Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

Maurice F Roett

Karl T Chuang

Francis William Lemon

A gaseous hydrogen and oxygen combining and condensing device comprising an inverted cup-shaped casing having a partition dividing the casing into an upper, condensing chamber a lower, catalyst chamber and a heat conducting assembly for conducting heat from the condensing chamber. The catalyst chamber being partially filled with a catalyst assembly comprising at least one catalyst support coated with a porous matrix of polytetrafluoroethylene and exposed, partially platinized high surface area carbon particles dispersed throughout the porous matrix in the weight ratio of the order of 1.5:1 to of the order of 6:1 polytetrafluoroethylene to partially platinized high surface area carbon particles. The catalyst assembly has a reduction in the loss of activity in contact with liquid water, when compared with known catalysts, so that liquid water drains over the catalyst assembly as a coolant without loss of activity of the catalyst and reducing the risk of hot spots occuring in the catalyst which can cause an explosion.

Gaseous hydrogen and oxygen combining and condensing device

Gaseous hydrogen and oxygen are combined in an upwardly extending casing containing a catalytic assembly in an intermediate portion of the casing with means for distributing hydrogen gas in the catalytic assembly, distributing cooling water and oxygen feeds downwardly from a top portion of the casing on to the catalytic assembly and draining water from a bottom portion of the casing is recirculated. Combined oxygen and hydrogen entrained in the draining water are extracted by tapping water from the recirculating draining water. The catalyst assembly comprises high surface area, porous supports with platinum in the pores and a polytetrafluoroethylene coating over the supports, the platinum particles comprising about 0.1 to about 0.5 weight % of the total weight of the supports, platinum and polytetrafluoroethylene, and the polytetrafluoroethylene comprises about 2 to about 4 weight % of the total weight of support, platinum and polytetrafluoroethylene. Preferably the catalyst assembly has hydrophilic packing interspersed with the porous supports.

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Calgary, Canada

Maurice F Roett