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US4302436A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of regenerating disproportionated hydrides

Assignee: BP Corp North America Inc
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Filing: 1979-11-19
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Granted: 1981-11-24
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Expires: 1999-11-19
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed is a method of restoring the pressure-composition characteristics of a disproportionated hydride comprising removing substantially all hydrogen from said disproportionated hydride and maintaining said hydride in a substantially hydrogen-free environment at a regeneration temperature sufficient to effectuate desired restoration of the hydride's pressure-composition characteristics. Also disclosed are methods of insitu regeneration of hydrides in process applications.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bruce E. Sirovich
  • 👤 Irwin Ginsburgh

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 09:08
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B6/00; C01B6/34; C01B3/00; C01B3/0005; C01B3/001; C01B3/0018; C01B3/0031; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/32

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 165 words
An in-situ method of regenerating a disproportionated hydride, wherein said hydride comprises metals, metal alloys or intermetallic compounds, which is being used in a process application comprising (a) maintaining at least one more hydride bed than the number normally required for operations of said process, such that at least one disproportionated hydride bed is reproportionated in a regeneration zone while at least one of the remaining beds remains in use in said process; (b) removing substantially all hydrogen from said disproportionated hydride, maintaining said hydride in a substantially hydrogen-free environment at a regeneration temperature sufficient to effectuate desired restoration of the hydride's pressure-composition characteristics but below the approximate annealing temperature of the hydride, and thereafter exposing the hydride to hydrogen to promote absorption; and (c) periodically interchanging the roles of the beds such that at least one bed reproportionated in step (b) is introduced into the process and at least one disproportionated bed in process use undergoes reproportionation in the regeneration zone of step (b).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 165 words
An in-situ method of regenerating a disproportionated hydride, wherein said hydride comprises metals, metal alloys or intermetallic compounds, which is being used in a process application comprising (a) maintaining at least one more hydride bed than the number normally required for operations of said process, such that at least one disproportionated hydride bed is reproportionated in a regeneration zone while at least one of the remaining beds remains in use in said process; (b) removing substantially all hydrogen from said disproportionated hydride, maintaining said hydride in a substantially hydrogen-free environment at a regeneration temperature sufficient to effectuate desired restoration of the hydride's pressure-composition characteristics but below the approximate annealing temperature of the hydride, and thereafter exposing the hydride to hydrogen to promote absorption; and (c) periodically interchanging the roles of the beds such that at least one bed reproportionated in step (b) is introduced into the process and at least one disproportionated bed in process use undergoes reproportionation in the regeneration zone of step (b).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein hydrogen of step (b) is removed by introducing inert stripper gas flow through the hydride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein substantially all hydrogen is removed from the disproportionated hydride prior to maintaining said hydride in a substantially hydrogen-free environment at said regeneration temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 66 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the hydride has the formula A.sub.x B.sub.y, where A comprises at least one component which exothermically forms hydrides, B comprises at least one non-hydride forming component, and x and y need not be integers, wherein the heat of formation of the hydride of A x B y is less than the heat of formation of the hydride of A alone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the hydride comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of lathanum-nickel, calcium-nickel, titanium-iron-nickel, titanium-nickel, titanium-iron, mischmetal-nickel, mischmetal-calcium-nickel, and samarium-cobalt.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the hydride comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of calcium-nickel and lanthanum-nickel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said hydride is LaNi 5 and reproportionation is carried out at about 15 psia and about 400° C. for about 2 hours.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said hydride is LaNi 5 and reproportionation is carried out at about 150 psia and about 400° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 162 words
An in-situ method of regenerating a disproportionated hydride, wherein said hydride comprises metals, metal alloys or intermetallic compounds, which is being used in a process application comprising (a) configuring the hydride such that at least one segment of the surface area of the hydride is in contact with a reaction zone of the process and at least one other segment of the surface area of the hydride is in contact with a regeneration zone; (b) removing substantially all hydrogen from said disproportionated hydride, maintaining said hydride in a substantially hydrogen-free environment at a regeneration temperature sufficient to effectuate desired restoration of the hydride's pressure-composition characteristics but below the annealing temperature of the hydride and thereafter exposing the hydride to hydrogen to promote absorption; and (c) periodically moving the hydride such that at least one regenerated segment of the hydride comes in contact with a reaction zone of the process and at least one disproportionated segment of the hydride enters a regeneration zone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 162 words
An in-situ method of regenerating a disproportionated hydride, wherein said hydride comprises metals, metal alloys or intermetallic compounds, which is being used in a process application comprising (a) configuring the hydride such that at least one segment of the surface area of the hydride is in contact with a reaction zone of the process and at least one other segment of the surface area of the hydride is in contact with a regeneration zone; (b) removing substantially all hydrogen from said disproportionated hydride, maintaining said hydride in a substantially hydrogen-free environment at a regeneration temperature sufficient to effectuate desired restoration of the hydride's pressure-composition characteristics but below the annealing temperature of the hydride and thereafter exposing the hydride to hydrogen to promote absorption; and (c) periodically moving the hydride such that at least one regenerated segment of the hydride comes in contact with a reaction zone of the process and at least one disproportionated segment of the hydride enters a regeneration zone.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3943719A Cited
US4110425A Cited
US4044819A Cited
US4039023A Cited
US4055962A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-11-23 1985-05-25 1985-11-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-11-23 1989-05-25 1989-11-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-11-23 1993-05-25 1993-11-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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