Method of removing oxygen from relatively inert crude gases

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS FOR REMOVING OXYGEN IMPURITY FROM A RELATIVELY INERT CRUDE GAS, THE STEPS COMPRISING INTRODUCING HYDROGEN GAS INTO SAID CRUDE GAS, CONTACTING SAID CRUDE GAS INCLUDING SAID IMPURITY AND SAID HYDROGEN GAS WITH A CATALYST AT A GAUGE PRESSURE OF BETWEEN ABOUT 2,300 AND 2,600 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH AND AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 130* F. TO 170* F., SAID HYDROGEN GAS BEING ABSORBED BY SAID CATALYST AND SAID OXYGEN IMPURITY REACTING WITH THE ABSORBED HYDROGEN ON SAID CATALYST TO FORM WATER, REGULATING THE INTAKE OF HYDROGEN INTO THE CRUDE GAS IN STOICHIOMETRIC RELATION TO SAID OXYGEN IMPURITY BY (1) CONTINUOUSLY DERIVING THERMOELECTRIC SIGNALS FROM EACH OF A PLURALITY OF STATIONARY POSITIONS IMBEDDED WITHIN SAID CATALYST, WHICH SIGNALS VARY AS THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ESTABLISHED IN SAID CATALYST BY THE PROGRESSIVE REACTION OF SAID CONSTITUENTS TO FORM WATER AND (2) UTILIZING THE AGGREGATE OF SAID SIGNALS SO DERIVED TO CONTROL THE INTRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN INTO SAID CRUDE GAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID TEMPERATURE GRADIENT, AND REMOVING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID WATER FROM SAID CRUDE GAS.