Mechanical system to capture and transform contaminant gases, and method to purify air

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for purifying air; for the capture of solid residues (soot), and the transformation of CO.sub.x and NO.sub.x (and even methane) present in contaminated air generated by industrial combustion. The purifying air system comprises an air entrance (c); a first module (A), made up of mechanical filters; a second module (B), downwards from the first module (A), and it corresponds to a series of small reactors with molecular converters (nucleophile chemical agents) to capture and transform carbon oxides (CO.sub.x) and nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x); and an exit for decontaminated air (D).

Claims

1. An air purifying system for catching solid particles generated in organic combustions that comprises: an air entrance (C); a first module (A), comprising mechanical filters comprising sand, mechanical filters comprising organic carbon, and mechanical filters comprising aluminum-silicate aggregates, which are separated by stainless steel micro meshes and have the sieve-mesh size within a 30-80 micron range; a second module (B), downwards from the first module (A), which is divided into two parts: a first chemical sub-module (B.1) that comprises filters with meshes of a 30-40 micron range; and a second chemical sub-module (B.2) wherein both parts comprise molecular converters to capture and transform carbon oxides (COx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx); an accessory filter located between the first chemical sub-module (B.1) and the second chemical sub-module (B.2), which has a cocktail of enzymes immersed in particulate material; and an exit for decontaminated air (D).

2. The system of claim 1, where the sand of the filters of module (A) is pre-treated with solar light to free it from humidity.

3. The system of claim 1, where the first chemical sub-module (B.1) contains solid and macerated metallic hydroxides, and the second chemical sub-module (B.2) is made up of a mixture of ketones, guanidines and solid macerated organic sulfur compounds.

4. The system of claim 3, where solid and macerated metallic hydroxides are selected among NaOH, KOH, or a mixture of the same.

5. The system of claim 3, where solid and macerated metallic hydroxides have a particle size of 200 micron; and are contained in the filters with meshes of a 30-40 micron range.

6. The system of claim 3, where macerated organic sulfur compounds comprise thiourea.

7. The system of claim 6, where plates are installed on an isolating surface to electric current.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the cocktail of enzymes of the accessory filter immersed in particulate material contains multi-enzyme complexes comprising Pyruvate Carboxylase, Propionic Carboxylase, Carbonic Anhydrase Rubisco, other carboxylases, and a mixture of the same.

9. The system of claim 1, where the modules are associated among themselves by bridle-type unions and are adjusted by support material.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising pairs of electrode plates that generate a variable field of sparks or voltaic arches to transform methane and the oxidation of carbon particles into gaseous COx, which will be captured by solid and macerated metallic hydroxides.

11. The system of claim 10, where the pairs of electrode plates are metallic meshes conducting electricity and are provided with an electric coil.

12. The system of claim 1, where the system is made of carbon fiber to provide it with the characteristics of resistance and low weight.

13. The system of claim 1, which does not work with external energy for the capture of gases or for the separation of the products obtained.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1: Contaminated air purifying device.

(2) FIG. 2: Experimental flow comparison (ml/min) of CO.sub.x with and without this invention's system.

(3) FIG. 3: Effect of the developed reactor on the amount of NO.sub.x (ppm) as a function of the time spent in a commercial vehicle.

(4) FIG. 4: Component of the capture filters for the fine dust before being subject to capture tests in the exhaust of a commercial vehicle (left) and after being subject to experimental tests (right).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) This invention's system is made up of two modules. The first modules (A), located next to the entrance of the contaminated air (C), is made up of mechanical filters, separated by 30 to 80 micron sieve stainless steel micro-meshes, with sand previously treated with solar light to make it humidity free; organic carbon filters, and added aluminum-silicate filters.

(6) The second module (B), downwards from the first module (A), is a series of small reactors, filters with 30-40 micron meshes, with molecular converters (chemical nucleophile agents) whose function is to capture and transform carbon oxides (CO.sub.x) and nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x).

(7) It is important to add that the second module (B), filters with 30-40 micron meshes, is divided into two parts. The first part is a chemical reactor (B.1) that contains solid metallic hydroxides (NaOH and KOH) macerated up to a fine 200 micron dust; the purpose of this section of the reactor is to capture and transform carbon dioxides (CO.sub.x). The second one is a chemical reactor (B.2) that contains a mixture of solid ketones (5.40%), guanidines (5-40%) and solid organic sulfur compounds such as thiourea (5-40%) macerated to a similar size; the purpose of this part of the reactor is to capture and transform nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x).

