US4868841A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Directly heated ceramic catalyst support
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1988-06-13
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Granted: 1989-09-19
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Expires: 2008-06-13
Abstract
Abstract A directly heated catalyst 10 is comprised of an electrically conductive ceramic substrate 12 having a catalytic coating 14 applied to at least an outer surface thereof. In an illustrative embodiment of the invention the catalytic coating is a noble metal or non-noblemetal coating. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a high surface area form of platinum (Platinum Black) is deposited upon a ceramic substrate, such as a substrate comprised of SiC or SnO 2 . The coating is brought to its activation temperature by resistively heating the substrate with an electrical current. A temperature sensing device (20, 40), such as a thermocouple or a thermostat, may be coupled to the catalyst structure for sensing the temperature of the catalyst to control the heater current supplied to the substrate. The catalyst is shown to be useful for CO 2 gas lasers.
Inventors
- 👤 Wayde H. Affleck
- 👤 Thomas P. Moser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:10
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01J; B01J12/00; B01J12/007; H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A catalytic apparatus for catalyzing, within a flow of gas, the combination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 , comprising: an electrically conductive ceramic substrate; and a coating comprised of a catalytic material deposited upon and thermally coupled to said substrate, said coating catalyzing, the combination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 within a flow of gas in contact with said coating; and wherein said substrate has an electrical resistance such that an electrical current passed through said substrate resistively heats said substrate for heating said coating to a temperature which is approximately equal to an activation temperature of said coating.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
A catalytic apparatus for catalyzing, within a flow of gas, the combination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 , comprising: an electrically conductive ceramic substrate; and a coating comprised of a catalytic material deposited upon and thermally coupled to said substrate, said coating catalyzing, the combination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 within a flow of gas in contact with said coating; and wherein said substrate has an electrical resistance such that an electrical current passed through said substrate resistively heats said substrate for heating said coating to a temperature which is approximately equal to an activation temperature of said coating.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A catalytic apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further comprising: means for providing electrical current to said substrate for heating said coating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A catalytic apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said substrate has a circular cylindrical shape and further comprises a pair of electrical terminals coupled thereto for coupling said substrate to said current providing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A catalytic apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said catalytic apparatus further comprises a temperature sensing means thermally coupled thereto for sensing the temperature of said coating, said temperature sensing means having an output signal a magnitude of which is related to said temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A catalytic apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said coating comprises Platinum Black deposited upon an outer surface of said substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A catalytic apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of SiC and SnO 2 and wherein said coating comprises a noble metal deposited at least upon an outer surface of said substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
A catalytic apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said catalytic apparatus further comprises a temperature sensing means comprising means for determining a magnitude of a voltage and a current applied to said substrate such that the resistance of the substrate is determined, the resistance being a function of temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
98 words
A directly heated catalyst for catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 in a flowing gas CO 2 laser, comprising: an electrically conductive ceramic substrate having an electrical resistance; a coating comprised of a catalytic material overlying and thermally coupled to said substrate, said coating catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 within a flow of laser gas in contact with said coating; and means for supplying current to said substrate for resistively heating said substrate whereby said coating is heated at least to an activation temperature of said coating.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
A directly heated catalyst for catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 in a flowing gas CO 2 laser, comprising: an electrically conductive ceramic substrate having an electrical resistance; a coating comprised of a catalytic material overlying and thermally coupled to said substrate, said coating catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 within a flow of laser gas in contact with said coating; and means for supplying current to said substrate for resistively heating said substrate whereby said coating is heated at least to an activation temperature of said coating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A catalyst as defined in claim 8 and further comprising: means for controlling an amount of current supplied to said substrate for maintaining said coating at an elevated temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A catalyst as defined in claim 9 wherein said substrate has a circular cylindrical shape and further comprises a pair of electrical terminals coupled thereto for coupling said substrate to said current providing means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A catalyst as defined in claim 8 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic material and wherein said coating comprises Platinum Black deposited upon an outer surface of said substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A catalyst as defined in claim 8 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of SiC and SnO 2 and wherein said coating comprises catalytic material deposited upon an outer surface of said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
A catalyst as defined in claim 8 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic material selected from a group consisting of SiC and SnO 2 and wherein said coating comprises a catalytic material selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, manganese, magnesium, nickel and copper.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A catalyst as defined in claim 8 wherein said catalyst further comprises a temperature sensing means thermally coupled thereto for sensing the temperature of said substrate, said temperature sensing means having an output signal the magnitude of which is related to said temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
173 words
