Thermally Linked CO2 Sorbent Assemblies for Aircraft Cabin Air
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for reducing carbon dioxide content in recirculated air from aircraft cabins are not efficient enough, leading to increased energy consumption due to high demand for fresh air from engines.
Innovation Solution
A carbon dioxide removal system utilizing thermally linked sorbent assemblies with a controller to manage desorption conditions based on aircraft status, employing reduced pressure and elevated temperature for efficient regeneration of sorbents, thereby reducing the need for fresh air from engines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If more fresh air is supplied from engines to reduce CO2 content, then CO2 content in recirculated air is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing pressure differential between cabin and ambient environment to drive CO2 removal. The system changes the pressure parameter of recirculated air to enable passive flow through the sorbent assembly, eliminating the need for energy-consuming fans or pumps while effectively reducing CO2 content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts CO2 from recirculated air using a sorbent assembly that selectively removes carbon dioxide. By taking out CO2 through adsorption onto the sorbent material, the system reduces CO2 content without requiring additional fresh air from engines, thereby avoiding increased energy consumption.
2Productivity
If sorbent assemblies are thermally linked for regeneration, then regeneration efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two sorbent assemblies into a single integrated unit with thermal linking between them. This combining allows heat generated during CO2 adsorption in one assembly to be transferred to the other assembly for regeneration purposes, improving overall regeneration efficiency while maintaining a compact design.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermally linked sorbent assemblies perform self-service regeneration by utilizing the heat generated during the CO2 adsorption process itself. The exothermic nature of adsorption in one assembly provides the thermal energy needed for regeneration of the other assembly, creating a self-sustaining thermal cycle without external heating requirements.
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 system effectively reduces carbon dioxide levels in recirculated air, minimizing the demand for engine-bled fresh air and lowering overall aircraft energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
carbon dioxide sorbent that removes carbon dioxide from recirculated air
Implementation Method 2
Regeneration can involve exposing the carbon dioxide sorbent to reduced pressure, elevated temperature or both
Implementation Method 3
there is thermal linking of the two sorbent beds which helps to recover energy from carbon dioxide adsorption in one bed and use it to facilitate carbon dioxide desorption in the second bed
Data Source
AI summary
A system for processing recirculation air recovered from an aircraft cabin includes a mixing chamber and a carbon dioxide removal system. The carbon dioxide removal system has an inlet for recovered recirculation air from the aircraft cabin, an outlet to the mixing chamber; at least two assemblies of carbon dioxide sorbent that are thermally linked, a CO2 outlet valve; and a controller for managing desorption of carbon dioxide from the sorbent depending on aircraft status. The mixing chamber has an inlet from the carbon dioxide removal system, an inlet from an environmental control system, and an outlet connected to the aircraft cabin.