Photolytic oxygenator with carbon dioxide fixation and separation

• US 20050013750A1
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Monzyk, Bruce F, Burckle, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,527,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/186.300
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/327 using catalytic production of oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 13/00 Special devices for ventilating gasproof shelters ventilating in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/802 Photocatalytic
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/864 Removing carbon monoxide or hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/60 by adding oxygen

Abstract

Apparatus for oxygenating an enclosed space as well as removing carbon dioxide from the enclosed space.

Claims

1. A photolytic apparatus for oxygenating and removing carbon dioxide from a confined volume area comprising:

a photolytic cell having an anode compartment with a photo-active surface having the ability to convert water to oxygen; and

, a cathode compartment having the ability to convert carbon dioxide to a solid or liquid medium; and

a light source for providing light photons to said photolytic cell and activating the photo-reactive surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said photo-reactive surface comprises a light-activated catalyst.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said light activated catalyst is a metal oxide catalyst comprising anatase (TiO₂), WO₃ or ZnO, combinations thereof, with or without performance enhancing dopants.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light source is an ultraviolet light at 350-500 nm.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said light-activated catalyst converts, when photolytically irradiated, water to hydrogen ions, electrons and active oxygen.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said active oxygen formed during photolysis is hydrogen peroxide or other forms of oxygen gas precursors.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said electrons generated during photolysis are then electrically conducted away to avoid reversal of the reaction.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said active oxygen formed during photolysis is converted by a disproportionation catalyst into dissolved oxygen.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said disproportionation catalyst is MnO₂.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide is converted to a carbonate solid.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide is reacted with C₅ pentose to produce C₆ hexose.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide is converted to a C₃ compound and then catalyzed to form C₆ hexose.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photo-reactive surface comprises a light transparent substrate and a photolytic coating.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said photolytic coating comprises a layer of a light activated catalyst which converts, when photolytically irradiated, water to hydrogen ions, electrons and active oxygen.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said photolytic coating further comprises a disproportionation catalyst which converts active oxygen to dissolved oxygen.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anode compartment and the cathode compartment are separated by a membrane.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said membrane allows for the flow of hydrogen ions from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photolytic cell comprises a mesoporous material.

19. A photolytic apparatus for oxygenating and removing carbon dioxide in order to maintain a proper physiological environment comprising:

a photolytic cell having an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, a) said anode compartment having an inlet for receiving an aqueous solution, an anode conductor, a photo-reactive surface, and an outlet for transporting a dissolved oxygenated solution out of said anode compartment, wherein said photo-reactive surface has the ability, upon photo-activation, to convert water in an aqueous solution to dissolved oxygen, hydrogen ions and electrons upon light activation;

b) said cathode compartment having an inlet for receiving carbon dioxide, C₅ pentose, and a catalyst, a cathode conductor for converting hydrogen ions, carbon dioxide, C₅ pentose and catalyst to C₆ pentose, and an outlet for removing the C₆ pentose from the cell and any remaining reactants; and

,

a light source for providing light photons to said photo-reactive surface to initiate a series of chemical reactions that results in dissolved oxygen generation in the anode compartment and C₆ pentose formation in the cathode compartment.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said light photo-reactive surface comprises a layer of a light activated photolytic catalyst.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said light activated photolytic catalyst is a metal oxide comprises TiO₂ (anatase), WO₃ or ZnO, or combination thereof.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said light source is an ultraviolet light at 350-500 nm.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said photo-reactive surface further comprises a disproportionation catalyst.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said photolytic cell comprises a transparent substrate and a photolytic coating comprising a first disposed layer of TiO₂ (anatase) and a second disposed layer of MnO₂.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said cell is constructed from mesoporous materials.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said disproportionation catalyst includes at least one of Fe^II, Fe^III, Cu^I, Cu^II, Co^II, Co^III, Mn^II, M^III, Mn^IV, and MnO₂.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said catalyst is MnO₂.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said light-activated photolytic catalyst converts water into active oxygen.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said disproportionation catalyst converts active oxygen to dissolved oxygen.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said cell is constructed from mesoporous materials.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said cell is constructed of SAMMS.

32. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the anode compartment and the cathode compartment are separated by a cationic membrane.