Sorbent system and method for absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere of a closed habitable environment

[0002] The present invention relates to an improved regenerable sorbent, method and system for absorbing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from a habitable environment. More particularly, this invention relates to a CO₂sorbent which performs equally well in a high or in a low humidity environment.

[0003] Exposure to carbon dioxide partial pressures which exceed about 7.6 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury, partial pressure of about 1%), for extended periods of time are known to cause health problems in human beings and in other mammals. As a result, in enclosed environs such as those existing in submarines, spacecrafts or space suits, carbon dioxide partial pressures are typically maintained below about 1% through the use of solid carbon dioxide sorbents such as soda lime, zeolite and carbon molecular sieves, solid oxides, alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal hydroxides, amines, and combinations of the aforesaid sorbents.

[0004] The aforesaid CO₂sorbent methodologies are sensitive to the relative humidity of the environs in which they are being utilized, and generally will operate at a higher efficiency with higher relative humidity, and with lower efficiency at a lower relative humidity. Conventional CO₂sorbents require an atmosphere dew point, exceeding about 2° C. It would be highly desirable to provide a CO₂sorbent and a method for absorbing CO₂from environs, in which the sorbent is not sensitive to the relative humidity of the environs being desorbed.

[0005] This invention relates to a carbon dioxide sorption system and method which increases the regenerable CO₂sorption capacity of the sorbent by more than twice that of the above-noted prior art CO₂sorbents. The regenerable CO₂sorbent used in the system and method of this invention is also not sensitive to the relative humidity in the closed environment atmosphere. The sorbent is a regenerable high capacity amine sorbent which continuously removes CO₂from the atmosphere in enclosed environments. The sorbent is composed of a molecular entity which contains predominantly secondary amines and one or more nitrile functional groups. A preferred sorbent is a reaction product of tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) and acrylonitrile (AN). AN has the following molecular structure: H₂C═CHC═N. The reaction of TEPA with AN substantially converts TEPA's primary amines to secondary amines. This conversion enhances the regenerable cyclic CO₂sorption capacities by more than 2.5 times, and significantly reduces amine volatility to essentially immeasurable levels. One reaction product of TEPA and AN, which we refer to herein as TEPAN, is a reaction product resulting from the combination of 1.0 mole TEPA and 3 moles AN, wherein a branched acyclic form of TEPAN shown below is formed.

[0006] Another reaction product of TEPA and AN, is a compound resulting from the combination of 1.0 mole TEPA and 2 moles AN, wherein a non-branched acyclic form (shown below) is formed.

[0007] The reaction of TEPA with 1 to approximately 3 moles and AN which forms either branched or straight chain cyclic and non-cyclic reaction products which are generally referred to as TEPAN. It is noted that TEPA includes several acyclic and cyclic amine components wherein overall there are approximately 40% primary, 45% secondary, and 15% tertiary amines. The acyclic and cyclic amine groups in TEPA are approximately equal in content. It has been determined that when one mole of TEPA and 2.3 moles of AN are reacted, the AN reactant reacts preferentially with the primary amines in TEPA so as to substantially increase the ratio of secondary amines to primary amines from a ratio of approximately 1/1 to a ratio of approximately 10/1. Thus, the resultant combination of TEPAN molecules contains approximately 8% primary amine groups, 78% secondary amine groups, and 14% tertiary amine groups. Thus, the TEPAN formed from 1 mole of TEPA and 2.3 moles of AN is comprised predominantly of secondary amine functional groups and nitrile functional groups in a ratio of about 1.5/2.0 (amine/nitrile).

[0008] The TEPAN sorbent is applied to a polymeric support structure. The polymeric support structures including acrylic esters are particularly desirable. The stability of the aforesaid amine sorbent enables its long term use in removing CO₂from enclosed environments. We have demonstrated that the TEPAN sorbents of this invention are capable of removing CO₂for periods approaching one year in duration without significant degradation and loss of performance. Sorbent beds formed in accordance with this invention exhibit essentially no release of amines or their degradation products during use. The ability of the sorbent bed to operate equally efficiently in both high and low humidity conditions is unique.

[0009] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a carbon dioxide (CO₂) sorbent system and method which is highly stable and has a long operating life.

