CARBON DIOXIDE AND HUMIDITY CAPTURE SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A system for obtaining water and carbon dioxide from an incoming first gas stream. The system comprises a first inlet for said incoming first gas stream, a first sorbent station comprising a first sorbent material for removing water vapour from said first gas stream, a second sorbent station comprising a second sorbent material for removing carbon dioxide from said first gas stream; and a first exhaust for said first gas stream. The system is configured to flow said first gas stream through the first inlet, the first sorbent station, the second sorbent station and the first exhaust. The system may be used in an environmentally controlled facility for growing plant material or in a building space conditioning. The present invention may therefore enable plant cultivation and/or building space conditioning whilst removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and therefore may help to combat climate change and benefit the environment, if implemented on a sufficient scale.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining water and carbon dioxide from an incoming first gas stream, the system comprising: a first inlet for said incoming first gas stream; a first sorbent station comprising a first sorbent material for removing water vapor from said first gas stream; a second sorbent station comprising a second sorbent material for removing carbon dioxide from said first gas stream; and a first exhaust for said first gas stream; wherein the system is configured to flow said first gas stream through the first inlet, the first sorbent station, the second sorbent station and the first exhaust.

2. The system according to claim 1, comprising a first dehumidifier module for removing water vapor from the first sorbent material.

3. The system according to claim 1, comprising a second inlet for a second gas stream, the second inlet configured to direct said second gas stream through the second sorbent material to remove carbon dioxide from the second sorbent material.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the system is configured to remove water vapor from said second gas stream before said second gas stream contacts the second sorbent material

5. The system according to claim 4 comprising a third sorbent station comprising a third sorbent material for removing water vapor from said second gas stream and a second dehumidifier module for removing water vapor from the third sorbent material.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the second inlet is configured to transfer heat from the first dehumidifier module to said second gas stream.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first sorbent station is configured to move the first sorbent material alternately between the first inlet and a first desorption position and the second sorbent station is configured to move the second sorbent alternately between the first exhaust and a second desorption position.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first sorbent material is selected from a zeolite, a mesoporous silica and a hybrid ultramicroporous material, suitably a hybrid ultramicroporous material.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second sorbent material is a hybrid ultramicroporous material.

10. The system according to claim 1 configured for use as a building space conditioning unit, wherein the first inlet is configured to receive ambient air from inside or outside said building as said first gas stream; and wherein the first exhaust is configured to expel said first gas stream with reduced water vapor and reduced carbon dioxide content into said building.

11. A grow room for growing one or more plants, the grow room comprising a system according to claim 1, the system comprising a second inlet and a second exhaust for a second gas stream, the second inlet configured to direct said second gas stream through the second sorbent material to remove carbon dioxide from the second sorbent material and the second exhaust configured to direct said second gas stream out of the second sorbent material; wherein the first inlet is configured to receive ambient air from outside the grow room as said first gas stream; wherein the first exhaust is configured to expel said first gas stream with reduced water vapor and reduced carbon dioxide out of the grow room; wherein the second inlet is configured to receive air from inside the grow room as said second gas stream; wherein the second exhaust is configured to expel said second gas stream with an increased carbon dioxide content into the grow room.

12. The grow room according to claim 11, wherein the system comprises a third sorbent station comprising a third sorbent material for removing water vapor from said second gas stream; wherein the third sorbent station is positioned in said gas stream between the second inlet and the second sorbent station.

13. The grow room according to claim 11, configured for use as a building space conditioning unit, wherein the first inlet is configured to receive ambient air from inside or outside said building as said first gas stream; and wherein the first exhaust is configured to expel said first gas stream with reduced water vapor and reduced carbon dioxide content into said building.

14. A building comprising an internal space and a grow room according to claim 13, wherein the first exhaust is configured to expel said first gas stream with reduced water vapor and reduced carbon dioxide content into an internal space of the building.

