Direct contact liquid air contaminant control system

Abstract

An integrated environmental control system for cabin air of an aircraft or spacecraft. Humidity and temperature of cabin air are controlled with a direct contact liquid air contaminant control system that revitalizes cabin air by removal of carbon dioxide and other trace gas contaminants through use of a direct contact air, liquid scrubber element and stripper element. The scrubber element has two rotor elements rotatably mounted in a housing first for centrifugal separation of an air flow and liquid absorbent mixture which liquid absorbent has absorbed carbon dioxide and trace gas contaminants. Then second for centrifugal separation of an air flow and acid water wash mixture which acid water wash has liquid absorbent and other contaminants. The processed air is then passed through a charcoal bed filter for further removal of contaminants. A rotary contact processor may also be used to reprocess contaminated liquid absorbent for reuse.

1 . A method for providing environmental control for cabin air of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
 introducing a portion of the cabin air as air flow into a carbon dioxide scrubber; and   spraying a liquid mist into the air flow thereby modifying humidity, temperature and carbon dioxide concentration of the cabin air.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the liquid mist is an acid wash. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the further steps of:
 rotating a carbon dioxide scrubber rotor to separate liquid absorbent containing absorbed carbon dioxide and trace contaminants from the air flow;   accumulating the liquid absorbent on a first heat and mass transfer surface for extraction from the carbon dioxide scrubber rotor;   passing the air flow downstream of the carbon dioxide scrubber rotor through a plurality of first air passages and a plurality of first mist separators to a liquid absorbent scrubber rotor.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  comprising the further steps of;
 rotating the liquid absorbent scrubber rotor to separate the liquid absorbent containing carbon dioxide and trace contaminants from the air flow;   accumulating the acid wash on a second heat and mass transfer surface for extraction from the liquid absorbent scrubber rotor; and   passing air flow downstream of the liquid absorbent scrubber rotor through a fan to an air exhaust.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein extracted liquid absorbent is processed in a stripper element for reuse. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein contaminated liquid absorbents are reconditioned by performing the steps of:
 heating a liquid absorbent containing a carbonate to a decomposition temperature in a liquid absorbent heater whereby carbon dioxide is separated from the liquid absorbent.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the liquid absorbent is processed through a subsequent scrubber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the steps of:
 communicating the carbon dioxide which is separated from the liquid absorbent into a second scrubber;   washing the carbon dioxide using a spray of cold liquid absorbent;   accumulating the cold liquid absorbent for extraction from the second scrubber; and   passing the carbon dioxide through a plurality of mist separators for output from the second scrubber.   
     
     
         9 . An environmental control apparatus for cabin air of a vehicle comprising:
 a contaminant scrubber wherein a contamination-control liquid is introduced as a mist into an air flow of a portion of the cabin air through the contaminant scrubber;   the contamination-control liquid having a temperature lower than a temperature of the cabin air; and   wherein temperature of the cabin air is reduced and humidity of the cabin air is modified.   
     
     
         10 . The environmental control apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein the contaminant scrubber is comprised of at least one carbon dioxide scrubber in fluid communication with a liquid absorbent scrubber. 
     
     
         11 . The environmental control apparatus as in  claim 10  wherein the at least one carbon dioxide scrubber comprises a rotary contact processor. 
     
     
         12 . The environmental control apparatus as in  claim 11  further comprising a stripper element which comprises a rotary contact processor. 
     
     
         13 . The environmental control apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein:
 a carbon dioxide scrubber rotor is connected to a liquid absorbent scrubber rotor by a rotor shaft;   the carbon dioxide scrubber rotor is in communication with an air inlet and a liquid absorbent inlet wherein a liquid absorbent is introduced as a mist into an air flow through the air inlet, the air flow introduced into a carbon dioxide scrubber chamber having a first heat and mass transfer surface therein of the carbon dioxide scrubber rotor;   the air flow passes through the carbon dioxide scrubber rotor through a plurality of first air passage tubes and a plurality of first mist separators to be introduced downstream into an acid wash scrubber chamber having a second heat and mass transfer surface therein;   the acid wash scrubber is separated from the carbon dioxide scrubber rotor with a baffle;   the baffle has an acid water wash inlet for introduction of a liquid acid water wash as a mist in the air flow; and   the air flow passes through the liquid absorbent scrubber rotor through a plurality of second air passage tubes and a plurality of second mist separators to a fan causing the air flow to exit through an air exhaust.   
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for controlling humidity and temperature of cabin air in a vehicle comprising:
 a rotary contact processor for direct contact liquid absorbent and gas contaminant processing.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the rotary contact processor comprises:
 a first scrubber rotor in communication with a gas inlet and a liquid absorbent inlet, wherein a liquid absorbent is introduced as a mist into a gas flow through the gas inlet.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the liquid absorbent inlet and a liquid absorbent outlet are in communication with a liquid absorbent tank, a liquid absorbent heater and a stripper element. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein an acid water wash inlet and an acid water wash outlet are in communication with an acid water tank and an acid water cooler. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein:
 a first scrubber rotor is in serial communication with a second scrubber rotor each assembled on a rotor shaft rotatably mounted on a plurality of bearings in a housing; and   gas flow passes through the first scrubber rotor through a plurality of first gas passage tubes and a plurality of first mist separators to be introduced downstream into a second scrubber chamber in fluid communication therewith and having a second heat and mass transfer surface therein.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein:
 the second scrubber chamber has a liquid absorbent wash inlet for introduction of a liquid absorbent wash as a mist in the gas flow; and   the gas flow passes through the liquid absorbent scrubber rotor through a plurality of second gas passage tubes and a plurality of second mist   separators to a fan causing the gas flow to exit the rotary contact processor through a gas exhaust.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising a first pitot pump in a first scrubber chamber for liquid absorbent wash circulation and exit through a liquid absorbent outlet.