Regenerable carbon dioxide scrubber

A rebreather, comprising:

• a mouthpiece operatively connected to an inlet of a regenerable carbon dioxide scrubber;
• and
• an inhalation counter-lung (ICL) including an ICL-inlet and an ICL-outlet, the ICL-inlet is operatively connected to an outlet of the carbon dioxide scrubber and the ICL-outlet is operatively connected to the mouthpiece,
• wherein the regenerable carbon dioxide scrubber comprises:
• at least one housing compartment comprising an inlet, an outlet, and an interior region fluidly coupling the inlet and the outlet, wherein the at least one housing compartment is defined by a drop-stitch fabric comprising:
• a first exterior wall,
• a second exterior wall, wherein the first exterior wall is configured to be user-facing and the second exterior wall is configured to be environment-facing, and
• a plurality of drop-stitches mechanically connecting the first exterior wall and the second exterior wall, the plurality of drop-stitches defining a maximum gap between the first and second exterior walls to form an interior region having a substantially uniform maximum thickness, and to resist expansion or deformation of the housing compartment due to changes in internal pressure,
• an inlet manifold fully coupled to the inlet of the housing compartment, wherein the inlet manifold is configured to distribute airflow into the housing compartment such that the airflow is substantially uniform across substantially an entire cross-section of the housing compartment,
• a sorbent material located within the interior region of the first housing compartment;
• wherein the sorbent material attracts and/or retains carbon dioxide from an air supply passing through the sorbent material at an operating temperature below about 100° C., and releases carbon dioxide at a regenerating temperature above about 150° C.

A method of scrubbing carbon dioxide from a user's exhaled air using a regenerable carbon dioxide scrubber, the regenerable carbon dioxide scrubber comprising:

• at least one housing compartment comprising an inlet, an outlet, and an interior region fluidly coupling the inlet and the outlet, the at least one housing compartment is defined by a drop-stitch fabric comprising:
• a first exterior wall,
• a second exterior wall, wherein the first exterior wall is configured to be facing a user and the second exterior wall is configured to be environment-facing, and
• a plurality of drop-stitches mechanically connecting the first exterior wall and the second exterior wall, the plurality of drop-stitches defining a maximum gap between the first and second exterior walls to form an interior region having a substantially uniform maximum thickness, and to resist expansion or deformation of the housing compartment due to changes in internal pressure,
• an inlet manifold fully coupled to the inlet of the housing compartment, wherein the inlet manifold is configured to distribute airflow into the housing compartment such that the airflow is substantially uniform across substantially an entire cross-section of the housing compartment,
• wherein the at least one housing compartment is incorporated within or part of an article of clothing proximate or adjacent to the user, wherein the article of clothing is configured to be worn at least on one of a side of a torso of a user, a front of the torso of the user, a leg of the user, or a head of the user;
• and
• a sorbent material located within the interior region of the housing compartment;
• wherein
• the sorbent material attracts and/or retains carbon dioxide from an air supply passing through the sorbent material at an operating temperature below about 100° C., and releases carbon dioxide at a regenerating temperature above about 150° C.;
• the method comprising:
• receiving the user's exhaled air and directing the user's exhaled air into the at least one housing compartment, wherein the user's exhaled air has a first carbon dioxide concentration;
• and
• allowing the user's exhaled air to pass through the sorbent material and exit the at least one housing compartment via the outlet of the at least one housing compartment to provide a stream of carbon dioxide-scrubbed air, wherein the stream of carbon dioxide-scrubbed air has a second carbon dioxide concentration that is less than the first carbon dioxide concentration.