US2004031314A1PendingUtilityA1

Hydrogen odorants and odorant selection method

38
Priority: Aug 13, 2002Filed: Aug 11, 2003Published: Feb 19, 2004
Est. expiryAug 13, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Patrick J. FlynnMichael J. Sprague
G01M 3/20C11B 9/0023C11B 9/0015C01B 3/00G01M 3/226C11B 9/0007Y02E60/32
38
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Claims

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for evaluating the properties of hydrogen to improve the safety of hydrogen fuel, and provides a method for selecting proper odorants for hydrogen. Odorized hydrogen containing suitable odorants in appropriate concentrations with hydrogen are also provided.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hydrogen composition comprising: 
 hydrogen gas; and    an odorant, said odorant having a vapor pressure greater than 0.5 psi, having a smell detectable at less than 1 ppm by a human nose, and being in a vapor phase at detectable concentration at a pressure of 6000 psi.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant is a selenium compound.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said selenium compound is ethylselenol.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said selenium compound is dimethylselenol.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant is methylamine.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant is trimethylamine.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said gaseous composition consists essentially of hydrogen gas and said odorant.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant comprises 0.01 to 1000 ppm of said composition.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant comprises 0.1 to 40 ppm of said composition.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant is not harmful to humans.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said odorant has a minimum olfactory power of 7.0, a minimum vapor pressure of 0.5 psi at standard temperature and pressure, a minimum diffusivity of 0.01147 cm 2 /s, and a maximum molecular weight of 200 g/mol.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant is an oxygen compound.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant is a nitrogen compound.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said odorant is a sulfur compound.  
     
     
         15 . A method for detecting a hydrogen gas leak from a container comprising; 
 providing a container containing a hydrogen composition; and    detecting a leak from said container when the smell of an odorant present in said hydrogen composition is sensed, wherein said hydrogen composition comprises hydrogen and said odorant, said odorant having a vapor pressure greater than 0.5 psi, having a smell detectable at less than 1 ppm by a human nose, and being in a vapor phase at detectable concentration at a pressure of 6000 psi.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is a selenium compound.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said selenium compound is ethylselenol.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said selenium compound is dimethylselenol.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is methylamine.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is trimethylamine.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said gaseous composition consists essentially of hydrogen gas and said odorant.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant comprises 0.01 to 1000 ppm of said composition.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant comprises 0.1 to 40 ppm of said composition.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is not harmful to humans.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is sensed by a human.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is sensed by a detecting device.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said odorant has a minimum olfactory power of 7.0, a minimum vapor pressure of 0.5 psi at standard temperature and pressure, a minimum diffusivity of 0.01147 cm 2 /s, and a maximum molecular weight of 200 g/mol.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is an oxygen compound.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is a nitrogen compound.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said odorant is a sulfur compound.  
     
     
         31 . A method of making a hydrogen composition comprising: 
 providing hydrogen gas; and    mixing an odorant with said hydrogen gas to form said hydrogen composition, said odorant having a vapor pressure greater than 0.5 psi, having a smell detectable at less than 1 ppm by a human nose, and being in a vapor phase at detectable concentration at a pressure of 6000 psi.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant is a selenium compound.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said selenium compound is ethylselenol.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said selenium compound is dimethylselenol.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant is methylamine.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant is trimethylamine.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said gaseous composition consists essentially of hydrogen gas and said odorant.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant comprises 0.01 to 1000 ppm of said composition.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant comprises 0.1 to 40 ppm of said composition.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant is not harmful to humans.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said odorant has a minimum olfactory power of 7.0, a minimum vapor pressure of 0.5 psi at standard temperature and pressure, a minimum diffusivity of 0.01147 cm 2 /s, and a maximum molecular weight of 200 g/mol.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant is an oxygen compound.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant is a nitrogen compound.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said odorant is a sulfur compound.

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