Method and apparatus for the production of nitric oxide gas mixture
AssigneeThe BOC Group, Inc.
InventorLien-Lung Sheu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A therapeutic oxygen-nitric oxide gas mixture is produced by passing air, oxygen-enriched air or air containing a small amount of ammonia over a noble metal catalyst at an elevated temperature. The product gas containing nitric oxide and a small amount of nitrogen dioxide is passed through a bed of an adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs nitrogen dioxide to produce nitric oxide-containing air suitable for administering to humans as an inhalant.
Claims15
A method of producing a continuous stream of nitric oxide-containing inhalant gas suitable for treatment of medical conditions, comprising the steps:
- (a) contacting a feed gas comprising oxygen and nitrogen, oxygen and ammonia or oxygen, nitrogen and ammonia with a Group VIII noble metal catalyst which effects the reaction of ammonia and oxygen to form nitric oxide at a temperature in the range of about 300.degree. to about 1200.degree. C., thereby producing a gas mixture containing nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide;
- (b) passing said gas mixture through a bed of adsorbent which preferentially adsorbs nitrogen dioxide, thereby producing a substantially continuous stream of substantially nitrogen dioxide-free nitric oxide-containing product gas.
Apparatus for providing a continuous stream of oxygen-nitric oxide gas mixture to a patient comprising:
- (a) a catalytic chamber containing a Group VIII noble metal catalyst which converts a feed mixture comprising oxygen and nitrogen, oxygen and ammonia or oxygen, nitrogen and ammonia to nitric oxide at a reactive temperature in the range of about 300.degree. to about 1200.degree. C., said catalytic chamber having a gas inlet for feed gas and a gas outlet for nitric oxide-containing product gas;
- (b) means for heating said feed gas to said reactive temperature;
- (c) an adsorption vessel for purifying said nitric oxide-containing product gas by removing nitrogen dioxide therefrom, said adsorption vessel containing an adsorbent which more strongly adsorbs nitrogen dioxide than nitrogen, oxygen and nitric oxide, and having a gas inlet in fluid communication with the gas outlet of said catalytic chamber and a gas outlet for purified nitric oxide-containing product gas;
- (d) dispensing means in fluid communication with said gas outlet for purified converted gas for administering purified nitric oxide-containing product gas to a patient;
- and
- (e) means for moving gas through said catalytic chamber, said adsorption vessel and said dispensing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.