisms are employed that enhance the durability, longevity, reliability, efficiency, of a system used to liquefy the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Brian Edward Dickerson, Laurent Brouqueyre, Gregg Russell Hurdst
  • Publication number: 20120174621
    Abstract: Systems are disclosed herein for enhancing energy usage while pressurizing a carbonaceous gas. Such systems include a carbon dioxide (CO2) liquefaction system. The CO2 liquefaction system includes a first cooling system capable of cooling a CO2 gas to liquefy greater than approximately 50 percent of the CO2 gas. The first cooling system produces a first CO2 liquid. The CO2 gas pressure is less than approximately 3450 kilopascals (500 pounds per square inch absolute).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Himanshu Raja, Ashok Kumar Anand, Veerappan Muthaiah, Jamal Abdul Ferguson, Paul Roberts Scarboro, JR.
  • Patent number: 8216351
    Abstract: An Apparatus for purifying a feed stream containing carbon dioxide in which the feed stream, after having been compressed and dried, is partly cooled and then used to reboil a stripping column. Thereafter, the feed stream is further cooled and expanded to a lower operational temperature of the stripping column. A carbon dioxide product stream composed of the liquid column bottoms of the stripping column is expanded at one or more pressures to generate refrigeration, then fully vaporized within the main heat exchanger and compressed by a compressor to produce a compressed carbon dioxide product. Refrigeration is recovered in the main heat exchanger from a column overhead stream extracted from the stripping column within the main heat exchanger either directly or indirectly by auxiliary processing in which carbon dioxide is further separated and optionally recycled back to the main compressor used in compressing the feed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Praxair Technology
    Inventors: Minish Mahendra Shah, Henry Edward Howard
  • Publication number: 20120167616
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a system for the liquefaction of gas of the type comprising a main heat exchange vessel, a bundle for the gas to be liquefied extending through said MCHE and a refrigerant compression circuit of which a first end leads evaporated refrigerant from the vessel towards a compressor and a second end supplies the compressed and cooled refrigerant from the compressor towards the MCHE. For avoiding problems during heat up or during start up of the heat exchanger the pressure within the liquefaction system is controlled by regulating the amount of evaporated refrigerant in the liquefaction circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Bluewater Energy Services E.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Cornelis Burger, Clemens Gerardus Johannes Maria Van Der Nat, Jozefus Gerardus Petrus Vernooij
  • Patent number: 8187361
    Abstract: Purified SiHCl3 and/or SiCl4 are used as a sweep gas across a permeate side of a gas separation membrane receiving effluent gas from a polysilicon reactor. The combined sweep gas and permeate is recycled to the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: America Air Liquide, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarang Gadre, Madhava R. Kosuri
  • Publication number: 20120118006
    Abstract: The invention relates to equipment for separating air by cryogenic distillation, including: a double air separation column; an exchange line (91); a hot air supercharger (CI) and a cold air supercharger (C2); a first turbine (TI) and a second turbine (T2), each of which is coupled to one of the superchargers; means for bringing all the air to a high pressure that is greater than the mean pressure; means for purifying the air at said high pressure; means for dividing the purified air into two fractions and sending one fraction thereof to the hot air supercharger and one fraction to the cold air supercharger after cooling in the exchange line; means for feeding the second air fraction from the cold air supercharger back into the exchange line; means for sending at least one pressurized liquid from one of the columns into the exchange line; a valve (4, 5); means for sending the non-supercharged air, purified at a high pressure, to the exchange line, so as to be cooled therein, and then to the valve; and means fo
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Frederic Judas, Herve Le Bihan, Patrick Le Bot
  • Patent number: 8177885
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from the combustion of gaseous fuels, and gaseous fuel combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the exhaust stream to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the exhaust gas stream across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas back to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20120079848
    Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams are disclosed with relatively less silane being lost in impurity streams by use of distillation and/or condensation operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Dinh Truong, Zhihui Gu, Puneet Gupta
  • Publication number: 20120079847
    Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams are disclosed with relatively less silane being lost in impurity streams by use of distillation and/or condensation operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Dinh Truong, Zhihui Gu, Puneet Gupta
  • Publication number: 20120067078
