Process and device for the distribution of quantities of liquid, particularly liquefied gas
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsJean-Pierre Germain, Cornelis Klok
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Quantities of liquid are distributed via a conduit (5) connected to a source (4) of the liquid, by periodically opening and closing a closure member (7) disposed in the conduit, and injecting, during a predetermined period, immediately after the 5 closing of the closure member (7), a quantity of gas into the conduit portion (6)immediately downstream of the closure member. The duration of the cycle between two successive openings of the closure member (7)is less than 0.1 second. The liquid is an inert liquefied gas, e.g. nitrogen or argon. The injected gas is the same as the liquefied gas and comes from a same cryogenic receptacle (1). The invention is useful for rendering inert or pressurizing containers of food products.
Claims13
A method of dispensing a quantity of a liquid via a conduit connected at one end to a source of said liquid and including an actuatable closure member upstream from a delivery portion of the conduit, comprising the steps of temporarily opening the closure member to deliver a quantity of liquid;
- subsequently closing the closure member;
- and, immediately after the closing of the closure member, injecting a flow of gas through the delivery portion.
An apparatus for dispensing an amount of liquid comprising:
- a distribution conduit having one end connected to a source of said liquid, an actuatable first closure member, and a downstream delivery portion;
- a gas conduit having one end connected to a source of gas under pressure, an actuatable second closure member, and a downstream end discharging into the downstream delivery portion of the distribution conduit member;
- and
- control means for actuating sequentially the first and second closure member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.