PROCESS AND APPARATUS TO PRECLUDE UNFILTERED ATMOSPHERIC GASES AND HUMAN RESPIRATION PRODUCTS INCLUDING CARBON-DIOXIDE WITH CARBON-14 FROM ENTERING CONTROLLED GREENHOUSE ATMOSPHERIC GASES

Abstract

This invention relates to a process and apparatus to preclude unfiltered atmospheric gases and the products of human respiration including carbon-dioxide (CO.sub.2) with carbon-14 (.sup.14C) from contaminating greenhouse atmospheric gases which has utility in growing agricultural products with a reduced abundance of .sup.14C. Agricultural products with reduced .sup.14C content can be grown in greenhouses with filtered atmospheric gases for the benefit of reducing harmful damage to human DNA. Agricultural production in greenhouses still requires humans to plant, maintain, and harvest crops in many cases. This invention provides a means for humans to access, work, and operate in these controlled environments without contaminating the atmospheric gases and agricultural products therein with respiration products and unfiltered atmospheric gases containing radioactive .sup.14C.

Claims

1. A method of precluding atmospheric gases and products of human respiration from contaminating the gases in a greenhouse comprising: a. an air supply line, b. an air return line, c. an air supply valve connected to said air supply line is provided in said greenhouse, d. an air return valve connected to said air return line is provided in said greenhouse, e. a flexible air supply tube connected to said air supply valve, f. a flexible air return tube connected to said air return valve, g. a respiration mask connected to said flexible air supply tube and said flexible air return tube, h. an air blower is connected to said air supply line, i. a means to circulate gases for human respiration from outside said greenhouse into said respiration mask, and return respiration products to outside, whereby human respiration in said respiration mask inside said greenhouse will utilize gases for human respiration provided by said air blower through said air supply line, via said air supply valve and said flexible air supply tube, and human respiration products generated in said respiration mask will be returned outside of said greenhouse through said air return line, via said flexible air supply tube and said air return valve.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: a. an air blower connected to said air return line whereby gaseous human respiration products within said air return line are forced to the outside of said greenhouse as exhaust.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: a. said air supply valve is a quick release valve, whereby said flexible air supply tube can be quickly disconnected from said air supply line.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: a. said air return valve is a quick release valve, whereby said flexible air return tube can be quickly disconnected from said air return line.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: a. an air supply solenoid valve is connected to said air supply line, b. an air return solenoid valve is connected to said air return line, whereby a leak in said air supply valve or said air return valve will allow outside gases into the greenhouse.

6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: a. a plurality of said air supply valves are connected to said air supply line in said greenhouse, b. a plurality of said air return valves are connected to said air return line in said greenhouse, whereby a human with said respiration mask can move to different locations in said greenhouse and connect said flexible air supply tube to said air supply valve and said flexible air return tube to said air return valves at various locations. Likewise, a plurality of humans with said respiration mask each can operate at different locations in said greenhouse by connecting said flexible air supply tube to said air supply valve and said flexible air return tube to said air return valve at different locations.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: a. an air supply valve connected to said air supply line is provided outside of said greenhouse, b. an air return valve connected to said air return line is provided outside of said greenhouse, whereby human respiration in said respiration mask can be tested before entering said greenhouse to ensure there are no leaks around said respiration mask, said air supply line, said air return line, said air supply valve, or said air return valve.

8. A method of precluding atmospheric gases and products of human respiration from contaminating the gases in a greenhouse comprising: a. an airlock is connected to said greenhouse, b. an airlock door is connected to said airlock, c. a greenhouse door is connected to said greenhouse inside of said airlock, d. an air inflow control valve is connected to said airlock, e. an air outflow control valve is connected to said airlock, f. an airlock blower is connected to said air inflow control valve, g. an air supply valve connected to said air supply line is provided in said airlock, h. an air return valve connected to said air return line is provided in said airlock, i. a means for gases in the airlock to be evacuated by simultaneously turning on said airlock blower and opening said air inflow control valve and air outflow control valve, whereby human respiration in said respiration mask inside said airlock will utilize gases for human respiration provided by said air blower through said air supply line, via said air supply valve and said flexible air supply tube, and human respiration products will be returned outside of said airlock through said air return line, via said flexible air supply tube and said air return valve. Furthermore, human respiration products entering said airlock through said airlock door from the outside will be evacuated by said airlock blower through said air outflow control valve and precluded from entering said greenhouse through said greenhouse door.

9. A method of precluding atmospheric gases and products of human respiration from contaminating the gases in a greenhouse comprising: a. an airlock is connected to said greenhouse, b. an airlock door is connected to said airlock, c. a greenhouse door is connected to said greenhouse inside of said airlock, d. a means for gases in the airlock to be evacuated, whereby said greenhouse can be accessed without contaminating the gases inside said greenhouse with atmospheric gases outside said greenhouse.