(8) Under a preferential development, the invention has, in addition, an accessory filter with a cocktail of enzymes immersed into particulate material that contains multi-enzyme complexes such as Pyruvate carboxylase, Propionic Carboxylase, Carbonic Anhydrase, Rubisco and other carboxylases that are present for the transformation of CO.sub.2 into organic and inorganic products. This filter is located between the first chemical reactor (B.1) and the second chemical reactor (B.2).

(9) The modules are connected among themselves with bridle-type unions and adjusted through the support material, thus allowing for a safe union that is easy to dismantle.

(10) Depending on the industrial need and the reactor's design, additional modifications can be incorporated into it, such as a pair of electrode plates that generate a variable field of sparks of voltaic arches thus allowing the transformation of methane and the oxidation of carbon particles into gaseous COx; the said plates will be installed on an isolating surface to the electric current. As a preferential development, the said pair of electrode plates may correspond to conducting metallic meshes fed by a voltage differential provided by an electric coil; they will be installed in the device on materials resistant to electric conductivity. Besides, with pressure valves at the entrance or exist of decontaminated air (D) and/or among the modules, two regulate air pressure in each section. In industrial systems where the temperatures are well under 300 C., this invention's device is elaborated with very resistant materials such as carbon fiber, which makes it more stable, resistant, and light. Lastly, in very high-flow systems gas and liquid traps are used to separate liquids and gases different from the air found within the current going through the system.

(11) The overall principle to purify air comprises the following steps: 1. Separation of solid particles (soot) emitted in an organic combustion, and which are trapped by sand filters, organic carbon, and aluminum-silicates, in order to avoid the contamination of the posterior reactive filters which may, at the same time, diminish their reactivity. Both negative aspects may affect and complicate, in addition, the processes related to the separation and cleaning of the posterior capture devices. 2. Capture of carbon oxides (CO, CO.sub.2) of the device containing solid metallic hydroxides. 3. Optionally, transformation of CO.sub.2 into organic and inorganic products by means of the accessory filter with a cocktail of enzymes immersed into particulate material. 4. Capture of nitrogen oxides (NOx) of the module containing the mixture of ketones, guanidines, and organic sulfur compounds in dust form.
Experimental Evaluations

(12) To determine the device's efficiency the following parameters were evaluated (variation in the amount of contaminants) making use of the following methodology 1. Study flow variation. CO and CO.sub.2 flow variations were studied (5, 40, 50, 70, 80, and 120 ml/min), provided independently in separate experiments, as of highly pure commercial sources during consecutive lapses from 10 minutes up to one and a half hour (1 h, 30 min). Measurements were made with an AGILENT ADM2000 fluxmeter. For statistical validity and greater trustworthiness, these experiments wereunder controlled conditions (flow, temperature, pressure and humidity)repeated in the lab 1200 times. On the other hand, experiments were carried out (controls or witnesses) under the same conditions but with inert materials within the reactor to ensure that the effect observed was the result of the reactivity of the materials used. In addition, p measurements were taken (pressure variations) considering in and out pressure of the device, with the help of a portable combustion analyzing equipment (Bacharach-PCA.sup.3). 2. Study of the amounts (ppm) of CO.sub.x coming out of the exhaust pipes of commercial vehicles. These variables were taken with the help of a portable combustion analyzing equipment (Bacharach-PCA.sup.3) and a CO.sub.2 portable measurer (AMPROBE CO.sub.2-100) in the presence and absence of the purifying device developed. These experiments were repeated at consecutive lapses of 10 seconds per an hour and a half, with an average of 10 repetitions. On the other hand, experiments were carried out (control or witnesses) under the same conditions but with inert materials within the reactor to ensure that the effect observed was the outcome of the reactivity of the filters used. The pressure variations in the reactor's in and out sections coupled to the exhaust pipe. 3. Analysis of the changes in the amounts (ppm) of NO.sub.x. The NO.sub.x sources studied were the amounts coming out of the exhaust pipes of the commercial vehicles, which were measured with the help of a portable combustion analyzing equipment (Bacharach-PCA.sup.3) in the presence or absence of the purifying device developed. No studies were done of high-purity commercial NO.sub.x since they were not available in the market. In addition, 10 repetitions of the same experiment were carried out with their respective controls in consecutive lapses of 60 seconds up to 5 minutes. The commercial vehicle used for these tests was a 2009 family car with a 1.6 L gasoline engine, 4 cylinders. The flow used for these tests was 720 L/min. 4. Capacity to trap the combustion fine dust of the capture filters. A.1, A. 2 and A. 3 filters were incorporated into the exhaust pipe of a commercial vehicle (a 1995 van), which did not have the catalyzer, and allowed it to liberate much fine contaminant dust through the exhaust pipe. After 5 minutes, the device's internal components were taken out, and a photographic record was made, which would evidence the capture capacity of the filter module.
Results and Discussions
Variation of the amounts of Carbon Oxides (CO.sub.x)

(13) Atmospheric increases of Cox are the major cause (70%) of global warming and, as a result, of the increase of storm activity, the poles' ice caps melting, and the climate's erratic behavior, which in addition is the cause of many a natural disaster.

