Sorbents for carbon dioxide reduction from indoor air

• US 9,789,436 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enverid Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enverid Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Meirav, Udi, Biran, Israel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US15/353,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20170136399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/204 Amines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/11 Clays
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/25 Coated, impregnated or composite adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40086 by using a purge gas B01D2259/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4508 for cleaning air in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4575 in aeroplanes or space ships
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/025 with wetted adsorbents; Chromatography analytical chromatography G01N30/00 - G01N30/96; for liquids B01D15/08
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/12 Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3204 Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3248 the functional group or the linking, spacer or anchoring group as a whole comprising at least one type of heteroatom selected from a nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, these atoms not being part of the carrier as such
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3272 Polymers obtained by reactions otherwise than involving only carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

A sorbent for CO₂ reduction from indoor air from an enclosed space. In some embodiments, the sorbent comprises a solid support and an amine-based compound being supported by the support. The sorbent captures at least a portion of the CO₂ within the indoor air. The sorbent may be regenerated by streaming outdoor air through the sorbent to release at least a portion of the captured CO₂. The sorbent is structured to allow indoor air to flow therein with relatively low flow resistance and relatively rapid reaction kinetics. Regeneration may be performed at relatively low outdoor air temperatures, thereby minimizing the thermal energy required for regenerating the sorbent.

Claims

1. A sorbent for reduction of CO₂ from indoor air of an enclosed space, comprising:

a plurality of solid particles having an average diameter dimension in the range of 0.1-10 millimeters, and wherein at least some of the particles comprise;

a support material; and

an amine-based compound, wherein at least 25% of amine functional groups are secondary amines,

wherein the amine-based compound further comprises water, wherein the support is combined with the amine-based compound; and

wherein the amine-based compound is configured to capture at least some of the CO₂ within the indoor air of the enclosed space and release at least a portion of the captured CO₂.

2. A sorbent according to claim 1, wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of gels, molecular sieves, nanotube-containing materials, porous materials, sponge and sponge-like materials, electro-magnetically charged objects, porous organic polymers, ion exchange resins, polymeric absorbent resins, acrylic ester polymers, polystyrene divinyl benzene, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene, styrene divinylbenzene (SDB), fly ash, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, alumina nanoparticles, synthetic zeolite, porous alumina, porous minerals, porous silica, silica nanoparticle, fumed silica, activated charcoal, aluminum phyllosilicates, bentonite, montmorillonite, ball clay, fuller'"'"'s earth, kaolinite, attapulgite, hectorite, palygorskite, saponite, sepiolitemetal, organic frameworks, and any combination thereof.

3. A sorbent according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises a plurality of particles with an average diameter dimension in the range of 0.2-3 millimeters.

4. A sorbent according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises a plurality of particles with an average diameter dimension in the range of 0.3-1 millimeters.

5. A sorbent according to claim 1, wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of granules, beads, pellets, extrudates, and any combination thereof.

6. A sorbent according to claim 1, wherein at least 50% of amine functional groups of the amine-based compound are secondary amines.

7. A sorbent according to claim 1, wherein the amine-based compound comprises monoethanolamine (MEA), ethanolamine, methylamine, branched polyethyleneimine (PEI), linear polyethyleneimine (PEI), diethanolamine (DEA), dimethylamine, diethylamine, diisopropanolamine (DIPA) tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), methylethanolamine, or any combination thereof.

8. A sorbent according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises particles, fine particles, or a powder based solid;

wherein the fine particles are agglomerated into larger particles, so as to facilitate air flow through the sorbent.

9. A sorbent of claim 1, wherein the support is impregnated by the amine-based compound with additional mechanical stimulation, catalysts, or external energy sources, such as heat.

10. A sorbent for reduction of CO₂ from air of an enclosed space, comprising:

a support comprising a plurality of solid particles having an average diameter dimension in the range of 0.1-10 millimeters; and

an amine-based compound comprising a polyamine having between 25%-75% of secondary amines and water, and wherein the amine-based compound is configured to capture at least some of the CO₂ within the indoor air of the enclosed space and release at least a portion of the captured CO₂ by streaming air or other gas through the sorbent.

11. A sorbent according to claim 10, wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of gels, molecular sieves, nanotube-containing materials, porous materials, sponge and sponge-like materials, electro-magnetically charged objects, porous organic polymers, ion exchange resins, polymeric absorbent resins, acrylic ester polymers, polystyrene divinyl benzene, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene, styrene divinylbenzene (SDB), fly ash, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, alumina nanoparticles, synthetic zeolite, porous alumina, porous minerals, porous silica, silica nanoparticle, fumed silica, activated charcoal, aluminum phyllosilicates, bentonite, montmorillonite, ball clay, fuller'"'"'s earth, kaolinite, attapulgite, hectorite, palygorskite, saponite, sepiolitemetal, organic frameworks, and any combination thereof.

12. A sorbent according to claim 10, wherein the support is selected from the group consisting of granules, beads, pellets, extrudates, and any combination thereof.

13. A sorbent according to claim 10, wherein at least 50% of amine functional groups of the amine-based compound are secondary amines.

14. A sorbent according to claim 10, wherein the amine-based compound comprises monoethanolamine (MEA), ethanolamine, methylamine, branched polyethyleneimine (PEI), linear polyethyleneimine (PEI), diethanolamine (DEA), dimethylamine, diethylamine, diisopropanolamine (DIPA) tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), methylethanolamine, or any combination thereof.

15. A method for reducing CO₂ contained in air from an enclosed environment, the method comprising:

providing a sorbent comprising a support including a plurality of solid particles having an average diameter dimension in the range of 0.1-10 millimeters; and

an amine-based compound comprising a polyamine having between 25%-75% of secondary amines and water,

streaming a first gas comprising CO₂ from inside an enclosed environment through the sorbent such that the sorbent captures at least some of the CO₂ from the first gas; and

streaming a second gas through the sorbent such that the sorbent releases at least some of the captured CO₂ to the second gas.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second gas comprises less CO₂ than the first gas.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second gas has a temperature higher than the first gas.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second gas is heated prior to streaming the second gas through the sorbent.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the second gas comprises outdoor air from outside the enclosed environment.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the second gas comprises indoor air from inside the enclosed environment.