Liquid oxygen production
AssigneeIn-X Corporation
InventorsIvan A. Arkharov, Alexey M. Arkharov, Leslie C. Kun, Tommy M. Tetreault
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for liquefying and storing a gas is provided. The apparatus is adapted to liquify relatively small quantities of gas, and to do so in a residence or place of business. The apparatus generally includes a cryocooler, a heat transfer assembly, and an insulated subsystem. Liquid condensate produced by the apparatus is stored in an insulated dewar. The method of the present invention includes the liquification of air or an enriched gas on a small scale in a residence or place of business. The method and apparatus of the invention are particularly well suited for providing liquified oxygen for use by a patient on oxygen therapy in the patient's residence.
Claims34
An apparatus for producing and storing liquid gas comprising:
- a device for supplying a feed gas;
- a cryocooler, wherein said cryocooler includes a cold finger;
- a heat exchanger assembly cooled by said cryocooler, wherein said heat exchanger assembly comprises:
- an inner helix disposed about a periphery of said cold finger;
- an inner sheath disposed about said inner helix to form a feed gas conduit;
- a cooling fin thermally interconnected to said cold finger;
- and
- a dewar, surrounding at least a portion of said heat exchanger assembly, wherein at least a portion of said feed gas introduced to said heat exchanger assembly is liquified in a portion of said heat exchanger assembly, and wherein a liquid condensate is collected in said dewar.
An apparatus for liquefying and storing an enriched gas, comprising:
- a feed gas source;
- a cryocooler having a cold finger;
- a heat exchanger assembly, at least of a portion of which is thermally interconnected to said cold finger;
- an insulated subsystem wherein said insulated subsystem comprises:
- an insulating element having open first and second ends wherein said first end of said insulated element surrounds at least a portion of a periphery of said heat exchanger assembly and a length of said insulating element extends beyond an end of said heat exchanger assembly;
- a dewar having an open end in communication with said second end of said insulating element;
- and
- a feed gas tube having an inlet for receiving said feed gas from said feed gas source and an outlet, wherein feed gas is delivered from said outlet to said heat exchanger assembly, and wherein said feed gas is cooled by said heat exchanger assembly to form a condensate.
A method for producing and storing a liquefied gas comprising:
- providing a feed gas;
- providing a cryocooler having a cold finger and a sensible heat exchanger in thermal contact with said cold finger;
- providing an insulated volume proximate to and surrounding a periphery of said sensible heat exchanger;
- cooling said feed gas to a temperature less than the condensation temperature of oxygen by delivering said feed gas to said insulated volume to produce a condensate;
- removing said condensate from said insulated volume;
- collecting said removed condensate in a dewar;
- providing a source of pressurized gas located outside of said dewar;
- pressurizing an interior of said dewar using said pressurized gas;
- and
- removing said condensate from said dewar through a fill tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.