A composite-material pressure vessel (1) has a wall (4) with a reinforcing layer (11) containing one or more reinforcing fibers, wherein the reinforcing layer is an electrical conductor, wherein the wall (4) forms an electrical capacitor (13) having a first plate formed of the reinforcing layer (11), a second plate formed of an electrically conductive layer (15) overlapping the dielectric layer (11), a dielectric layer (14) interposed between the reinforcing layer (11) and the electrically conductive layer (15), as well as electrical terminals (19, 20) connected to the first and the second plates. The vessel control method and system perform electrical tests on the capacitor to derive information about the wall (4) structural condition.

A cryostat arrangement has an outer jacket, a first tank with a first cryogen, and a second tank with a second liquid cryogen which boils at a higher temperature than the first cryogen. The first tank comprises a neck tube, whose hot upper end is connected to the outer jacket at ambient temperature and whose cold lower end is connected to the first tank at a cryogenic temperature. The arrangement uses a riser pipe protruding into the second tank through which the second liquid cryogen can flow out of the second tank and into a first heat exchanger in thermal contact with the neck tube. An outflow line is provided through which second cryogen evaporating from the first heat exchanger can flow out and into an optional second heat exchanger. It is thus possible to greatly reduce heat input from the neck tube into the first tank.

A cryostat arrangement (1) having a vacuum container (2) and an object (4) to be cooled, which is arranged inside the vacuum container. A neck tube (8) leads to the object, and a cooling arm (10) of a cold head (11), around which a closed cavity (9) is formed, is arranged in the neck tube, which is sealed off fluid-tight in relation to the object and is filled with cryogenic fluid in normal operation. A thermal coupling element (15) couples the cryogenic fluid in the cavity to the object. A pump device (14), to which the cavity is connected via a valve (13) and with which the cavity is pumped out if the cold head fails. A monitoring unit (17) monitors the cooling function of the cold head, and activates the pump device to pump out the cavity if the cooling function of the cold head drops.

A simulated smoking device (1) comprising a simulated cigarette having a substantially cylindrical cigarette-like shape and a refill device (2, 50) having a substantially cuboid housing with a cigarette pack-like shape containing refill gas (32, 59) for the simulated cigarette and having means for selectively retaining the simulated cigarette. The simulated cigarette may be retained wholly within the housing. It may be retained at a location different from the refill location. A dose counter may be provided to give a visual indication of the doses in the refill device.

A modular shipping system includes a bulk shipping space; and a base to support a pair of stackable cryogenic shipping subunits positioned in the bulk shipping space during long distance shipment, each subunit having a plurality of feet on a subunit bottom adapted to rest above a plurality of corresponding foot receptacles on a subunit lid, each subunit having its own cryogen connection source to maintain temperature during transit.

A cryostat includes a coolant tank, a refrigerator, a cylindrical member, and a gas phase volume-varying unit. The coolant tank houses a liquid coolant. The refrigerator is provided above the coolant tank and recondenses the coolant evaporated in the coolant tank. The cylindrical member houses a lower part of the refrigerator and forms a recondensing chamber that communicates with the coolant tank. The gas phase volume-varying unit communicates with a gas-phase space above a liquid surface of the liquid coolant in the coolant tank and varies a gas phase volume in the gas-phase space to cancel out a pressure fluctuation in the coolant tank.

Valve comprising a body accommodating a withdrawing circuit comprising a first, upstream end and a second, downstream end intended to be connected to a consumer of the withdrawn gas, the withdrawing circuit comprising a member for regulating the fluid flow rate and/or pressure, the valve comprising a sensor for sensing the position of the control member, said sensor being configured to generate an electric signal indicative of the position of the latter or of the fluid flow rate and/or pressure set by the regulating member, the position sensor comprising at least one detectable element situated on the body of the valve or, respectively, on the control member and at least one measuring element situated on the control member or, respectively, on the body of the valve, at least one of the at least one detectable element and the at least one measuring element being covered with or enclosed in a protective membrane.

Valve for a pressurized fluid cylinder, comprising a sensor for sensing the position of the control member, said sensor being configured to generate an electric signal indicative of the position or of the fluid flow rate and/or pressure set by a regulating member for regulating flow rate/pressure, the sensor (9) for sensing the position of the control member comprising a conductive circuit having a given electrical resistance, a member for measuring an electric variable of the conductive circuit and a wiper, the conductive circuit and the wiper being movable relative to one another during the movement of the control member with respect to the body of the valve into different configurations in which the wiper modifies the shape and/or area of the conductive circuit measured by the measuring member.

The invention relates to a container/container support assembly, notably for a medical gas cylinder, comprising a gas container (11) comprising a protective cap (3) comprising a peripheral wall (3), and a container support (20) able and designed to accept and bear said gas container (11). The protective cap (3) of the gas container (11) comprises a fixing element (10) projecting from the surface of the peripheral wall (3), and said container support (20) comprises an attachment system (24) for fixing said container support (20) to a bearing structure (30), and a housing (22) able and designed to accept said fixing element (10) borne by the protective cap (3) of the gas container (11) so as to secure said gas container (11) to said container support (20) when said fixing element (10) is positioned in said housing (22) of the container support (20).

Method, system, apparatus, and/or device for monitoring a shipment. The vapor plug system includes a vapor plug. The vapor plug fits onto a shipper and partially seals contents within a payload area of a shipper. The vapor plug system includes a sensor that is configured to measure or determine a condition or location of the shipper. The vapor plug system includes an electronic device that has a display. The display is configured to provide the condition or the location to a user. The vapor plug system includes a vapor plug adapter. The vapor plug adapter includes a recessed pocket that is configured to receive the electronic device. The vapor plug adapter includes an opening within the recessed pocket and is configured to receive the sensor and allow the sensor to be inserted into the payload area of the shipper.