Nanoparticle filtering environmental control units
AssigneeMade In Space, Inc.
InventorMichael Snyder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Environmental control units are disclosed. In an aspect, an environmental control unit for use with additive manufacturing and other VOC and particle emitting processes are disclosed. In an aspect, an environmental control unit comprising one or more filters, an air handler, a temperature control device, one or more sensors and a control unit is disclosed.
Claims21
An extrusion-based additive manufacturing device comprising an environmental control unit, the environmental control unit comprising:
- at least one filter within an enclosed additive manufacturing build volume to capture at least one of volatile organic compounds and nanoparticles generated by operation of the additive manufacturing device;
- an air handier configured to drive atmosphere contained within the build volume of the additive manufacturing device through the at least one filter;
- a temperature control device;
- at least one sensor;
- and
- a control unit in electrical communication with the air handler, the temperature control device and a sensor.
An additive manufacturing device environmental control unit adapted to capture an emission generated from additive manufacturing, the environmental control unit comprising:
- an air handler to drive atmosphere within an enclosed build volume;
- at least one filter, located within the enclosed build volume, in circulation communication with the air handler;
- a temperature control device;
- at least one sensor;
- and
- a control unit in electrical communication with the air handler, the temperature control device and the at least one sensor.
A method of capturing a nanoparticle generated by operation of an extrusion-based additive manufacturing device, the method comprising:
- providing an environmental control unit comprising:
- an air handler;
- a filter, located within a build volume of the additive manufacturing device, in circulation communication with the air handler;
- a temperature control device;
- one or more sensors;
- and
- a control unit in electrical communication with the air handler, the temperature control device and the one or more sensors;
- either
- drawing air front the additive manufacturing device construction volume into the air handler, which air handler is adapted to direct the air into the filter;
- or
- drawing air from outside the additive manufacturing device construction volume into the air handler, which air handler is adapted to direct the air into the filter;
- sensing with a sensor one or more of:
- the temperature inside the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- the humidity inside the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- the number of particles inside the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- the composition of particles inside the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- the composition of the air environment inside the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- and the amount of air circulating inside the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- controlling with the control unit one or more of:
- the temperature inside the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- the amount of air flowing through the air handler;
- and the time the air is drawn into the air handler;
- and
- either
- returning the air to the additive manufacturing device construction volume;
- or
- expelling the air from the additive manufacturing device construction volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.