Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Toric Limited

Neil Alexander Downie

Eugene Joseph Karwacki, Jr

John Irven

Suhas Narayan Ketkar

Marcel Behrens

Timothy John Maykut

Thomas David Matthew Lee

Jean-Philippe Trembley

Stuart Alexander Kerr

Benjamin James Arthur Inman

Christopher John Mercer

Michael James Underhill

Clayton Mathew Ludik

Jean Philippe Trembley

Mathilde Pradier

Lateef Olusegun Adigun Obadun

Thomas David Lee

Lateef Olusegun Obadun

There is provided a gas mixer arrangement comprising a first gas source for supplying a first gas; a second gas source for supplying a second gas different from said first gas; first and second flow regulation devices for regulating the respective flow of the first gas and second gases from the first and second gas sources; a mixer; and an outlet. The mixer is located downstream of the first and second flow regulation devices and arranged, in use, to mix the first and second gases to provide a mixed gas to the outlet. The gas mixer arrangement further comprises a meter comprising a first sensor assembly operable to determine the average molecular weight of the mixed gas and including a high-frequency planar piezoelectric crystal oscillator in contact with the mixed gas, a second sensor assembly operable to determine the pressure of the gas downstream of one of the first or second flow regulation devices, and a controller operable, in response to the average molecular weight of the mixed gas and said gas pressure, to control automatically said first and second flow regulation devices to control the relative proportion of the first and second gases in said mixed gas and the pressure or mass flow rate of the mixed gas from the outlet.

Method of, and apparatus for, providing a gas mixture

There is provided a method of automatically controlling the mass flow rate of a gas through an orifice through which, in use, choked flow is arranged to occur. The method uses an electronic valve located downstream of a gas source, a piezoelectric oscillator in contact with the gas upstream of the orifice and downstream of the electronic valve and a temperature sensor. The method comprises: a) driving the piezoelectric crystal oscillator at a resonant frequency b) measuring the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric oscillator c) measuring the temperature of the gas; and d) controlling the electronic valve in response to the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric oscillator and the temperature of the gas in order to regulate the mass flow rate of gas through said orifice.

Method of, and apparatus for, regulating the mass flow rate of a gas

There is provided a gas mixer arrangement comprising a first gas source for supplying a first gas; a second gas source for supplying a second gas different from said first gas; a first valve for regulating the flow of the first gas; a second valve for regulating the flow of the second gas; a mixer located downstream of the first and second valves and arranged, in use, to mix the first and second gases to provide a mixed gas; a meter arranged to measure the average molecular weight of the mixed gas, comprising a high-frequency planar piezoelectric crystal oscillator in contact with the mixed gas and a sensor operable to determine atmospheric pressure; and a controller operable, in response to the measured average molecular weight of said mixed gas, to control at least one of said first and second valves in order to control the relative proportion of the first and second gases in said mixed gas.

There is provided a sensor assembly () for measuring physical properties of a gas under pressure within a pressure vessel (). The sensor assembly () comprises a housing and a piezoelectric oscillator () for immersion in the gas within the pressure vessel (). The sensor assembly () is arranged, when immersed in said gas, to measure the density of the gas within the pressure vessel (). The housing comprises a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber is in fluid communication with the second chamber and substantially encloses said piezoelectric oscillator. The second chamber is in fluid communication with the interior of the pressure vessel. By providing such an arrangement, the true contents (i.e. mass) of fluid in a pressure vessel such as a cylinder can be measured directly and accurately. The housing of the present invention alleviates noise and errors generated by convective currents within a gas cylinder, enabling an accurate determination of mass, or rate of change of mass. through direct derivation from the density of the gas in the cylinder.

Method of, and apparatus for, measuring the true contents of a cylinder of gas under pressure

There is provided a meter for measuring the molecular weight of a gas, the meter comprising a housing having an inlet and an interior for receiving said gas to be measured, a sensor assembly comprising a high-frequency planar piezoelectric crystal oscillator located within said housing so that, in use, the piezoelectric crystal oscillator is in contact with said gas, said sensor assembly being arranged: to drive the piezoelectric crystal oscillator such that the piezoelectric crystal oscillator resonates at a single resonant frequency; to measure said single resonant frequency of said piezoelectric crystal oscillator to determine the density of gas; and to determine from the density, determined or pre-determined pressure of the gas and determined or pre-determined temperature of the gas, the molecular weight of the gas.

Method of and apparatus for measuring the molecular weight of a gas

There is provided a meter () for measuring the mass flow rate of a gas. The meter comprises a conduit () through which the gas flows in use. The conduit has a flow restriction orifice () through which choked flow occurs in use. The flow restriction orifice divides the conduit into an upstream portion () upstream of said orifice and a downstream portion () downstream of said orifice. The meter further comprises a sensor assembly (), the sensor assembly including a piezoelectric crystal oscillator () in said upstream portion such that said piezoelectric oscillator is in contact with said gas when the meter in use. The sensor assembly is arranged: to drive the piezoelectric crystal oscillator such that the piezoelectric crystal oscillator resonates at a resonant frequency; to measure said resonant frequency of said piezoelectric crystal oscillator; and to determine, from the resonant frequency, the mass flow rate through the orifice.