    Abstract: An apparatus according to various embodiments can be configured to use a cryogen for cooling articles, particularly having applications for chilling extrusions. The apparatus removes thermal energy from an article by conductive and convective heat transfer. The apparatus allows for heat transfer from an outer surface of an article, and from an inner surface of the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Thomas
  • Patent number: 8128733
    Abstract: A membrane-based gas separation process for treating gas streams that contain methane in low concentrations. The invention involves flowing the stream to be treated across the feed side of a membrane and flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side. Carbon dioxide permeates the membrane preferentially and is picked up in the sweep air stream on the permeate side; oxygen permeates in the other direction and is picked up in the methane-containing stream. The resulting residue stream is enriched in methane as well as oxygen and has an EMC value enabling it to be either flared or combusted by mixing with ordinary air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Membrane Technology & Research, Inc
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Haiqing Lin, Scott Thompson, Ramin Daniels
  • Publication number: 20120047941
    Abstract: A water recovery process for a steam assisted gravity drainage system for a heavy oil recovery facility, the process comprising a flash drum and a flash drum heat exchanger/condenser, wherein the water recovery process receives hot water produced by a facility at a temperature above the water atmospheric boiling point and cools it to a temperature below the water atmospheric boiling point before transferring it to the remaining section of the water recovery process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: KemeX Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenneth James
  • Publication number: 20120031449
    Abstract: A method for converting heat to electric energy is described which involves thermally cycling an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes. The material is heated by extracting thermal energy from a gas to condense the gas into a liquid and transferring the thermal energy to the electrically polarizable material. An apparatus is also described which includes an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes and a heat exchanger for heating the material in thermal communication with a heat source, wherein the heat source is a condenser. An apparatus is also described which comprises a chamber, one or more conduits inside the chamber for conveying a cooling fluid and an electrically polarizable material sandwiched between electrodes on an outer surface of the conduit. A gas introduced into the chamber condenses on the conduits and thermal energy is thereby transferred from the gas to the electrically polarizable material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: THE NEOTHERMAL ENERGY COMPANY
    Inventors: Ahmet Erbil, David F. Walbert
  • Publication number: 20120007368
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pressure reduction plant for a gas or gas mixture and recovering of the pressure power lost by said gas or gas mixture, the said gas or the said gas mixture flowing through at least a driving turbine of an electrical power turbo generator set, which comprises a high pressure inlet pipeline (6, 6c, 6d) through which said gas feeds said Tesla turbine, a flow rate control valve (9), a flowmeter (10), at least a Tesla turbine (T, Ta, Tb, Tc, Td), an exit low pressure pipe (4, 4a,4b, 4c, 4d) of the Tesla turbine of the gas with reduced pressure, a flow rate control valve (14), a flowmeter (13), a security valve (15) and a final exit pipeline (16) of the gas with reduced pressure, being said at least one driving Tesla turbine (T, Ta, Tb, Tc, Td) at least an electric power generator, which generator (7, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) supplies the generated power by means of a connection cable (11, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) to a transforming and delivering power unit (12), connected through a connection
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventor: Antonio Jose Silva Valente
  • Publication number: 20110314864
    Abstract: An effective component generator (56) that releases effective components in a storing compartment (3) includes an effective component generator, which generates the effective components when discharging occurs, and an effective component generation passage (54) in which the effective component generator is arranged. The effective component generator includes an electrode unit (58) and an insulative spacer (57) arranged in contact with or near the electrode unit. High voltage is applied to the electrode unit so that discharging occurs in a fine discharge area (S) formed along the insulative spacer. The effective component generation passage is formed so that air current sent into the effective component generator flows by the discharge area and a peripheral surface of the electrode unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yamaguchi, Junpei Ohe
  • Publication number: 20110296809
