Patent ID: 8187544

Claim:
A system for delivering nitric oxide to a patient, comprising: a gas source of nitrogen dioxide, dinitrogen tetraoxide, or nitric oxide; a first device having an inlet, an outlet, and a porous solid matrix positioned between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the porous solid matrix is coated with an aqueous solution of an antioxidant, and wherein the inlet is configured to receive a gas flow from the source and fluidly communicate the gas flow to the outlet through the porous solid matrix to convert nitrogen dioxide in the gas flow into nitric oxide; and a recuperator coupled to the outlet of the first device, the recuperator converting nitrogen dioxide into nitric oxide prior to delivery to the patient, wherein the recuperator includes a filter and the pressure drop across the recuperator is less than 3 cm of water when the gas flow is at 60 liters per minute, and wherein the recuperator comprises a nitrogen dioxide scavenger selected from the group consisting of proline, diphenylamine, a secondary amine or tertiary amine.