Dan N Fraenkel

US Patent:

6395070, May 28, 2002

Filed:

Apr 5, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/543246

Inventors:

Paul M. Bhadha - Cooper City FL
Tadaharu Watanabe - Boulder CO
Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. - Parsippany NJ

International Classification:

B01D 5304

US Classification:

95117, 95126, 95132, 95902, 502 78, 502 79

Abstract:

A method for removing trace moisture from a gas is disclosed. The method involves heating a zeolite having a high silica-to-alumina ratio to about 400Â C. to remove physically adsorbed water from the zeolite, followed by heating the zeolite to a temperature in excess of 650Â C. , to form a superheated zeolite. The superheated zeolite is contacted with the gas, thereby adsorbing water from the gas. A dehydroxylated zeolite for removing trace moisture from a gas wherein the zeolite has a high silica-to-alumina ratio and a low level of metallic impurities is also disclosed. A method for removing metallic impurities from a gas using the low metals zeolite is also disclosed. The zeolites and methods of the invention are particularly useful for removing trace water and trace metal impurities from acid gases such as hydrogen chloride and hydrogen bromide.

US Patent:

6425946, Jul 30, 2002

Filed:

Dec 26, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/748734

Inventors:

Hans H. Funke - Boulder CO
Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO
Virginia H. Houlding - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. - Longmont CO

International Classification:

B01D 5302

US Classification:

96108, 502416, 502519

Abstract:

Trace impurities such as organic compounds and carbon monoxide are reduced to sub-ppb levels in gases such as nitrogen, helium and argon, by gas purifying systems that contain an ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material. Ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon materials can be made from commercially available carbon materials in the form of pellets, extrudates and beads and is capable of removing impurities from a gas stream down to parts-per-billion (ppb) and sub-ppb levels without concurrently emitting other impurities such as moisture or carbon dioxide to the purified gas stream. The carbon material is superactivated by heating the carbon to temperatures from 300Â to about 800Â degrees C. in an ultra-dry, inert gas stream. The ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material is handled and stored in an environment that minimizes contamination from moisture and other oxygenated species in order to maintain its ppb and sub-ppb impurity removal and low emission properties. The ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material can be used as âstand-aloneâ purifier material or in combination with other scavenging materials that are capable of removing large quantities of impurities such as oxygen and moisture that are not removed or only marginally removed by the ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material.

US Patent:

6461411, Oct 8, 2002

Filed:

Sep 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/954239

Inventors:

Tadaharu Watanabe - Superior CO
Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas - Longmont CO

International Classification:

B01D 5304

US Classification:

95116, 95900, 502415

Abstract:

The invention provides an efficient process by which trace impurities are removed from matrix hydride, inert gases and non-reactive gases, thus decreasing the concentration of the trace gases by a factor of 100-to-10,000, and more specifically to part-per-billion (ppb) or part-per-trillion (ppt) levels. Hydride gases such as ammonia, phosphine and arsine, and inert gases such as nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, and argon are purified by removing trace contaminants such as silane (SiH ), hydrogen sulfide (H S) and germane (GeH ), along with traces of moisture. The gas purifier materials of this invention include thermally activated aluminas from organic sources, thermally activated modified organic alumina materials, and thermally activated modified aluminas from an inorganic source. The thermally activated alumina materials of this invention are activated by heating the alumina material at a temperature between about 200-1000Â C. in an inert atmosphere and maintaining the activated material in an inert atmosphere.

US Patent:

6526803, Mar 4, 2003

Filed:

Aug 31, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/388084

Inventors:

Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO
Gerald Cooper - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. - Longmont CO

International Classification:

G01N 3106

US Classification:

73 104

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for generating moisture standards in gases are disclosed. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for introducing a preselected amount of water vapor or other vaporized liquid into a flowing gas stream at a constant rate, which comprises a suitable syringe having a needle attached thereto; an evaporator attached to said needle, wherein the evaporator is located in the flowing gas stream; and a means for applying pressure to the syringe, such that water or other liquid may be delivered at a constant rate from the syringe through the needle into the evaporator. The invention also relates to a method for introducing a preselected amount of water vapor or other vaporized liquid into a flowing gas stream at a constant rate, which comprises providing a syringe having a needle attached thereto, wherein the syringe contains the water or other liquid to be vaporized; applying pressure to the syringe, such that water or other liquid is transferred at a constant rate from the syringe through the needle into an evaporator, said evaporator being attached to one end of the needle, and situated in the flowing gas stream; and allowing the water or other liquid to evaporate from the evaporator into the flowing gas stream. The apparatus and method of the invention are useful for the generation of low levels of moisture, and are especially useful where quick and reliable changes of moisture level in the gas is desired. Thus, the apparatus and method are useful in the generation of primary moisture standards for use in the calibration of moisture analyzing instruments, such as FTIR spectrometers.

