Compact CO2 Scrubber Canister for Uniform Cross-Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) systems face challenges in achieving compact size, versatility, and uniform gas flow while maintaining effective carbon dioxide absorption, thermal insulation, and minimizing channeling effects, which are exacerbated by different diving configurations and configurations like sidemount and backmount.
Innovation Solution
A compact canister design with a housing comprising two parts, featuring parallel screens and air channels of varying cross-sections, ensuring uniform gas flow and thermal insulation, and a rotary aperture for safe absorbent filling, allowing integration into both sidemount and backmount configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the absorbent bed volume is increased to improve CO2 absorption capacity, then the scrubber size increases, but the device becomes less compact and more difficult to integrate into divers' equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional axial flow (gas flowing through the length of the scrubber) to radial flow (gas flowing through the diameter of the scrubber). This dimensional change allows the absorbent bed to be arranged radially around a central axis, enabling increased absorbent volume without proportionally increasing the overall scrubber length, thus improving compactness while maintaining absorption capacity.
2Quantity of substance
If the scrubber diameter is increased to provide sufficient absorbent volume, then the CO2 absorption capacity improves, but the device becomes less suitable for sidemount configurations and more cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging the absorbent bed radially around a central axis rather than axially, the patent enables the scrubber to maintain a compact diameter suitable for sidemount configurations while providing sufficient absorbent volume through radial expansion. This dimensional reorganization allows the same absorbent volume to be achieved with a smaller diameter, improving adaptability to different diving configurations.
3Productivity
If the gas flow path is lengthened to improve CO2 absorption, then the absorption efficiency increases, but the breathing resistance increases and the device becomes less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorganizes the gas flow path from a linear axial direction to a radial direction through the absorbent bed. This allows the gas to traverse a longer effective path length through the absorbent material while maintaining a compact overall device size and avoiding excessive breathing resistance. The radial arrangement provides shorter flow paths through the material compared to traditional axial designs, reducing resistance while maintaining absorption efficiency.
4Ease of manufacture
If the absorbent bed is made loose to facilitate filling, then the ease of manufacture improves, but the channeling effect increases and absorption uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The radial arrangement of the absorbent bed around a central axis provides a more forgiving geometry for filling operations. The radial structure allows absorbent material to be filled from the outer diameter toward the center, and the circular cross-section at different radial positions ensures uniform flow distribution even if the packing is not perfectly uniform. This dimensional arrangement reduces the impact of channeling compared to axial configurations, maintaining flow uniformity while facilitating easier filling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves uniform gas flow, minimizes breathing resistance, enhances thermal insulation, and reduces the risk of channeling, while allowing increased absorbent volume without increasing diameter, ensuring compatibility with various diving configurations.
Implementation Method 1
the carbon dioxide released by the diver is removed by a so-called absorbent. Absorbent is a mixture of lime and caustic soda and is in granular form
Implementation Method 2
ensure thermal insulation at the required level (a cold absorbent is less effective because chemical reactions occur too slowly in it)
Data Source
AI summary
The object of the invention is a compact canister of carbon dioxide absorbent bed (scrubber) with cross-flow with channels of constant pressure throughout the cross-section comprising a 2-part housing, the side wall (6) of which is provided with an opening (12) and a flange (7) for attaching the head (11) of the scrubber, and the lower wall (17) in the connector (4) with the counterlung (35), inside of which there are two screens attached between which there is an absorbent bed (5) characterized in that the top screen (19) and the bottom screen (20) are parallel to each other, the top screen (19) is attached along the upper wall (15) of the canister (1), the free space between the top screen (19) and the upper wall (15) of the canister (1) forms the upper air channel (25) connected to the opening (12) of the side wall (6), the bottom screen (20) is attached along the lower wall (17) of the canister (1), the free space between the bottom screen (20) and the lower wall (17) of the canister (1) forms the lower air channel (26) connected to the connector (4) of the counterlung (35) and the flow of the stream of gas (32) flows across the scrubber bed (5) perpendicular to the planes of the screens (19, 20).