Catalyst for the recombination of hydrogen with oxygen

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a novel catalyst and catalyst system specifically designed to safely recombine hydrogen and oxygen into water, even in the presence of large, potentially explosive hydrogen-oxygen mixtures such as might occur in nuclear reactor accidents. The catalyst features a self-limiting temperature mechanism: it passively prevents the reaction from ever exceeding the ignition temperature, thereby eliminating the risk of accidental ignition. The catalyst consists of a catalytically active noble metal embedded in a metal oxide matrix (e.g., molybdenum trioxide), which is only permeable to hydrogen and designed to automatically limit the reaction rate as temperature rises.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Safety systems in nuclear power plants to mitigate hydrogen build-up during accidents.
• Use in chemical plants where hydrogen is produced, stored, or transported and accidental leaks may occur.
• Industrial ventilation or exhaust systems to remove hydrogen from air in sensitive or enclosed spaces (such as garages, battery rooms, or labs).
• Integration into facilities handling other flammable gases where explosion suppression is critical.
• Deploying as part of passive safety retrofits for existing infrastructure with hydrogen risk.
• Portable recombinator devices for emergency response to hydrogen release incidents.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Prevents the formation of explosive hydrogen-oxygen mixtures by converting them into water without surpassing ignition temperature, greatly increasing safety.
• Operates passively without external intervention or power, ensuring reliability even during emergencies and system failures.
• Self-limiting mechanism ensures reaction heat never causes the catalyst to overheat or become an ignition source.
• Durable design—resistant to catalyst poisoning, with long shelf life and immediate functionality after long inactive periods.
• Efficient hydrogen removal—reacts quickly at full rate when needed but slows down automatically as it reaches safe temperatures.
• Scalable (can use multiple catalysts in series or parallel) and adaptable to various industrial configurations.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

Large quantities of explosive hydrogen-oxygen mixtures can be produced by leaks or accidents in technical plants, e.g. nuclear reactors. The invention relates to a catalyst, a catalyst system, an arrangement for recombining hydrogen with oxygen, and a method for producing a catalyst. The inventive catalyst is characterized in that the ignition point of the mixture is exceeded under no circumstances even though the catalyst works in a strictly passive manner without outside intervention and the recombination is an exothermal reaction. The basic idea is to design the catalyst such that the catalyst autonomously limits the activity thereof in accordance with the prevailing temperature.