US Patent:

6547861, Apr 15, 2003

Filed:

Feb 6, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/777741

Inventors:

Hans H. Funke - Boulder CO
Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO
Virginia H. Houlding - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas,, Inc. - Longmont CO

International Classification:

B01D 5302

US Classification:

96108, 502416, 502519

Abstract:

Trace impurities such as organic compounds and carbon monoxide in reactive fluids such as ammonia, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, and chlorine are reduced to sub-ppb levels using gas purifying systems that contain a preconditioned ultra-low emission (P-ULE) carbon. P-ULE is capable of removing impurities from a reactive fluid down to parts-per-billion (ppb) and sub-ppb levels without concurrently emitting other impurities such as moisture or carbon dioxide into the purified reactive fluid. The P-ULE carbon is prepared by heating a carbon material to temperatures from 300Â to about 800Â C. in an ultra-dry, inert gas stream, to produce an ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material, subjecting the ULE carbon to a second activation process under a reactive gas atmosphere to produce a P-ULE carbon and storing the P-ULE carbon in an environment that minimizes contamination of the P-ULE prior to its use in a gas purifier system.

US Patent:

6709482, Mar 23, 2004

Filed:

Oct 2, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/263134

Inventors:

Hans H. Funke - Boulder CO
Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO
Virginia H. Houlding - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. - Longmont CO

International Classification:

B01D 5302

US Classification:

95 8, 95117, 95139, 95140, 95143, 95901, 502418

Abstract:

Trace impurities such as organic compounds and carbon monoxide in reactive fluids such as ammonia, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, and chlorine are reduced to sub-ppb levels using gas purifying systems that contain a preconditioned ultra-low emission (P-ULE) carbon. P-ULE is capable of removing impurities from a reactive fluid down to parts-per-billion (ppb) and sub-ppb levels without concurrently emitting other impurities such as moisture or carbon dioxide into the purified reactive fluid. The P-ULE carbon is prepared by heating a carbon material to temperatures from 300Â C. to about 800Â C. in an ultra-dry, inert gas stream, to produce an ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material, subjecting the ULE carbon to a second activation process under a reactive gas atmosphere to produce a P-ULE carbon and storing the P-ULE carbon in an environment that minimizes contamination of the P-ULE prior to its use in a gas purifier system.

US Patent:

6710012, Mar 23, 2004

Filed:

Oct 2, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/263398

Inventors:

Hans H. Funke - Boulder CO
Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO
Virginia H. Houlding - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc, - Longmont CO

International Classification:

B01J 2118

US Classification:

502416, 502439, 502519, 73 2901, 53432

Abstract:

Trace impurities such as organic compounds and carbon monoxide are reduced to sub-ppb levels in gases such as nitrogen, helium and argon, by gas purifying systems that contain an ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material. Ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon materials is capable of removing impurities from a gas stream down to parts-per-billion (ppb) and sub-ppb levels without concurrently emitting other impurities such as moisture or carbon dioxide to the purified gas stream. The carbon material is superactivated by heating the carbon to temperatures between 300-800Â C. in an ultra-dry, inert gas stream. The ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material is handled and stored in an environment that minimizes contamination from moisture and other oxygenated species in order to maintain its ppb and sub-ppb impurity removal and low emission properties.

US Patent:

6720282, Apr 13, 2004

Filed:

Oct 2, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/263410

Inventors:

Hans H. Funke - Boulder CO
Dan Fraenkel - Boulder CO
Virginia H. Houlding - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. - Longmont CO

International Classification:

B01J 2720

US Classification:

502180, 502416

Abstract:

Trace impurities such as organic compounds and carbon monoxide in reactive fluids such as ammonia, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, and chlorine are reduced to sub-ppb levels using gas purifying systems that contain a preconditioned ultra-low emission (P-ULE) carbon. P-ULE is capable of removing impurities from a reactive fluid down to parts-per-billion (ppb) and sub-ppb levels without concurrently emitting other impurities such as moisture or carbon dioxide into the purified reactive fluid. The P-ULE carbon is prepared by heating a carbon material to temperatures from 300Â C. to about 800Â C. in an ultra-dry, inert gas stream, to produce an ultra-low emission (ULE) carbon material, subjecting the ULE carbon to a second activation process under a reactive gas atmosphere to produce a P-ULE carbon and storing the P-ULE carbon in an environment that minimizes contamination of the P-ULE prior to its use in a gas purifier system.