NITROUS OXIDE REGENERABLE ROOM TEMPERATURE PURIFIER AND METHOD
A nitrous oxide room temperature purification method, apparatus and system utilizing at least partially oxidized nickel. In an embodiment, a room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier includes a vessel having an inlet and outlet, an active portion being at least partially filled with a purification material comprising nickel oxide and optional elemental nickel, wherein the weight ratio between the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 3 and the surface area of the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 50 m 2 /g.
1 . A method for the purification of N 2 O comprising feeding a N 2 O gaseous stream to a vessel having an inlet and outlet, the vessel being at least partially filled with a purification material comprising nickel oxide and optional elemental nickel, wherein the weight ratio between the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 3 and the surface area of the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 50 m 2 /g.
2 . A method according to claim 1 characterized in that it is carried out at room temperature.
3 . A method according to claim 2 wherein the weight ratio between the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 5 and the surface area of the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 100 m 2 /g.
4 . A method according to claim 3 wherein the purification material essentially consists of nickel oxide.
5 . A method according to claim 4 wherein the purification material is supported.
6 . A method according to claim 5 wherein the purification material is supported on at least one of amorphous silica and magnesium oxide.
7 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier comprising a vessel having an inlet and outlet, an active portion being at least partially filled with a purification material comprising nickel oxide and optional elemental nickel, wherein the weight ratio between the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 3 and the surface area of the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 50 m 2 /g.
8 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 7 wherein the weight ratio between the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 5 and the surface area of the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal to or higher than 100 m 2 /g.
9 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 7 wherein the purification material is supported.
10 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 9 wherein the purification material is supported on at least one of amorphous silica and magnesium oxide.
11 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 7 comprising heaters and temperature control for carrying out the regeneration of purification material.
12 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 7 wherein the active portion delimits a volume having a length L and a width W, wherein the ratio L/W between the length and the width is comprised between 1 and 15.
13 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 12 wherein the ratio between measure of the active portion volume and value of the N 2 O flow is between 0.05 and 2 liter/(m 3 /hour).
14 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claims 7 wherein at least 30% of the active portion volume is filled with the purification material.
15 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 14 wherein at least 60% of the active portion volume is filled with the purification material.
16 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier according to claim 15 wherein the active portion volume is substantially completely filled with the purification material.
17 . A room temperature regenerable N 2 O purifier system comprising a gas manifold and its automatic controls and at least two regenerable N 2 O purifiers each of which comprises a vessel having an inlet and outlet, an active portion being at least partially filled with a purification material comprising nickel oxide and optional elemental nickel, wherein the weight ratio between the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 3 and the surface area of the nickel oxide and the optional elemental nickel is equal or higher than 50 m 2 /g.