摘要 |
A spacecraft-grade N2O4 product is produced by a method and apparatus which utilize catalytic oxidation of ammonia in a gas phase. The apparatus consists of an ammonia gas supply, an air supply, an air preheater, a catalyst screen converter, one or more condensers, an oxygen supply, a desiccant such as molecular sieves or silica gel, and a cooler/collector. The method includes combusting gaseous ammonia via the catalyst screen in the converter to produce nitric oxide and water. The nitric oxide is subsequently oxidized to form nitrogen dioxide after substantially all of the water produced in the converter has been separated. The nitrogen dioxide is then passed through the molecular sieves and/or silica gel to remove most of any remaining water and iron, and the purified nitrogen dioxide is frozen in the collector to allow the collection of nitrogen tetroxide.
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