Method and apparatus for the continuous capturing and removal of gas molecules

A filtration device for removing vapor molecules which cause odors from an air stream comprising:

• a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber;
• an air flow path through the first chamber of said housing for the air stream;
• a fibrous wicking material having a plurality of strands which are disposed in the first chamber to intercept the air flow path and which extend into the second chamber;
• said plurality of strands each having a hollow internal region connected to an outer surface through at least one longitudinally extending opening;
• an air borne vapor absorbing liquid disposed in the hollow internal regions of said plurality of strands and communicating through said longitudinally extending openings in said plurality of strands with the air stream following the air flow path through the first chamber;
• means for directing said air stream into contact with said air borne vapor absorbing liquid along said longitudinally extending openings whereby said air borne vapor absorbing liquid absorbs odor causing vapors molecules through said longitudinally extending openings;
• and,
• a stripping air stream directed through the second chamber of said housing to pass through the portion of said fibrous wicking material extending into the second chamber to strip vapor molecules absorbed by said air borne vapor absorbing liquid.

A method for continuously removing a specific type of gas molecules from a first gas stream comprising the steps of:

• a. selecting a liquid which has an affinity for the specific type of gas molecules to be removed;
• b. placing the selected liquid on a mat formed from a plurality of wicking fibers which have the ability to move the selected liquid along their surface yet retain the selected liquid within longitudinally extending channels having longitudinally extending openings against moving into the space between the individual wicking fibers;
• c. directing the first gas stream through a portion of the mat into contact with the selected liquid along the longitudinally extending openings whereby the selected liquid absorbs the specific type of gas molecules;
• d. directing a second gas stream through a different portion of the mat so that the specific type of gas molecules, which have been absorbed by and disbursed through out the selected liquid, are stripped and carried away.