Device and process for the removal of hydrogen from a vacuum enclosure at cryogenic temperatures and especially high energy particle accelerators

• US 5,365,742 A
• Filed: 05/17/1993
• Issued: 11/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAES Getters SpA (SAES Getters S)
• Original Assignee: SAES Getters SpA (SAES Getters S)
• Inventors: Ferrario, Bruno, Boffito, Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KILNER, CHRISTOPHER B
• Application Number:
  US08/062,333
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 62/46.1, 62/46.2, 62/55.5, 252/181.5-181.6
• US Class Current: 62/46.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 7/183 Composition or manufacture of getters
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 7/00 Details of devices of the types covered by groups H05H9/00, H05H11/00, H05H13/00

Abstract

A device for the removal of hydrogen from a vacuum enclosure at cryogenic temperatures, especially high energy particle accelerators which comprises a metal support preferably in the form of a strip of aluminium and a composition able to sorb hydrogen adherent to the support in particular on at least one surface of the strip. The composition comprises a porous absorber of H₂ O, preferably powdered aluminium oxide and in contact with palladium oxide which preferably covers, at least partially, the water absorber.

Claims

1. A process for sorbing hydrogen-containing gases in order to create a vacuum essentially consisting of the steps of:

I. providing a device comprising;

A. a metal support; and

B. a hydrogen sorbing composition of matter adherent to said support said composition comprising;

i) a porous physical H₂ O sorbent; and

ii) palladium oxide in contact with said porous physical H₂ O sorbent; and

then

II. contacting the hydrogen-containing gasses at cryogenic temperatures with said device.

2. A device for the sorption of hydrogen-containing gases from a vacuum space apparatus working at cryogenic temperature containing a metal strip having a length greater than its width and having an uppermost surface and lowermost surface a means for operating the device at a cryogenic temperature, and furthermore containing a hydrogen sorbing composition adherent to said strip wherein said composition is a binary composition consisting essentially of:

i) a porous physical H₂ O sorbing material; and

ii) palladium oxide in contact with said H₂ O sorbing material under i).

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said H₂ O sorbing material is aluminum oxide.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said composition is adherent to at least one surface of said strip, wherein said H₂ O sorbing material is a particulate aluminum oxide, having a particle size from 5 to 100 microns, and wherein said H₂ O sorbing material is coated by a layer of palladium oxide.

5. The device of claim 4, operating at a temperature lower than 90K, wherein the weight ratio between said aluminum oxide and said palladium oxide is from 99.9:

0.1 to 50;

50 and wherein said metal strip is made from aluminum and shows a thickness from 25 to 1000 microns.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said palladium oxide layer is replaced by clusters of palladium oxide on the surface of said aluminum oxide.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said clusters are obtained by bringing said aluminum oxide into contact with the solution of a water soluble palladium salt and by precipitating then palladium oxide by means of an alkaline solution.

8. A process for sorbing hydrogen-containing gases, to create a vacuum in a high energy particle accelerator, essentially consisting of the step of bringing said hydrogen-containing gases, at a cryogenic temperature, into contact with the device of claim 2.

9. A process for sorbing hydrogen-containing gases, in order to create a vacuum essentially consisting of the steps of:

I. providing the device of claim 2;

II. bringing said hydrogen-containing gases, at a cryogenic temperature, into contact with said device under I).

10. The process of claim 8 wherein said cryogenic temperature is equal to or lower than 90K.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein said cryogenic temperature is equal to or lower than 90K.

12. A process for the adsorption of hydrogen-containing gases in order to create a vacuum essentially consisting of the steps of:

I. providing a device comprising;

A. a metal support; and

B. a hydrogen sorbing composition of matter adherent to said support said composition comprising;

i) a porous physical H₂ O sorbent; and

ii) palladium metal in contact with said porous physical H₂ O sorbent; and

then

II. contacting the hydrogen-containing gases at cryogenic temperatures with said device.