The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 14, 1998
Filed:
May. 23, 1997
David G Wardle, Bridgewater, NJ (US);
The BOC Group, Inc., New Providence, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for storing a multi-component cryogenic mixture as a liquid. The multi-component cryogenic mixture of interest contains at least first and second components. The first component is more volatile than the second component and the second component has a bubble point temperature atmosphere pressure, lower than that of the first component at an above atmosphere pressure. A container is provided in the apparatus for storing the cryogenic mixture. An inevitable heat leakage causes a cryogenic mixture to vaporize so that the vapor phase of the mixture is enriched in the first component and the liquid phase in the mixture is enriched in the second component. A conduit communicates between locations of the container situated above and below the head space region of the container so that vapor phase stream flows into the reservoir, opened to the atmosphere is provided in communication with the container such that a liquid phase stream, made up of the liquid phase flows into the reservoir and develops an ever increasing second component concentration. As such, the liquid phase of the mixture is able to condense the vapor phase of the mixture within the conduit. The resulting liquid will fall back into the container under influence of gravity to stabilize the concentration of the first and second components within the container.