[0010] It is an additional object of this invention to provide a system and method of the character described which is equally efficient in absorbing CO₂in either a high humidity or a low humidity environment.

[0011] It is a further object of this invention to provide a system and method of the character described wherein the sorbent can be regenerated in situ.

[0012] It is another object of this invention to provide a system and method of the character described wherein the sorbent is a molecular entity which is composed of predominantly secondary amines with one or more nitrile functional groups.

[0013] These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a carbon dioxide sorbent bed system which is formed in accordance with this invention; and

[0015] FIG. 2 is a fragmented perspective view of a sorbent bed formed in accordance with this invention.

[0016] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a CO₂sorption system denoted generally by the numeral 10 which includes a secondary amine/nitrile functional group sorbent of the type described above. The system 10 includes a pair of CO₂sorption beds 12 and 18, each of which contains a sorbent 14, 14′ contained in an open cell metallic foam matrix 16 and 16′, respectively. Inlet lines 20 extend from the atmosphere in the environ being purged of CO₂to each of the sorption beds 12 and 18. A valve 22 selectively controls which of the inlet lines 20 receives air from the environment being purged so that only one of the beds 12 and 18 is used at any one time to remove CO₂from the air stream. Outlet lines 34 deliver the air from the beds 12 and 18 back into the environment being treated. Valves 24 and 26 are operable to selectively open one of the lines 34 to the passage of the purged air stream. A pre-programmed processor controller 32 is preferably included in the system 10 to control operation of the valves 22, 24 and 26.

[0017] From the above description of the system 10, it will be apparent that only one of the beds 12 or 18 is operable to remove CO₂from the air stream at any one time, and that when one bed is sorbing CO₂from the air stream, the other bed is being regenerated. As noted above, the controller 32 determines which bed 12 or 18 is being used as a sorption bed, and which bed is being regenerated.

[0018] Desorption of CO₂from the bed 12 or 18 occurs in the following manner. Heat produced in the sorption bed 12 or 18 during the sorption process, by reacting CO₂with either sorbent 14 or 14′, is transferred to the other bed 12 or 18 which is being desorbed so as to drive the endothermic desorption process in the other bed 12 or 18, or alternatively, the bed 12 or 18 being desorbed by being exposed to a reduced pressure by means of a vacuum which is applied to the bed being desorbed by means of a valve 28 which connects one of the lines 20 to the bed 12 or 18 to a vacuum source via lines 21 and 21′respectively. The valve 28 is also selectively operated by the controller 32. It will be noted that in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, both heat and vacuum are used to desorb the beds 12 and 18. FIG. 1 shows the bed 18 in a desorption cycle, wherein the valve 28 connects the bed 18 to the vacuum source via line 21′and the valve 26 is closed to prevent released CO₂from flowing through the outlet end of the system 10.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows one way of packing TEPAN absorbent pellets 14 into an open cell matrix 16 in one of the sorption beds 12.

[0020] By enhancing the percentage of secondary amine groups in the amine/nitrile sorbent, the result is a highly regenerable sorbent which is not sensitive to the relative humidity of the atmosphere being treated. The predominantly secondary amine compounds described above have been shown to be effective at dew points as, low as −40° C. There are three chemical reactions which can occur in the absorption of CO₂from the atmosphere in the habitable closed environment. Two of the reactions require the presence of water, and thus can occur only in a humid environment. The reactions are:

[0021] CO₂+R₂NH+H₂O→R₂NH₂⁺+HCO₃⁻

[0022] In the absence of water, the first reaction is the primary CO₂absorption reaction. In the presence of water, all three reactions will occur, but the first reaction will remain the primary reaction.

[0023] The use of a predominantly secondary amine/nitrile sorbent for absorbing CO₂from a breathable atmosphere greatly enhances the effectiveness of the sorbent and a sorption system using the sorbent due to the fact that the sorbent is not adversely affected by the relative humidity of the atmosphere being treated. This fact also extends the useful life of the sorbent and any system using the sorbent. The switch between sorption and desorption cycles can be preprogrammed into the system controller to be based on a time basis, or can be actuated by means of a CO₂sensor which analysis the exit gas stream from the system.

[0024] Since many changes and variations of the disclosed embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the inventive concept, it is not intended to limit the invention otherwise than as required by the appended claims.