    Abstract: A gas inlet configured to convey a gas stream from a feed source to the system. A hydrogen sulfide removal stage includes a first vessel configured to receive a first media. A primary compression stage is configured to elevate a pressure of the gas stream. A moisture removal stage is configured to condense and separate remaining moisture from the gas stream. A siloxane removal stage includes a second vessel configured to receive a second media. A carbon dioxide removal stage includes a single-stage membrane configured to separate carbon dioxide from the gas stream by a permeability characteristic of the gas stream. A secondary compression stage is configured to elevate a pressure of the gas stream to a level suitable for distribution to CNG-compatible vehicles. An electrical generator set has a prime mover configured to be fueled by the gas stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Adam Richard Brotherton, Mark John Torresani
  • Publication number: 20110277499
    Abstract: A method for producing a sterile cryogenic fluid from a cryogenic gas by sterilizing the cryogenic gas and using a heat exchanger to liquefy the sterile cryogenic stream. The discharge rate of the sterile cryogenic fluid is controlled by sizing the discharge orifice and setting a predetermined pressure of the sterile cryogenic fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventor: Ron C. Lee
  • Patent number: 8048203
    Abstract: It is intended to provide methods of producing a chlorine gas having a small bromine content, an aqueous sodium hypochlorite solution having a small bromic acid content, and liquid chlorine having a small bromine content. More specifically, a chlorine gas is produced by a method comprising the steps of: (A) washing a chlorine gas that contains bromine, in a gas washing unit composed of a packed column or a tray tower, wherein the chlorine gas introduced via a lower part of the gas washing unit is brought into counterflow gas/liquid contact with a liquid chlorine introduced via an upper part of the gas washing unit; and (B) taking out a purified chlorine gas thus washed, via the upper part of the gas washing unit, wherein a weight ratio of the chlorine gas and the liquid chlorine introduced in the step (A) is 1/1.0 to 1/0.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Yusaku Ariki, Hironobu Ibaraki
  • Publication number: 20110247360
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of obtaining carbon dioxide from a CO2-containing gas mixture. The methods combine the benefits of gas membrane separation with cryogenic temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: David J. HASSE, Sudhir S. KULKARNI, Edgar S. SANDERS, JR., Jean-Pierre TRANIER, Paul Terrien
  • Patent number: 8034168
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are combustion systems and power plants that incorporate sweep-based membrane separation units to remove carbon dioxide from combustion gases. In its most basic embodiment, the invention is a combustion system that includes three discrete units: a combustion unit, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a power plant including a combustion unit, a power generation system, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In both of these embodiments, the carbon dioxide capture unit and the sweep-based membrane separation unit are configured to be operated in parallel, by which we mean that each unit is adapted to receive exhaust gases from the combustion unit without such gases first passing through the other unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Membrane Technology & Research, Inc
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20110239698
    Abstract: A method for controlling an oxygen liquefaction device includes measuring a flow rate from an oxygen concentration subsystem to a liquefaction subsystem, comparing the flow rate to a flow rate setpoint, and adjusting a cycle timing of the oxygen concentration subsystem in accordance with the comparing. A device for producing liquid oxygen, includes an oxygen concentrator, a liquefaction system, that receives oxygen enriched gas from the concentrator, and condenses it to produce a liquid product. The device further includes a liquid product storage tank, a sensor, that measures a flow rate from the oxygen concentrator to the liquefaction system and a controller that adjusts an oxygen concentrating cycle time in response to the measured flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventor: Gregg Hurst
  • Patent number: 8025715
    Abstract: A gas separation process for treating flue gases from combustion processes, and combustion processes including such gas separation. The invention involves routing a first portion of the flue gas stream to be treated to a carbon dioxide capture step, while simultaneously flowing a second portion of the flue gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, then passing the permeate/sweep gas to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Johannes G. Wijmans, Timothy C. Merkel, Richard W. Baker
  • Patent number: 8016923
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are combustion systems, power plants, and flue gas treatment systems that incorporate sweep-based membrane separation units to remove carbon dioxide from combustion gases. In its most basic embodiment, the invention is a combustion system that includes three discrete units: a combustion unit, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a power plant including a combustion unit, a power generation system, a carbon dioxide capture unit, and a sweep-based membrane separation unit. In yet another embodiment, the invention is a flue gas treatment system that incorporates three membrane separation units with a carbon dioxide liquefaction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Richard W. Baker, Johannes G Wijmans, Timothy C Merkel, Haiqing Lin, Ramin Daniels, Scott Thompson