Gas monitoring method and apparatus therefor

Claim 1

An apparatus for monitoring a gas stream comprising: (a) a conduit member defining a single gas passageway extending therethrough and having opposite ends, a gas inlet means adjacent one of the ends, and a gas outlet means adjacent the other of the ends, said gas passageway defining the sole means of fluid communication between said gas inlet and gas outlet means; (b) at least two temperature sensors, one located adjacent the gas inlet means and the other located adjacent the gas outlet means of said conduit member for sensing the temperature of a gas passing therethrough; (c) a body of a particulate catalyst located in the gas passageway of said conduit member intermediate the two temperature sensors; (d) at least one perforate heat shield located in the gas passageway of said conduit member between the body of particulate catalyst and the gas inlet temperature sensor for reducing the transfer of radiant thermal energy from the body of particulate catalyst material to the gas inlet temperature sensor; and (e) heater means for heating the gas stream to be monitored to a desired temperature prior to its entry into contact with the gas inlet temperature sensor.

Claim 2

An apparatus for monitoring a gas stream comprising: (a) a conduit member defining a single gas passageway extending therethrough and having opposite ends, a gas inlet means adjacent one of the ends, and a gas outlet means adjacent the other of the ends, said gas passageway defining the sole means of fluid communication between said gas inlet and gas outlet means; (b) at least two temperature sensors, one located adjacent the gas inlet means and the other located adjacent the gas outlet means of said conduit member for sensing the temperature of a gas passing therethrough; (c) a body of a particulate catalyst located in the gas passageway of said conduit member intermediate the two temperature sensors; (d) at least one perforate heat shield located in the gas passageway of said conduit member between the body of particulate catalyst and the gas inlet temperature sensor for reducing the transfer of radiant thermal energy from the body of particulate catalyst material to the gas inlet temperature sensor; and (e) heater means for heating the gas stream to be monitored to a desired temperature prior to its entry into contact with the gas inlet temperature sensor.

Claim 8

An apparatus for monitoring the hydrogen or oxygen content of a gas stream in which one of said hydrogen or oxygen is present in an excess over the other, which apparatus comprises: (a) an elongated conduit member defining a single gas passageway extending axially therethrough and having opposite ends, a gas inlet adjacent one of the ends and a gas outlet adjacent the other of the ends, said single gas passageway defining the sole means of fluid communication between said gas inlet and outlet; (b) a gas inlet temperature sensor located in the gas passageway adjacent the inlet end of the conduit member for sensing the temperature of a gas passing therethrough; (c) a gas outlet temperature sensor located in the gas passageway adjacent the gas outlet end of the conduit member for sensing the temperature of a gas passing therethrough; (d) a body of particulate catalyst material located in the gas passageway intermediate the gas inlet and gas outlet temperature sensors, said body of particulate catalyst material being located in the proximity of the gas outlet end of the conduit member, and having an exposed surface selected from the group of materials consisting of palladium, platinum and combinations thereof; (e) a perforate metal heat shield, located in the passageway of the conduit member between the body of particulate catalyst material and the gas inlet temperature sensor, for shielding the gas inlet temperature sensor from radiant thermal energy from the body of particulate catalyst material; and (f) means associated with the conduit member for heating the gas stream to a desired temperature prior to its entry into the gas inlet, said temperature being substantially above ambient temperature.

Claim 9

An apparatus for monitoring the hydrogen or oxygen content of a gas stream in which one of said hydrogen or oxygen is present in an excess over the other, which apparatus comprises: (a) an elongated conduit member defining a single gas passageway extending axially therethrough and having opposite ends, a gas inlet adjacent one of the ends and a gas outlet adjacent the other of the ends, said single gas passageway defining the sole means of fluid communication between said gas inlet and outlet; (b) a gas inlet temperature sensor located in the gas passageway adjacent the inlet end of the conduit member for sensing the temperature of a gas passing therethrough; (c) a gas outlet temperature sensor located in the gas passageway adjacent the gas outlet end of the conduit member for sensing the temperature of a gas passing therethrough; (d) a body of particulate catalyst material located in the gas passageway intermediate the gas inlet and gas outlet temperature sensors, said body of particulate catalyst material being located in the proximity of the gas outlet end of the conduit member, and having an exposed surface selected from the group of materials consisting of palladium, platinum and combinations thereof; (e) a perforate metal heat shield, located in the passageway of the conduit member between the body of particulate catalyst material and the gas inlet temperature sensor, for shielding the gas inlet temperature sensor from radiant thermal energy from the body of particulate catalyst material; and (f) means associated with the conduit member for heating the gas stream to a desired temperature prior to its entry into the gas inlet, said temperature being substantially above ambient temperature.

Claim 13

A method for monitoring a component of a gas stream comprising the sequential steps of: (a) heating the gas stream to a desired temperature, (b) introducing the gas stream into a single, axially extending, thermally insulated gas passageway, (c) sensing the temperature of the heated gas stream, (d) passing the gas stream through at least one perforate heat shield, (e) passing the gas through a bed of particulate catalyst, which is spaced from said perforate metal shield, (f) sensing the temperature of the gas exiting the catalyst bed, (g) determining the concentration of the component of the gas stream as a function of the difference between the temperatures in steps (c) and (f), and (h) discharging the gas stream from the thermally insulated gas passageway.

Claim 14

A method for monitoring a component of a gas stream comprising the sequential steps of: (a) heating the gas stream to a desired temperature, (b) introducing the gas stream into a single, axially extending, thermally insulated gas passageway, (c) sensing the temperature of the heated gas stream, (d) passing the gas stream through at least one perforate heat shield, (e) passing the gas through a bed of particulate catalyst, which is spaced from said perforate metal shield, (f) sensing the temperature of the gas exiting the catalyst bed, (g) determining the concentration of the component of the gas stream as a function of the difference between the temperatures in steps (c) and (f), and (h) discharging the gas stream from the thermally insulated gas passageway.

Claim 15

A method of monitoring the hydrogen content of a gas stream containing the same in an excess of oxygen comprising the sequential steps of: (a) heating the gas stream to a temperature substantially above ambient temperature, (b) introducing the heated gas stream into a single, axially extending thermally insulated gas passageway, (c) sensing the temperature of the heated gas stream, (d) passing the gas stream through a perforate metal heat shield, (e) passing the gas stream through a bed of a particulate catalyst, said catalyst being selected from a group consisting of platinum, palladium, and combinations thereof, (f) sensing the temperature of the gas exiting the catalyst bed, (g) determining the hydrogen content as a function of the difference between the temperatures in steps (c) and (f), and (h) discharging the gas stream from the thermally insulated gas passageway.

Claim 16

A method of monitoring the hydrogen content of a gas stream containing the same in an excess of oxygen comprising the sequential steps of: (a) heating the gas stream to a temperature substantially above ambient temperature, (b) introducing the heated gas stream into a single, axially extending thermally insulated gas passageway, (c) sensing the temperature of the heated gas stream, (d) passing the gas stream through a perforate metal heat shield, (e) passing the gas stream through a bed of a particulate catalyst, said catalyst being selected from a group consisting of platinum, palladium, and combinations thereof, (f) sensing the temperature of the gas exiting the catalyst bed, (g) determining the hydrogen content as a function of the difference between the temperatures in steps (c) and (f), and (h) discharging the gas stream from the thermally insulated gas passageway.