Patent ID: 7618600

Claim:
An apparatus for providing substantially ammonia-free hydrogen, comprising: a gas purification chamber comprising two or more gas permeable separation barriers, wherein the barriers are about parallel to each other and span a cross-section of the gas purification chamber and dividing the chamber into at least two interior zones and a gas inlet in fluid communication therewith through which a stream of hydrogen gas contaminated with trace amounts of ammonia may be introduced into the gas purification chamber; first and second getter compounds comprising cobalt nitrate and lithium hydride, wherein the hydrogen gas stream contacts the cobalt nitrate first and then contacts the lithium hydride, and wherein each of the first and second getter compounds is separately contained within one of the at least two interior zones of the gas purification chamber as a finely divided, loosely packed powder, the hydrogen gas passing through each of the loosely packed powders, wherein the first and second getter compounds chemically react with the small amounts of ammonia thereby removing the ammonia from the hydrogen gas; and a gas outlet in fluid communication with the gas purification chamber through which ammonia-free hydrogen gas can be released from the chamber.