Nitric oxide generator and non-deliquescent tablet for use in same
View Patent ↗A method for generating nitric oxide is disclosed in one embodiment in accordance with the invention as including the steps of providing a solid tablet comprising non-deliquescent reactants and heating the tablet with a heat source to melt at least one of the reactants to promote reaction thereof, thereby generating nitric oxide, and mixing the nitric oxide with diluent gas to provide a therapeutically safe concentration of nitric oxide.
1. A method of generating nitric oxide, the method comprising:
providing a heat source;
providing a vessel containing the heat source;
providing a solid tablet comprising non-deliquescent reactants, wherein the tablet further comprises an inert binder providing a substantially solid path of thermal conduction between granules or reactants;
positioning the tablet within the vessel and in thermal communication with the heat source; and
heating the tablet to melt at least one of the reactants, thereby generating nitric oxide.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
mixing the nitric oxide with a diluent gas.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the heat source to melt, yet avoid vaporizing, at least one of the reactants.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the heat source to melt, yet avoid vaporizing, any of the reactants.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactants consist essentially of:
a non-deliquescent nitrite compound;
a nitrate compound; and
a single metal oxide.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inert binder comprises calcium silicate.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
agglomerating the reactants into granulated sub-domains within the tablet.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the tablet is selected to be greater than 5 kiloponds.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the tablet is selected to be from about 10 kiloponds to about 20 kiloponds.
10. A method of generating nitric oxide, the method comprising:
providing a solid tablet comprising non-deliquescent reactants;
providing a non-deliquescent nitrite compound as at least one of the reactants;
providing a nitrate compound as at least one of the reactants;
providing a metal oxide as at least one of the reactants;
providing an inert binder;
providing a substantially solid path of thermal conduction between the reactants by combining the reactants with the inert binder to fill spaces between reactants with the inert binder; and
heating the tablet to melt at least one of the reactants, thereby generating nitric oxide.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing a heat source;
providing a vessel containing the heat source; and
positioning the tablet within the vessel and in thermal communication with the heat source to receive heat therefrom.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hardness of the tablet is selected to be greater than 5 kiloponds.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hardness of the tablet is selected to be from about 10 kiloponds to about 20 kiloponds.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reactants are agglomerated into granulated sub-domains within the tablet.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling the heat source to melt, yet avoid vaporizing, at least one of the reactants.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
controlling the heat source to melt, yet avoid vaporizing, any of the reactants.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
mixing the nitric oxide with a diluent gas.
18. A method of generating nitric oxide, the method comprising:
providing a solid tablet comprising:
providing at least three reactants, wherein:
a non-deliquescent nitrite compound as at least one of the reactants;
a nitrate compound as at least one of the reactants; and
a metal oxide as at least one of the reactants;
providing an inert binder;
providing a substantially solid path of thermal conduction between the reactants by combining the reactants with the inert binder to fill spaces between reactants with the inert binder;
providing a heat source;
providing a vessel containing the heat source;
positioning the tablet within the vessel and in thermal communication with the heat source to receive heat therefrom; and
heating the tablet to melt at least one of the reactants, thereby generating nitric oxide.