Diving bell heater and absorbent system
OwnerRichard William Longinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A unit for use in a diving bell to heat and remove carbon dioxide from the breathing gas in the bell. A blower circulates the atmosphere in the diving bell through a heat exchanger, which is heated by hot water from an installation on the surface. Part of the air is vented back into the bell atmosphere and part is passed through a scrubbing canister containing material which removes carbon dioxide from the gas. The unit is very compact and the scrubbing canister is readily replaceable for servicing. In the hot water system, provision is made for controlling the flow and for delivering hot water to divers having heated suits.
Claims9
A diving bell breathing gas heater and scrubber unit for installation in a diving bell and using hot water to heat the gas comprising:
- a housing having a bottom wall and an opening in the upper wall,
- said housing having a opening at one side of the lower wall for receiving ambient breathing gas therethrough for flow through said housing and out the upper opening,
- a blower mounted on said housng for blowing said gas through said side opening,
- heat exchanger means positioned in the lower portion of said housing for heating the said gas,
- said heat exchanger having an inlet and outlet with means for connection to a source of heated water external to the diving bell,
- a scrubber canister containing carbon dioxide absorbent material mounted in the top portion of the housing to receive said gas blown through the heat exchanger in the movement through the housing and out the upper opening,
- said housing having a side vent opening between the heat exchanger and the scrubber canister for venting part of the said gas away from passage through the scrubber canister,
- and said upper portion of said housing holding said scrubber canister being removable allowing said scrubber canister to be selectively removed and changed, whereby in a single installation air in a diving bell is continuously heated and re-heated and the carbon dioxide is removed.
The method of heating and removing carbon dioxide from breathing gas such as air that is introduced into a diving bell or that is circulated in a diving bell, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a housing within the diving bell,
- moving air by a blower from the bottom part of the housing out an opening in the top of the housing,
- heating the moving air in the bottom part of the housing by a hot water heat exchanger,
- removing carbon dioxide from the air by means of a carbon dioxide absorbent material positioned in the upper part of the housing,
- feeding hot water to the heat exchanger from a source external to the diving bell,
- venting of a portion of the heated air from the bottom part of the housing while passing the remaining portion of the heated air through the upper portion of the housing so that all the air passing through the bottom part of the housing does not have to pass through the carbon dioxide absorbent material if the material becomes clogged,
- and selectively removing the upper part of the housing containing the carbon dioxide absorbent material to replace the absorbent material in the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.