Description

DRAWINGS-FIGURES

[0017] FIG. 1 is a System Diagram for Precluding Unfiltered Atmospheric Gases and Human Respiration Products Including CO.sub.2 with .sup.14C from Entering Greenhouse Atmospheric Gases.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] FIG. 1. is a system diagram for precluding unfiltered atmospheric gases and human respiration products including CO.sub.2 with .sup.14C from entering greenhouse 1 atmospheric gases in accordance with the process designs and claims within the invention. An air blower 2 pulls atmospheric gases through an air filter 3 and into the air supply line 4 at a rate between 2.2 and 2.6 cubic feet per minute for each human respirator mask 5. This fresh air supply can be accessed for respiration by connecting a flexible air supply tube 6 to an air supply valve 7 which may be located outside, in the airlock 8, or within 1 at optionally a plurality of locations to support a plurality of either work sites or workers with 5 simultaneously. After human respiration, the exhaled respiration products are vented out of 5 into the flexible air return tube 9, through an air return valve 10, and into the air return line 11. The respiration products are then either pushed out by air pressure created by 2 or vented out with the assistance of an optional vent blower 12 and exits through an exhaust vent 13 into atmospheric gases. The respiring human wearing 5 may connect to outside vents 14 to test the systems before opening the airlock door 15 and entering 8. After entering 8 and connecting 6 and 9 to the airlock valves 16, 15 is closed and the airlock blower 17 is activated, providing filtered atmospheric gases lacking CO.sub.2 with .sup.14C (see related patent application number 16/030,734), while the inflow control valve 18 and outflow control vent 19 are opened, and 17 vents any human respiratory products in 8 out through the airlock exhaust vent 20. After the air in 8 is evacuated, the user opens the greenhouse door 21 and connects 6 and 9 to 7 and 10 in 1, also labeled as greenhouse valves 22 which may be singular or plural depending on the needs to service 1. After connecting to 22, 21 may be closed. Finally, normally closed air supply solenoid valve 23 in 4 and an air return solenoid valve 24 in 11 can be used to prevent any valve leaks at 7 or 10 from causing gases to either enter or exit 1 unintentionally.

DRAWINGS-REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0019] 1 greenhouse [0020] 2 air blower [0021] 3 air filter [0022] 4 air supply line [0023] 5 respirator mask [0024] 6 flexible air supply tube [0025] 7 air supply valve [0026] 8 airlock [0027] 9 flexible air return tube [0028] 10 air return valve [0029] 11 air return line [0030] 12 vent blower [0031] 13 exhaust vent [0032] 14 outside valves [0033] 15 airlock door [0034] 16 airlock valves [0035] 17 airlock blower [0036] 18 airlock inflow control valve [0037] 19 airlock outflow control valve [0038] 20 airlock exhaust vent [0039] 21 greenhouse door [0040] 22 greenhouse valves [0041] 23 air supply solenoid valve [0042] 24 air return solenoid valve [0043] 25 circulation control system [0044] 26 airlock control system

OPERATION

[0045] The operation for precluding CO.sub.2 with .sup.14C in human respiration products and unfiltered atmospheric gases from entering the atmospheric gases in a greenhouse 1 for growing agricultural products with reduced .sup.14C content.

[0046] 1. An air supply system comprising an air blower 2 which pulls air through an air filter 3 and into an air supply line 4 which has a plurality of air supply valves 7. A normally closed air supply solenoid valve 23 is activated to enable airflow during operation and to minimize 7 leaks when not in operation.

[0047] 2. An air return system comprising air return valves 10, an air return line 11, a vent blower 12, and an exhaust vent 13. A normally closed air return solenoid valve is activated to enable airflow during operation and to minimize 10 leaks when not in operation.

[0048] 3. A mask assembly consisting of a respiration mask 5, flexible air supply tube 6, and flexible air return tube 9, can be attached to 7 and 10 either outside 14, in the airlock 16, or in the greenhouse 22.

[0049] 4. A circulation control system 25 has a switch that when activated provides power to 2, 12, 23, and 24, and constitutes a means to circulate gases for human respiration from outside said greenhouse into said respiration mask, and return respiration products to outside.

[0050] 5. An airlock 8 provides controlled access through an airlock door 15 and a greenhouse door 21, which are not open at the same time. An airlock control system 26 has a switch that when activated provides power to Control valves 18, 19, and the airlock blower 17, which provides filtered air absent CO.sub.2 with .sup.14C into the airlock (see related patent application number 16/030,734). 26 is used with a timing circuit so that it replaces the air in the airlock every time it is activated, and constitutes a means for gases in the airlock to be evacuated by simultaneously turning on said airlock blower and opening said air inflow control valve and air outflow control valve.

[0051] 6. Entering the greenhouse: while outside the greenhouse, the human user turns on 25, connects 9 and 6 to 10 and 7 at 14, and then utilizes 5 for respiration. After respiration is confirmed as satisfactory, then the user opens 15 and disconnects 6 and 9 from 14 and reconnects at 16. Then 15 is closed and 26 is activated. After the airlock has been evacuated and respiration is confirmed as satisfactory, then the user opens 21 and disconnects 6 and 9 from 16 and reconnects at 22, and closes 21.

[0052] 7. Exiting the greenhouse: while inside the greenhouse, the human user opens 21, disconnects 6 and 9 from 22, and reconnects at 16 in 8.

[0053] After respiration is confirmed as satisfactory, 21 is closed, then 15 is opened. To protect 1 from leaks from 8, 26 is activated. After disconnecting from 16, the user exits 8, closes 15, and removes 5.

REFERENCES CITED

[0054]

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

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