Patent ID: 7162882

Claim:
A method for establishing a separation barrier at an interface between a first environment having a fluid at a first condition and a second environment having a fluid at a second condition comprising: directing a first stream of fluid drawn from the first environment across the interface between said first environment and said second environment along a first path generally parallel to the interface, thereby establishing a primary fluid curtain along the interface; directing a second stream of fluid drawn from the second environment across the interface between said first environment and said second environment along a second path at an angle of divergence with the first path in a direction towards said second environment, thereby establishing a tertiary fluid curtain outwardly of said primary fluid curtain, the angle of divergence between said second path and said first path ranging from about 10 degrees to about 70 degrees; and directing a third stream of a fluid along a third path between said first path and said second path at a first interior angle with said first path ranging from about 5 degrees to about 35 degrees and at a second interior angle with said second path ranging from about 5 degrees to about 35 degrees, thereby establishing a secondary fluid curtain intermediate said primary fluid curtain and said tertiary fluid curtain.