Patent US1025637A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0304266A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0304266A2
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Catalytic gas calorimeter systems and methods
Assignee: Hart Scientific LLC
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Filing: 1988-08-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-08-16
Abstract
Abstract A novel catalytic gas calorimeter system and method. The system comprises a catalytic reactor which includes a catalyst capable of oxidizing the sample gas. The catalyst is configured within the reactor so as to maximize the catalyst surface area available to the sample gas, such as, for example, by depositing the catalyst on a bed of small beads of porous surface structure or on a porous monolithic substrate. The reactor temperature and space velocities are maintained at a level which will ensure substantially complete oxidation of the sample gas. The catalytic reactor of the present invention is surrounded by one or more temperature shields to isolate the reactor from the surrounding environment. A sensor device is positioned within the reactor to measure the temperature within the reactor. The calorimeter system also includes means for measuring and controlling the volume of gas and air entering the catalytic reactor and means for measuring the relative humidity of the gas stream leaving the catalytic reactor. These measurements are then used to calculate the net heating value (NHV), gross heating value (GHV) and the specific gravity of the sample gas under consideration.
Inventors
- 👤 Roger M. Hart
- 👤 Edwin A. Lewis
- 👤 Alma K. Schurig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 02:51
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N25/00; G01N25/20; G01N25/22; G01N25/28; G01N25/34; G01N25/36; G01N33/00; G01N33/22; G01N33/225
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A gas calorimeter system for measuring the heating values of a sample gas, comprising: a reactor cell for oxidizing the sample gas; a porous substrate positioned within the reactor cell; a catalyst coating the porous substrate for oxidizing the sample gas; means for metering a desired volume of the sample gas into the reactor cell; means for metering a desired volume of air into the reactor cell; and means for sensing the temperature within the reactor cell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
A gas calorimeter system for measuring the heating values of a sample gas, comprising: a reactor cell for oxidizing the sample gas; a porous substrate positioned within the reactor cell; a catalyst coating the porous substrate for oxidizing the sample gas; means for metering a desired volume of the sample gas into the reactor cell; means for metering a desired volume of air into the reactor cell; and means for sensing the temperature within the reactor cell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises a platinum group metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the reactor cell comprises a promoter for oxidizing the sample gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the porous substrate is configured as a plurality of beads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the reactor temperature sensing means is positioned so as to be substantially surrounded by said beads.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a plurality of conduits which are interconnected such that the gas and air entering the reactor cell passes sequentially through each conduit, and wherein the porous beads are located within the conduits and the reactor temperature sensing means is positioned so as to be in thermal contact with the conduits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the conduits are oriented substantially parallel to one another in a substantially cylindrical configuration and wherein the reactor temperature sensing means is positioned so as to be substantially surrounded by the conduits.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising heater means for maintaining the temperature within at least a portion of the reactor cell adjacent the catalyst within the range of from approximately 400°C to approximately 600°C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a temperature shield which substantially surrounds the reactor cell.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the temperature shield comprises a metal enclosure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 10 further comprising means for heating the metal enclosure and means for sensing the temperature of the metal enclosure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the gas metering means and the air metering means are configured so as to provide a gas-to-air flow ratio within the range of from approximately one percent to approximately five percent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means for measuring the flow of combustion mass into the reactor cell.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means for measuring the amount of water produced by oxidation of the sample gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A gas calorimeter system as defined in claim 14 wherein the water measuring means comprises a humidity cell for measuring the relative humidity of gaseous matter exiting the reactor cell.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the water measuring means further comprises means for selectively controlling the temperature within the humidity cell so as to minimize condensation of water within the humidity cell and maintain stability of the relative humidity measurement.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising: a supply of calibration gas having a known net heating value and gross heating value; and means for selectively metering a desired volume of the calibration gas into the reactor cell.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A gas calorimeter system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means for preheating the gas and air entering the reactor cell.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
69 words
A method for measuring the net heating value and the gross heating value of a sample gas, comprising the steps of: metering a known volume of the sample gas into a reactor cell: oxidizing the sample gas within the reactor cell in the presence of an excess of air; monitoring the temperature within the reactor cell; and measuring the amount of water produced by oxidation of the sample gas.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
69 words
A method for measuring the net heating value and the gross heating value of a sample gas, comprising the steps of: metering a known volume of the sample gas into a reactor cell: oxidizing the sample gas within the reactor cell in the presence of an excess of air; monitoring the temperature within the reactor cell; and measuring the amount of water produced by oxidation of the sample gas.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the gas oxidizing step comprises directing the sample gas into the vicinity of a catalyst.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 or claim 20 wherein the water measuring step comprises measuring the relative humidity of gaseous matter exiting the reactor cell.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
59 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 21 wherein the volume of the sample gas metered into the reactor cell in the gas metering step remains substantially constant and wherein the net heating value of the sample gas is determined by measuring the temperature within the reactor cell resulting from oxidation of the sample gas.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
83 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 21 wherein the volume of the sample gas metered into the reactor cell in the gas metering step is selectively controlled in response to the reactor cell temperature monitoring step such that the temperature within the reactor cell is maintained at a substantially constant level, and wherein the volume of the sample gas which is metered into the reactor cell is measured to determine the net heating value of the sample gas.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
94 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 23, further comprising the steps of: metering a known volume of a calibration gas into the reactor cell, the calibration gas having a known net heating value and gross heating value; oxidizing the calibration gas within the reactor cell in the presence of an excess of air; and wherein the net heating value and the gross heating value of the sample gas are determined by comparing measurements made during oxidation of the sample gas to measurements made during oxidation of the calibration gas.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 24 further comprising the step of measuring the flow of combustion mass into the reactor cell, whereby the specific gravity of the sample gas can be determined.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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