A flowing gas laser, comprising: means for containing a flow of gas comprising CO 2 , at least a portion of said containing means defining a resonant cavity structure; means for flowing said gas through said containing means; means, coupled to said resonant cavity structure, for energizing the CO 2 for causing the CO 2 to emit laser radiation, said energizing means disassociating some of the CO 2 gas into CO and O 2 ; said laser further comprising: a directly heated catalyst for catalyzing the recombination of the CO and O 2 into CO 2 , said catalyst comprising: an electrically conducting ceramic substrate having an electrical resistance associated therewith; a coating comprised of a catalytic material overlying and thermally coupled to said substrate, said coating catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 , said catalyst being disposed within the flow of said gas; and means for supplying current to said substrate for resistively heating said substrate whereby said coating is heated at least to its activation temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
173 words
A flowing gas laser, comprising: means for containing a flow of gas comprising CO 2 , at least a portion of said containing means defining a resonant cavity structure; means for flowing said gas through said containing means; means, coupled to said resonant cavity structure, for energizing the CO 2 for causing the CO 2 to emit laser radiation, said energizing means disassociating some of the CO 2 gas into CO and O 2 ; said laser further comprising: a directly heated catalyst for catalyzing the recombination of the CO and O 2 into CO 2 , said catalyst comprising: an electrically conducting ceramic substrate having an electrical resistance associated therewith; a coating comprised of a catalytic material overlying and thermally coupled to said substrate, said coating catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 , said catalyst being disposed within the flow of said gas; and means for supplying current to said substrate for resistively heating said substrate whereby said coating is heated at least to its activation temperature.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A laser as defined in claim 15 and further comprising: means for controlling an amount of current supplied to said substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
A laser as defined in claim 16 wherein said catalyst further comprises a temperature sensing means thermally coupled thereto for sensing the temperature of said catalyst, said temperature sensing means having an output signal a magnitude of which is related to said temperature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
A laser as defined in claim 15 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of SiC and SnO 2 and wherein said coating comprises Platinum Black deposited upon an outer surface of said substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
A laser as defined in claim 15 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of SiC and SnO 2 and wherein said coating comprises palladium deposited upon an outer surface of said substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
A laser as defined in claim 15 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic material selected from a group consisting of SiC and SnO 2 and wherein said coating comprises a catalytic material selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, manganese, magnesium, nickel and copper.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of operating a flowing gas laser, comprising the steps of: containing a flow of gas, the gas comprising CO 2 ; flowing the gas through the containing means, at least a portion of the containing means defining a resonant cavity structure; energizing the CO 2 within the resonant cavity structure for causing the CO 2 to emit laser radiation, the step of energizing disassociating some of the CO 2 gas into CO and O 2 ; the method further comprising the steps of: directly heating a catalyst for catalyzing the recombination of the CO and O 2 into CO 2 , the step of directly heating the catalyst comprising the steps of: providing an electrically conducting ceramic substrate having an electrical resistance associated therewith, the substrate being coated with a catalytic material overlying and thermally coupled to the substrate, the coating for catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 , the catalyst being disposed within the gas flow; and supplying current to the substrate for resistively heating the substrate whereby the temperature of the coating is elevated at least to an activation temperature of the coating.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of operating a flowing gas laser, comprising the steps of: containing a flow of gas, the gas comprising CO 2 ; flowing the gas through the containing means, at least a portion of the containing means defining a resonant cavity structure; energizing the CO 2 within the resonant cavity structure for causing the CO 2 to emit laser radiation, the step of energizing disassociating some of the CO 2 gas into CO and O 2 ; the method further comprising the steps of: directly heating a catalyst for catalyzing the recombination of the CO and O 2 into CO 2 , the step of directly heating the catalyst comprising the steps of: providing an electrically conducting ceramic substrate having an electrical resistance associated therewith, the substrate being coated with a catalytic material overlying and thermally coupled to the substrate, the coating for catalyzing the recombination of CO and O 2 into CO 2 , the catalyst being disposed within the gas flow; and supplying current to the substrate for resistively heating the substrate whereby the temperature of the coating is elevated at least to an activation temperature of the coating.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined in claim 21 and further comprising a step of controlling an amount of current supplied to the substrate for maintaining the coating at the elevated temperature.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 21 wherein the step of providing a substrate provides a substrate comprised of a ceramic material selected from the group consisting of SiC and SnO 2 .
Claim 28
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of fabricating a catalytic structure, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate, the substrate being comprised of an electrically conductive ceramic material; and forming a coating upon at least an outer surface of the substrate, the coating being comprised of a material for catalyzing the recombination of CO 2 from CO and O 2 at a temperature equal to or greater than an activation temperature of the coating.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of fabricating a catalytic structure, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate, the substrate being comprised of an electrically conductive ceramic material; and forming a coating upon at least an outer surface of the substrate, the coating being comprised of a material for catalyzing the recombination of CO 2 from CO and O 2 at a temperature equal to or greater than an activation temperature of the coating.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the step of forming a coating is accomplished by an electrodeposition technique.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the step of forming a coating is accomplished by an incipient wetness technique.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the step of forming a coating is accomplished by a precipitation and baking technique.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 24 and further comprising a step of conditioning the catalytic structure by heating the catalytic structure to a predetermined temperature while maintaining the catalytic structure in an atmosphere comprised substantially of helium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the step of providing a substrate is accomplished by providing a substrate which comprises silicon carbide or tin oxide.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the coating comprises platinum black, palladium, manganese, magnesium, nickel or copper.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-18 | 1993-03-20 | 1993-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-18 | 1997-03-20 | 1997-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-18 | 2001-03-20 | 2001-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |