Personal carbon dioxide tracker

Abstract

A device for removing carbon dioxide from the air has a reaction chamber having closed sidewalls and a removable end wall. There is a removable adsorber unit disposed in the reaction chamber that comprises an adsorbent mixture containing soda lime mixed with activated charcoal, and an air-permeable outer covering surrounding the adsorbent mixture. A louvered bed is disposed above the adsorber unit in the reaction chamber. The louvered bed has openings between angled louvers for directing air above the louvered bed into the removable adsorber unit. Air flowing into the reaction chamber is directed toward the adsorber unit by the louvered bed, so that the air flows between the louvers, through the openings and into the adsorber unit where the carbon dioxide in the air is adsorbed and removed from the atmosphere.

Claims

1. A device for removing carbon dioxide from the air, comprising: a reaction chamber having closed sidewalls and a removable end wall, the end wall having an opening for allowing air to pass into the reaction chamber; a removable adsorber unit disposed in the reaction chamber, the adsorber unit comprising an adsorbent mixture containing soda lime mixed with activated charcoal, and an outer covering surrounding the adsorbent mixture, the outer covering being air-permeable; a louvered bed disposed above the adsorber unit in the reaction chamber, the louvered bed having openings between louvers for directing air above the louvered bed into the removable adsorber unit; at least one sensor configured to measure CO.sub.2 levels in the chamber; a processor connected to the sensor for collecting data from the sensor; a transmitter connected to the processor for transmitting data from the processor; a power source connected to at least one of the sensor, processor and transmitter; and a layer of TE generator fabric disposed between the louvered bed and the adsorber unit, wherein the TE generator fabric is configured to convert heat energy emitted by the adsorber unit to electrical energy to power the sensor.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a fan to pull air into the reaction chamber.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the adsorber unit contains soda lime and activated carbon in a 100:1 ratio.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a display connected to the processor for displaying data measured by the sensor.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a non-dispersive infrared sensor.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the TE generator is made from a carbon nanotube-based polymer composite.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed in the reaction chamber.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed outside of the reaction chamber and wherein air from the reaction chamber is fed to the sensor through a tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

(2) In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a side view of the device according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 is a rear end view;

(5) FIG. 3 is a front end view with the cover removed; and

(6) FIG. 4 is a top view;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a side view of the baffle plate according to the invention;

(8) FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the various electrical components of the device;

(9) FIG. 7 is a graph showing the CO2 adsorption over time using the activated carbon and soda lime according to the invention;

(10) FIG. 8 is top a view of an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention;

(11) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 8; and

(12) FIG. 10 is a view of an alternative adsorber unit arrangement for use in the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(13) Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 show the carbon dioxide tracker 10 according to the invention. Carbon dioxide tracker 10 consists of a housing 11 that houses a reaction chamber 12 in its interior. Housing 11 has an end cap 13 that is open to the air on the top and is closed on the bottom, to keep adsorber unit 14 securely within housing 11. Adsorber unit 14 consists of an outer covering 15 surrounding a mixture of soda lime and activated carbon 16, in a 100:1 ratio. Outer covering 15 is air-permeable so as to allow the CO.sub.2 in the ambient air to be adsorbed on the activated carbon and to react with the soda lime in adsorber unit 14. The activated carbon in the adsorber unit 14 also serves to adsorb other harmful chemicals in the air.

(14) Disposed on top of adsorber unit 14 is a baffle plate 17, which contains a series of slits 18 interspersed between raised baffles 19, as shown in FIG. 5. Baffle plate 17 directs air flowing in through opening 21 in cover 13 across baffles 19 and through slits 18 so that the air flow is directed to adsorber unit 14 where the CO.sub.2 can be adsorbed and reacted.

(15) On top of adsorber unit 14 is a layer of thermoelectric (TE) fabric 20. TE fabric 20 takes the temperature gradient caused by the exothermic reaction of the soda lime with the CO.sub.2 below the fabric vs. the ambient air above the fabric and converts this gradient to voltage. This voltage is used to power components of the system, such as a sensor 30, which senses the amount of CO.sub.2 adsorbed by the unit. The exothermic reaction of the soda lime generates energy calculated by H=5.3 kJ/mol.

(16) Sensor 30 can be any suitable type of sensor, such as a temperature sensor, which measures the heat generated by the exothermic reaction of the CO2 with the soda lime, or a NDIR infrared gas sensor, or a chemical sensor. Sensor 30 can be disposed either inside reaction chamber 12 or outside reaction chamber 12, but accessible to reaction chamber 12 via an aperture 22 through which the air can flow. The data measured by sensor 30 is sent to a processor 40, which converts the data into quantifiable measurements, and stores these measurements in a database. The data from processor 40 is sent via a transmitter 50 to an outside storage and monitoring center via mobile telephone 70 or other computer. Transmitter 50 can operate via any suitable technology, such as Wifi, Bluetooth, cellular transmissions or any other suitable technology. The data collected can be used to show daily CO.sub.2 adsorption, the total amount of CO2 adsorbed, and the rate of CO.sub.2 adsorption, as well as compare the performance of tracker 10 with other trackers. The components of tracker 10 are powered by a power supply 60, such as a battery.

(17) A display (not shown) can be connected to tracker 10 to display the data processed by processor 40.

(18) A fan 80 can also be attached to housing 11 to pull air through the housing to increase the adsorption rate. When the CO.sub.2 adsorption rate of the adsorber unit decreases, the adsorber unit needs to be replaced so that fresh chemicals can react with the CO2. The adsorber unit 14 is easily removed by removing cover 13 and a new adsorber unit 14 can be put in its place. The TE fabric can also signal when the soda lime has been exhausted and it is time to change the adsorber unit. When the current generated falls to zero, the processor can signal an alert either audible or visual, via a light or alarm, to indicate that the adsorber unit needs to be replaced.

(19) FIG. 7 is a graph showing the carbon dioxide adsorption in the reaction chamber over time, using a mixture of soda lime and activated carbon in a 100:1 ratio. The CO.sub.2 measurements were conducted by a professional Carbon Dioxide Meter Model# CO240 manufactured by EXTECH Instruments. This model also provides temperature and relative humidity. The ambient air had a carbon dioxide content of 403 ppm, an air temperature of 80 F. and a relative humidity of 56%. The CO.sub.2 was reduced to zero after 15 minutes of exposure to the mixture. The CO.sub.2 gradually increased, but reached a generally steady state amount of about 140 ppm over 2 hours as fresh air is continually fed into the reaction chamber, thus resulting in a large decrease in the CO.sub.2 content of the air over time.

(20) FIGS. 8-10 show an alternative embodiment of the CO2 tracker according to the invention. Here, the tracker 100 consists of a rectangular housing 110 in which an adsorber unit 120 is disposed underneath a baffle plate 170, which operates in the same manner as disclosed with respect to FIGS. 1-6. Adsorber unit 120 consists of multiple layers 121, each containing a mixture of soda lime and activated carbon. The layers are adhered together and are inserted and removed from housing 110 as a single unit.

(21) As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, housing 110 has several compartments, a large one containing the reaction chamber, and several smaller ones, containing the sensors 140, 150, 155, and a processor unit 160 that is a combined processor/transmitter/power source. Sensor 140 is a CO.sub.2 sensor that is connected to the reaction chamber 115 by a hose 141, and measures the CO.sub.2 inside the reaction chamber 115. Sensors 150, 155 measure the ambient air temperature, humidity and baseline CO.sub.2 levels. All of these sensors are connected to processor unit 160.

(22) The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-10 is particularly suitable for mounting in a car or other larger environment, where the unit is stationary but where air flow from the ventilation system can pass over baffle plate 170 easily. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5 is particularly suitable for mobile applications, such as mounting on a bicycle or scooter, where the unit moves to create air flow.

(23) Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.