15. A method of obtaining water and carbon dioxide from an incoming first gas stream, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a first gas stream; b) contacting the first gas stream with a first sorbent material to remove water vapor from the first gas stream; c) collecting water from the first sorbent material; d) contacting the first gas stream with a second sorbent material to remove carbon dioxide from the first gas stream; e) collecting carbon dioxide from the second sorbent material; and f) expelling the first gas stream with reduced water vapor and carbon dioxide content.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0098] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how example embodiments may be carried into effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0099] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a system according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0100] FIG. 2 is a schematic of an alternative configuration of a system according to the first aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0101] FIG. 1 shows a schematic 100 to illustrate the operation of the system and method of the present invention. The system 100 is arranged in a grow room for the controlled cultivation of plants, for example high value crops such as herbs, berry-producing plants, medicinal plants or plants which can be converted to biochar for long-term carbon storage. The system 100 comprises first sorbent station 110, second sorbent station 120 and third sorbent station 130. The system is supplied with an incoming first gas stream 1 which is ambient air and an exhaust for the first gas stream 1. The grow room in which the system is fitted is otherwise sealed to the outside atmosphere apart from the inlet and exhaust for the first gas stream. The system 100 is also supplied with second gas stream 2 which is air from inside the grow room. The first and third sorbent stations 110 and 130 are provided with a first and third sorbent material respectively which have a high affinity and capacity for adsorbing water vapour. The first and third sorbent stations 110 and 130 are connected to refrigerant dehumidifiers 140 and 150 via desorbing gas streams 3 and 4. The second sorbent station 120 is provided with a second sorbent material having a high affinity and capacity for adsorbing carbon dioxide.

[0102] In operation, the first gas stream 1 is directed to the first sorbent station 110 where water vapour is removed by the first sorbent material to provide reduced water vapour first gas stream 1′. The reduced water vapour first gas stream 1′ is then directed to the second sorbent station 120 where carbon dioxide is removed by the second sorbent material to provide reduced water vapour and reduced carbon dioxide first gas stream 1″, which is then directed outside of the grow room.

[0103] Whilst this process is being carried out on the first gas stream 1, the desorbing gas stream 3 is desorbing water vapour from the first sorbent material, which was captured from the first gas stream 1, and then this water vapour is condensed by refrigerant dehumidifier 140 to provide liquid water for irrigation of plants growing in the grow room.

[0104] Also, whilst the above processes are being carried out, second gas stream 2 is directed to the third sorbent station 130 where water vapour is removed by the third sorbent material to provide reduced water vapour second gas stream 2′. The reduced water vapour second gas stream 2′ is then directed to the second sorbent station 120 where carbon dioxide is desorbed from the second sorbent material to provide reduced water vapour and enriched carbon dioxide gas stream 2″. This gas stream 2″ is then directed inside the grow room to increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in the grow room and thereby stimulate the growth of plants in the grow room.

[0105] Finally, whilst the above processes are being carried out, the desorbing gas stream 4 is desorbing water vapour from the third sorbent material, which was captured from the second gas stream 2, and then this water vapour is condensed by refrigerant dehumidifier 150 to provide further liquid water for irrigation of plants growing in the grow room.

[0106] FIG. 2 shows a system 200 having an alternative configuration to system 100, wherein reduced water vapour second gas stream 2′ is provided by refrigerant dehumidifier 250, rather than by third sorbent station 130. The rest of the system 200 functions is as described in relation to system 100, comprising first and second sorbent stations 210 and 220 which are analogous to first and second sorbent stations 110 and 120 and refrigerant dehumidifier 240 which is analogous to refrigerant dehumidifier 140.

[0107] The systems 100 and 200 operate to take ambient air and provide liquid water and a carbon dioxide enriched atmosphere to facilitate the growth of plants in the grow room, in an energy efficient manner using high performance sorbent materials. The system of the present invention can provide plant cultivation and/or building space conditioning whilst removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and therefore help to combat climate change and benefit the environment, if implemented on a sufficient scale.

[0108] Although a few preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

[0109] Throughout this specification, the term “comprising” or “comprises” means including the component(s) specified but not to the exclusion of the presence of other components. The term “consisting essentially of” or “consists essentially of” means including the components specified but excluding other components except for materials present as impurities, unavoidable materials present as a result of processes used to provide the components, and components added for a purpose other than achieving the technical effect of the invention. Typically, when referring to compositions, a composition consisting essentially of a set of components will comprise less than 5% by weight, typically less than 3% by weight, more typically less than 1% by weight of non-specified components.

[0110] The term “consisting of” or “consists of” means including the components specified but excluding addition of other components.

[0111] Whenever appropriate, depending upon the context, the use of the term “comprises” or “comprising” may also be taken to encompass or include the meaning “consists essentially of” or “consisting essentially of”, and may also be taken to include the meaning “consists of” or “consisting of”.

[0112] The optional features set out herein may be used either individually or in combination with each other where appropriate and particularly in the combinations as set out in the accompanying claims. The optional features for each aspect or exemplary embodiment of the invention as set out herein are also to be read as applicable to any other aspect or exemplary embodiments of the invention, where appropriate. In other words, the skilled person reading this specification should consider the optional features for each exemplary embodiment of the invention as interchangeable and combinable between different exemplary embodiments.

[0113] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0114] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0115] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0116] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.