Method for the purification of noble gases, nitrogen and hydrogen
First Claim
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1. A method for the purification of a gaseous mixture containing reactive impurities, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a bulk purifying getter in a casing, said purifying getter being comprised of a zirconium-manganese-iron-aluminum alloy having the capability of sorbing non-hydrogen reactive impurities and the capability of not sorbing hydrogen isotopes;
(b) heating the bulk purifying getter;
(c) introducing the gaseous mixture into the purifying getter casing for a sufficient residence time and at an effective temperature to cause the cracking and sorption of the non-hydrogen reactive impurities from the gaseous mixture by the purifying getter; and
(d) removing the remaining non-sorbed gaseous mixture from the purifying getter casing.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for the purification and collection of hydrogen isotopes in a flowing inert gaseous mixture containing impurities, wherein metal alloy getters having the capability of sorbing non-hydrogen impurities such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, ammonia, nitrogen and water vapor are utilized to purify the gaseous mixture of impurities. After purification hydrogen isotopes may be more efficiently collected. A plurality of parallel process lines utilizing metal getter alloys can be used to provide for the continuous purification and collection of the hydrogen isotopes.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for the purification of a gaseous mixture containing reactive impurities, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a bulk purifying getter in a casing, said purifying getter being comprised of a zirconium-manganese-iron-aluminum alloy having the capability of sorbing non-hydrogen reactive impurities and the capability of not sorbing hydrogen isotopes; (b) heating the bulk purifying getter; (c) introducing the gaseous mixture into the purifying getter casing for a sufficient residence time and at an effective temperature to cause the cracking and sorption of the non-hydrogen reactive impurities from the gaseous mixture by the purifying getter; and (d) removing the remaining non-sorbed gaseous mixture from the purifying getter casing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for the purification of a gaseous stream of non-hydrogen reactive impurities and collection of hydrogen isotopes from the purified gaseous stream comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a bulk purifying getter in a casing, said purifying getter being comprised of a zirconium-manganese-iron-aluminum alloy having the capability of sorbing non-hydrogen reactive impurities and the capability of not sorbing hydrogen isotopes; (b) introducing the gaseous mixture into the purifying getter casing for a sufficient residence time and at an effective temperature to cause the cracking and sorption of the non-hydrogen reactive impurities from the gaseous mixture by the purifying getter; (c) removing the remaining non-sorbed gaseous mixture from the purifying getter casing; (d) providing a bulk collection getter in a casing, said collection getter being comprised of an alloy having the capability of sorbing hydrogen isotopes; (e) introducing the non-sorbed gaseous mixture removed from the purifying getter casing into the collection getter casing for a sufficient residence time and at an effective getter temperature to cause the bulk collection getter to sorb hydrogen isotopes from the gaseous mixture; (f) removing the non-sorbed gaseous mixture from the collection getter casing. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for the purification of hydrogen isotopes from a gaseous mixture containing reactive impurities, comprising:
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(a) control means for controlling the flow of the gaseous mixture, said mixture being directed through a housing; (b) purification getter means within the housing for removing through cracking and sorption substantially all non-hydrogen reactive impurities from the gaseous mixture, the purification getter means being comprised of a zirconium-manganese-iron-aluminum alloy, the remaining gaseous mixture then exiting the housing and being comprised substantially of hydrogen isotopes and other non-sorbed gases; and (c) temperature control means for controlling the purification getter temperature. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for the continuous purification and collection of hydrogen isotopes from a gaseous mixture containing reactive impurities, comprising
(a) valve means for controlling the flow of the gaseous mixture between a plurality of parallel process lines; -
(b) a purification getter material within each process line, said getter material being comprised of a zirconium-manganese-iron-aluminum alloy having the capability, when contacted with the gaseous material for a sufficient residence time and at an effective temperature, of sorbing non-hydrogen reactive impurities from the gaseous mixture and having the further capability of not sorbing hydrogen isotopes; and (c) primary collection getter means, within each process line in downstream communication with said purification getter material, for collecting hydrogen isotopes from the gaseous mixture. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification