Patent Number: 051679086
Section: claims

1. Apparatus for removing hydrogen from an atmosphere having a mixture of gases, said apparatus including a housing and a catalyst system that catalyzes the oxidation of hydrogen in an exothermic reaction, said housing having at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening, said apparatus characterized by the improvement comprising A. first seal means sealing said openings gas tight, said first seal means opening as a function of a predetermined first response temperature,  B. gas permeable filter system, substantially impermeable to aerosols and grease, said filter system being disposed in said housing in such a way that after opening of said first seal means, the gases or gas mixtures entering said inlet opening reach the catalyst system only after passing through said filter system,  C. at least one additional opening provided in said housing, so arranged relative to said housing that said catalyst system, after opening of a second seal means, is exposed without interposition of said filter system, directly to the flow of said gases or gas mixtures, and  D. said second seal means sealing said additional opening gas tight, said second seal means opening as a function of a predetermined second response temperature, said predetermined second response temperature being higher than said predetermined first response temperature.  A. said housing being gas-tight except at said openings, said openings being arranged such that a gas flow of said atmosphere therein between said openings passes through said housing,  B. first seal means having initially a sealing condition for sealing said openings gas-tight, and assuming a release condition for opening said inlet and said outlet openings in response to a predetermined first response temperature,  C. said catalyst means being located in said housing exposed to the path of said gas flow between said inlet and said outlet openings,  D. gas permeable filter means substantially impermeable to aerosols and grease, said filter means being disposed across the path of said flow of gases to said catalyst means from said inlet opening, and  E. means for exposing said catalyst means selectively to atmospheric gas, without interposition of said filter means, said exposing means initially having a first condition in which gas flow traverses said filter means before contacting said catalyst means, said exposing means assuming a second condition in response to a predetermined second response temperature, and exposing, when in said second condition, said catalyst means to said gas flow without interposition of said filter means.  A. said filter means is arranged to have different positions relative to catalyst when in said first and second conditions,  B. said exposing means comprises a releasable element, said releasable element releasing said filter means from a position in said first condition, in response to said predetermined second response temperature, to a position in said second condition in which said gas flows to said catalyst means without interposition of said filter means.  A. said catalyst means is arranged to have different positions relative to said filter means when in said first and second conditions,  B. said exposing means comprises a disposing means, said disposing means disposing said catalyst means from a position in said first condition, in response to said predetermined second response temperature, to a position in said second condition in which said gas flows to said catalyst means without interposition of said filter means. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by said housing being divided into at least one filter chamber and one catalyst chamber, and by said inlet opening being provided in the vicinity of said filter chamber, and by said outlet opening and one additional opening being provided in the vicinity of said catalyst chamber, and by the position and area of said inlet opening and said outlet opening being selected so that after opening of said first seal means, as a result of natural convection, a flow is created through said inlet opening, said filter chamber containing said filter system, said catalyst chamber, and said outlet opening. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized by the housing, made essentially parallelepipedic, having said filter chambers at its two ends, and between them, said catalyst chamber. 4. Apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized by the housing being subdivided by coarse-mesh nets into said filter chamber and said catalyst chamber. 5. Apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized by said housing being arranged for normally upright orientation and having a relatively upper wall portion and a relatively lower wall portion, said housing having said outlet opening in said upper wall portion and said inlet opening in said lower wall portion. 6. Apparatus according to claim 2, further characterized by said inlet opening, in said filter chamber, being covered by a relatively coarse filter means and the remainder of the filter chamber being filled with relatively fine, corrugated filter films. 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, further characterized by said relatively coarse filter means having a separation efficiency of about 80% for aerosols and grease particles, while said relatively fine filter films have a separation efficiency of 90 to 99%. 8. Apparatus according to claim 6, further characterized by said fine filter films being provided with holes, said holes of two adjacent filter films being arranged staggered with respect to one another. 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by said first seal means comprising a cover plate, applied externally to the corresponding opening, said cover plate being soldered all the way around to housing by a solder that melts at said predetermined first response temperature, with tensioned springs being placed between said cover plate and housing wall, said springs pushing said cover plates away from said housing when said solder melts. 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by an additional opening being provided in the bottom of said housing in the vicinity of said catalyst chamber. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, further characterized by said second seal means comprising a plate applied externally to said additional opening and soldered all the way around with a second solder whose melting point determines said second response temperature, with tensioned springs being interposed between said plate and said housing, said springs forcing said plate away from said housing when said second solder melts. 12. Apparatus according to claim 10, further characterized by the second seal means having at least one flap pivotably articulated to said housing, said flap being soldered at least partially to said housing by means of a second solder whose melting point determines said second response temperature, and is openable by interposed tensioned springs when said second solder melts. 13. Apparatus according to claim 12, further characterized by the side of said flap which faces inward, prior to said second response temperature, being coated with said catalyst material. 14. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by the housing having a frame of angle iron to which the panels forming the external housing walls are fastened in a gas-tight manner, preferably by soldering or welding. 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, further characterized by at least some of the panels forming said external housing walls being coated on their insides with catalyst material. 16. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by said catalyst system comprising one or more catalyst elements which are fastened by flexible retaining means to said housing in such a fashion that after opening of said second seal, said catalyst elements drop out of said catalyst chamber to a distance which is determined by the length of said flexible retaining means. 17. Apparatus according to claim 1, further characterized by said housing being provided with means for generating and maintaining an inert gas atmosphere inside said housing at a pressure which is higher than that of the atmosphere surrounding said housing. 18. Apparatus for removing hydrogen from an atmosphere having a mixture of gases, said apparatus including a housing and a catalyst means that catalyzes the oxidation of hydrogen in an exothermic reaction, said housing having at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening, said apparatus characterized by the improvement comprising 19. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized in that 20. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized by said exposing means comprising at least one additional opening in said housing and a second seal means sealing said additional opening gas tight, said second seal means opening as a function of said predetermined second response temperature and opening said additional opening, wherein said additional opening is so arranged relative to said housing that said catalyst means, after opening of said additional opening, is exposed without interposition of said filter system, directly to the flow of said gases. 21. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized in that 22. Apparatus according to claim 21, further characterized by said catalyst means comprising one or more catalyst elements which are fastened by flexible retaining means to said housing in such a fashion that after being disposed by said disposing means, said catalyst elements drop out of said housing to a distance which is determined by the length of said flexible retaining means. 23. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized by said housing being provided with means for generating and maintaining an inert gas atmosphere inside said housing at a pressure which is higher than that of the atmosphere surrounding said housing. 24. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized by said housing having a vertically-extending body with vertically spaced openings, said vertically spaced openings arranged in said housing so as to create a chimney effect whereby a convection flow of gases created by the exothermic catalytic reaction is increased. 25. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized by said exposing means exposing said catalyst means in response to a temperature greater than a temperature at which said first seal means assume said release condition. 26. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized by said first seal means comprising a cover plate, applied externally to the corresponding opening, said cover plate being soldered all the way around to housing by a solder that melts at said predetermined first response temperature. 27. Apparatus according to claim 18, further characterized by said filter means having a separation efficiency of greater than about 80% for aerosols and grease particles.