Hydrogen gas extractor

Claim 2

A hydrogen gas extractor adapted for use with a refrigerating machine in which a high vacuum is maintained and hydrogen gas is evolved largely by corrosive reactions of a solution, comprising a case, hydrogen gas exhaust means fabricated of palladium or its alloy and gastightly secured through the walls of said case, a connecting pipe communicated at one end with said machine and open at the other end in said case, a mass of metal contained in said case, said metal being capable of occluding hydrogen gas at ordinary temperature and releasing the same at elevated temperature, and heater means for heating both said hydrogen gas exhaust means and said metal.

Claim 3

The extractor of claim 1 which further comprises a container chamber in addition to the case, said chamber accommodating the metal and provided with means for heating said metal.

Claim 4

The extractor of claim 2 wherein a duct connecting the connecting pipe to the container chamber is provided with a valve midway which is closed during the operative period and is open while the machine lies idle.

Claim 5

A hydrogen gas extractor adapted for use with a refrigerating system in which a high vacuum is maintained and hydrogen gas is evolved largely by corrosive reaction of a refrigerating solution with component parts of the system, comprising casing means for receiving at least noncondensable hydrogen in said system, hydrogen gas permeable means of palladium or its alloy and gas tightly secured through the wall of said casing means and communicating with the atmosphere for purging hydrogen gas permeating through said permeating means into the atmosphere, connecting pipe means for connecting said casing means to said system, a mass of metal contained in said casing means sufficient to occlude, at ambient temperatures, the amount of hydrogen generated during prolonged inoperative periods of the system and to release the occluded hydrogen at predetermined elevated temperatures, and heater means to provide, during operation of the system, said elevated temperatures whereby to release, at a predetermined pressure, through said permeating means not only the hydrogen gases occluded during said inoperative period of the system but also the hydrogen gases generated during its operation.

Claim 6

A hydrogen gas extractor adapted for use with a refrigerating system in which a high vacuum is maintained and hydrogen gas is evolved largely by corrosive reaction of a refrigerating solution with component parts of the system, comprising casing means for receiving at least noncondensable hydrogen in said system, hydrogen gas permeable means of palladium or its alloy and gas tightly secured through the wall of said casing means and communicating with the atmosphere for purging hydrogen gas permeating through said permeating means into the atmosphere, connecting pipe means for connecting said casing means to said system, a mass of metal contained in said casing means sufficient to occlude, at ambient temperatures, the amount of hydrogen generated during prolonged inoperative periods of the system and to release the occluded hydrogen at predetermined elevated temperatures, and heater means to provide, during operation of the system, said elevated temperatures whereby to release, at a predetermined pressure, through said permeating means not only the hydrogen gases occluded during said inoperative period of the system but also the hydrogen gases generated during its operation.

Claim 7

A hydrogen gas extractor according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined pressure of release of said hydrogen gases is higher than atmospheric pressure whereby the hydrogen gases are automatically purged.

Claim 8

A hydrogen gas extractor according to claim 4, wherein said casing means comprises first and second casings, said connecting pipe means being branched to communicate the system with said first and second casings, said hydrogen gas permeable means being provided in one of said casings and said mass of metal in the other casing.

Claim 9

A hydrogen gas extractor according to claim 6, wherein said heater means comprises separate heaters one for said gas permeable means and the other for said mass of metal.

Claim 10

A hydrogen gas extractor according to claim 6, wherein said connecting means has a U-shaped branch which communicates with the second casing in a position of the latter adjacent the first casing, a solenoid valve being connected in that leg of the U-shaped branch which interconnects the vertical legs thereof, said heater means comprising a single heater disposed between said first and second casings.