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Abstract

A ceramic honeycomb nitrogen purification device is provided including a source gas, a set of gaseous nitrogen passages, a set of oxygen disposal passages, an electroded oxygen conducting ceramic membrane, an electrical power source, an oxygen sensor, and nitrogen purification control circuitry. The source gas includes gaseous nitrogen. The set of gaseous nitrogen passages defines respective source nitrogen input openings and purified nitrogen output openings. The set of oxygen disposal passages defines disposed oxygen output openings, wherein a plurality of the gaseous nitrogen passages are exclusively dedicated to individual ones of the oxygen disposal passages. The electroded oxygen conducting ceramic membrane includes a ceramic body defining the set of gaseous nitrogen passages and the set of oxygen disposal passages in the form of first and second sets of substantially parallel passages and including a plurality of electrode surfaces disposed in the gaseous nitrogen passages and the oxygen disposal passages, the oxygen disposal passages being separated from respective ones of the set of gaseous nitrogen passages by the electroded surfaces of the oxygen conducting ceramic membrane. The electrical power source is coupled to the electroded oxygen conducting ceramic membrane and arranged such that the electroded surfaces comprise cathodes in the gaseous nitrogen passages and anodes in the oxygen disposal passages. The oxygen sensor is in fluid communication with the purified nitrogen output openings. The nitrogen purification control circuitry is arranged to optimize current and voltage generated by the power source by switching from a current control mode to a voltage control mode when the oxygen sensor signal indicates a decrease in oxygen content of gas passing through the purified nitrogen output openings below a predetermined level.

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First Claim