Apparatus for catalytic decomposition of nitrous oxide in a gas stream
AssigneeMedclair AB
InventorsIstván Szabó, Jerker Sundling, Tomas Nyberg
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for catalytic decomposition of nitrous oxide in a gas stream derived from exhalation air from a patient. The apparatus (1) comprises an inlet arrangement (2) with a gas inlet (3) for the exhalation air, an outlet arrangement (11) with a gas outlet (12) for an outlet gas, and between these arrangements a through-flow decomposition chamber (9) containing a catalyst material. According to the invention the apparatus is provided with a nitrous oxide adsorption/desorption means (4) in the inlet arrangement (2) for level out variations in the concentration of nitrous oxide fed to the decomposition chamber (9).
Claims5
An apparatus for catalytic decomposition of nitrous oxide in a gas stream derived from exhalation air from a patient, said apparatus comprises:
- a) an inlet arrangement with a gas inlet for the exhalation air,
- b) an outlet arrangement with a gas outlet for an outlet gas, and between these arrangements
- c) a through-flow decomposition chamber containing a catalyst material promoting the decomposition of nitrous oxide to N2 and O2,
- wherein the apparatus further comprises a control unit for controlling and monitoring the temperature and flow of the gas stream in the through-flow decomposition chamber and, in the flow direction of the gas stream from gas inlet and before the through-flow decomposition chamber, a fan, a flow meter, a heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from the outlet gas to the exhalation air, and an electrical heater, and
- wherein the inlet arrangement comprises at least one nitrous oxide adsorption/desorption means comprising a container filled with activated carbon or zeolite for adsorbing/desorbing nitrous oxide to level out variations in the concentration of nitrous oxide fed to the decomposition chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.