Method of and apparatus for measuring the mass flow rate of a gas

There is provided a meter for measuring the mass flow rate of a gas, the meter comprising a conduit through which the gas flows in use, the conduit having a flow restriction orifice through which choked flow occurs in use, the flow restriction orifice dividing the conduit into an upstream portion upstream of said orifice and a downstream portion downstream of said orifice, the meter further comprising a sensor assembly including a first piezoelectric crystal oscillator in said upstream portion such that said first piezoelectric oscillator is in contact with said gas when the meter in use, a second piezoelectric crystal oscillator in said downstream portion such that said second piezoelectric oscillator is in contact with said gas when the meter in use, said sensor assembly being arranged: to drive the first and second piezoelectric crystal oscillators such that each of the first and second piezoelectric crystal oscillators resonate at respective resonant frequencies; to measure the resonant frequency of the first piezoelectric oscillator and the resonant frequency of resonant frequency of the first piezoelectric oscillator and the the second piezoelectric oscillator; and to determine, from the resonant frequency of the second piezoelectric oscillator, the mass flow rate of gas through said orifice.

Method of, and apparatus for, measuring the mass flow rate of a gas

There is provided a method of measuring the physical properties of a two-phase fluid using at least one piezoelectric oscillator immersed in the two-phase fluid, the two-phase fluid comprising a gas fraction and a liquid fraction, the method comprising: a) measuring the resonant frequency of the or each piezoelectric oscillator as a function of time; and b) determining, from the or each resonant frequency, at least one physical property of the two-phase fluid to characterize the two-phase fluid.

Method of, and apparatus for, measuring the physical properties of two-phase fluids

There is provided a method of, and apparatus for, measuring the mass of a gas under pressure using a piezoelectric oscillator. The gas is contained within a pressure vessel () having a fixed internal volume (V) and the piezoelectric oscillator () is immersed in the gas within the pressure vessel (). The method comprises: a) utilizing said piezoelectric oscillator () to measure the density of the gas within the high-pressure vessel (); b) determining, from the density measurement and from the internal volume (V) of said pressure vessel, the mass of the gas within the pressure vessel (). By providing such a method, the true contents (i.e. mass) of fluid in a pressure vessel such as a cylinder can be measured directly without the need to compensate for factors such as temperature or compressibility. This allows a determination of mass through direct derivation from the density of the gas in the cylinder, reducing the need for additional sensors or complex calculations to be performed.

Method of and apparatus for measuring the true contents of a cylinder of gas under pressure

There is provided a pressure gauge for measuring the pressure of a gas. The pressure gauge comprises a housing connectable to the gas source and comprising an interior which is, in use, in communication with said gas. The pressure gauge further comprising a sensor assembly located within said housing and including a piezoelectric oscillator which, in use, is located in contact with said gas, said sensor assembly being arranged to measure the oscillation frequency of said piezoelectric oscillator in said gas and configured to determine, from the frequency measurement and the known temperature and known molecular weight of the gas, the pressure of the gas. By providing such an arrangement, an overpressure proof yet accurate pressure gauge can be provided. This is in contrast to conventional gauges which are damaged permanently by overpressure situations.

Method of and apparatus for measuring the pressure of a gas

A system for providing a high purity acetylene comprising 100 ppm or less solvent to a point of use comprising a storage vessel that houses an acetylene feed steam comprising acetylene and solvent; a cooling system that maintains the storage vessel and provides the acetylene feed stream at a temperature ranging from 20&#xb0; C. to &#x2212;50&#xb0; C.; and a purifier in fluid communication with the storage vessel wherein the acetylene feed stream is introduced into the purifier at a temperature ranging from &#x2212;50&#xb0; C. to 30&#xb0; C. to remove at least a portion of the solvent contained therein and provide the high purity acetylene.

Process and system for providing acetylene

A volume flow controller () for controlling the flow of a gas mixture of variable proportions through a conduit () has a valve means () for regulating the flow of gas through the conduit, a drive means () for driving the valve means, a volumetric flow meter (), such as a Pelton wheel, for measuring the flow of gas through the conduit, which provides a feedback signal () for comparison with a setpoint signal () in an amplifier () which generates an adjustment signal () which is fed to the drive means. The setpoint signal is generated by a setpoint signal generating means (), which comprises a potentiometer () for inputting a value corresponding to a desired flow rate and a slowdown circuit () consisting of a resistor () and a capacitor () for delaying the change in the setpoint from the previous setpoint to the desired setpoint for a period of time sufficient to compensate for the delay in response inherent in the volumetric flow meter, thus providing smooth and stable control of the gas flow. Preferably, the potentiometer is a digital potentiometer (), which voltage is variable by independent manipulation of rotary encoders ().

Volume flow controller

A system and a process for providing acetylene, preferably at a high purity level (e.g., comprising 100 parts per million ('ppm'), or 10 ppm, or 1 ppm, or 100 parts per billion ('ppb'), or 10 ppb, or 1 ppb or less of solvent), to a point of use, such as a semiconductor manufacturing process, is described herein. In one aspect, there is provided a process for providing a process for providing a high purity acetylene comprising 100 ppm or less solvent to a point of use comprising: providing an acetylene feed stream comprising acetylene and solvent at a temperature ranging from 20&#xb0; C. to &#x2212;50&#xb0; C.; and introducing the acetylene feed stream to a purifier at a temperature ranging from &#x2212;50&#xb0; C. to 30&#xb0; C. to remove at least a portion of the solvent contained therein and provide the high purity acetylene.

The present invention relates to use of a thermic lance as a firework. Frictional or electrical ignition of a thermic lance is more convenient and safer than conventional methods. In addition, when used as a firework, the lance is safer and provides less pollution than conventional fireworks.

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Hampshire, United Kingdom

Neil Alexander Downie