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US 2003/0154857 A1Published application
Separation of metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere of a closed habitable environment
OwnerKaren Murdochinventor
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OwnerKaren Murdochinventor
Estimating the term…
A high capacity carbon dioxide (CO2) separation membrane is operative to separate CO2 from oxygen in a closed habitable environment, such as a space suit or a space station. The membrane is a porous hydrophilic material which is impregnated with a solution of a low vapor pressure hygroscopic solvent containing an alkali metal carbonate solute. The solution is relatively impermeable to oxygen whereby minimal amounts of oxygen will pass through the membrane. The driving force used to cause the carbon dioxide to diffuse through the membrane can be the low pressure or vacuum of space on the exit side of the membrane, or can be the result of a positive pressure sweep gas stream flowing by the membrane over a side thereof opposite to the habitable environment. The partial pressure of carbon dioxide on the entry side of the membrane is significantly higher that the partial pressure of carbon dioxide on the exit side of the membrane. The alkali metal carbonate in the solution converts to the bicarbonate form due to the presence of carbon dioxide and water vapor on the higher CO2 partial pressure entry side of the membrane, and then converts back to the carbonate form upon releasing carbon dioxide on the lower CO2 partial pressure exit side of the membrane.
A membrane assembly for removing metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) from a habitable environment, said membrane assembly comprising a porous hydrophilic membrane, pores of which contain a low vapor pressure hygroscopic solvent having an alkali metal carbonate compound dissolved therein.
A method for removing metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) from an air stream derived from a closed habitable environment so as to produce a lower CO2 concentration in said air stream, said method comprising:
A method for removing metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) from an air stream which contains oxygen (O2) and metabolic CO2, which air stream is derived from a closed habitable environment, said method comprising:
A system for removing metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) from an air stream which is derived from a closed habitable environment, said system comprising:
A solution for removing metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) from an air stream which air stream is derived from a closed habitable environment, said solution comprising a low vapor pressure hygroscopic solvent having an alkali metal carbonate compound dissolved therein.
A method for preparing a membrane assembly which is useful for removing metabolic carbon dioxide (CO2) from an air stream which is derived from a habitable environment, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.