(14) The results obtained, related to CO.sub.x flow and amounts which were measured with or without the reactor developed can be noticed in FIG. 2, which illustrates the effect of the reactor developed on the CO.sub.x flow (ml/min) in function of time. The CO.sub.x (CO and CO.sub.2) source flow was of high purity. In FIG. 2 it can be seen that the amounts of CO.sub.x fall in few seconds from their maximum percent amount down to a minimum fluctuating between 2 to 5% (of the maximum total) regardless of the CO.sub.x source and of the amounts made to go through the device developed (5, 40, 50, 70, 80 y 120 ml/min); that is, both for the high-purity commercial sources (CO.sub.x) as well as for the source from commercial vehicles, the efficiency of the capture of the carbon oxides was within a 95-98% range. It is worthwhile to notice that no substantial changes were observed in the pressure variations, which suggests that the results observed are the consequence of the device's reactivity or the capture capacity and not of the obstruction of its filters or of an experimental artifact.

(15) Variation of NO.sub.x Amounts

(16) NO.sub.x are the second most contaminating group (10%) of the GHGs (Green House Gases), and which are difficult to capture once they are found in the atmosphere. With the experiments made on the gas emission tube or the exhaust pipe of the vehicle analyzed, in spite of the fluctuations generated as the result of the vehicle's energetic demands, into which the device developed was adapted, it was possible to see that in the presence of the system developed, the latter is capable of capturing up to 80% of NO.sub.x-type gases (see FIG. 3), which is an evidenceonce againof the capacity that the ordering of the filters has, as well as their reactivity within the reactor to capture the higher contaminants of NO.sub.x organic combustion (NO.sub.x and CO.sub.x). Besides, the reactor's versatility and simplicity permit to adapt it to any industrial systems and, in this specific case, to the vehicles' exhaust pipe.

(17) FIG. 3 illustrates the effect of the reactor developed on the amounts of NO.sub.x (ppm) in function of time. The NO.sub.x flow source comes from the commercial vehicle described before.

(18) Scientific Reasoning Applied.

(19) The reactive or mechanical-quantic nature of the electrophiles lies on the Emptied Low Energy Molecular Orbital (OMBED for its Spanish acronym) of the carbon oxides (Cox) and nitrogen (NOx) in gaseous state, and it will be the same regardless of the organic combustion liberating them. In addition, the same will happen with the nucleophile's reactivity which, at the same time, is modulated by the energy of the Higher Occupation Molecular Orbital (OMOA for its Spanish acronym). Consequently, taking into account these basic premises (OMOA/OMBED interaction), it can be inferred that regardless of the industrial source from where the GHGs come, if they are made to go through the device developed, the reaction between them will be spontaneous and inevitable; that is, that whenever an organic combustion takes place, the equipment we have developed will be able to prevent GHE gases from being liberated into the atmosphere. Nonetheless, the shape and dimensions of the device are not standard, so they must be adapted depending on the industrial need. This points out to the wide application that the reactor developed has, at an industrial level, to solve contamination problems generated by land, maritime, and air transportation, thermoelectric plants, fires, and the industry, among other contaminating sources.

(20) Capture of Solid Residues (Soot) of Industrial Contamination

(21) In FIG. 4, the filter module's capacity (capture of fine dust) can be observed for the rapid capture of solid residues from the combustion of the diesel vehicle used to evaluate their easy capture. This is important due to the fact that such particles are responsible for grave respiratory diseases that are common in industrialized countries where regulations are rather passive.

(22) All this experimental evidence showed suggests that the device developed does work and, additionally, that it is a promissory system to eliminate to a great extent noxious effects generated by carbon oxides (carbon dioxide and monoxide), nitrogen oxides, main generators of the greenhouse effect, regardless of the emission source (commercial or industrial). On the other hand, the systemobject of this application, has the capacity to trap solid residues from combustion, which are noxious for the health. In the same order of ideas, the said reactor is significantly simpler than previous state of the art devices; it has multiple functions; it is not costly; and it has the capacity to be adapted into any industrial device that generates any organic combustion.