Contaminent removal system using separate liquid sorbent loops

1 . A contaminant removal system, comprising:

a water management system configured to remove water from a cabin air stream using a first liquid sorbent, wherein the water management system comprises;

a water scrubber configured to absorb water from the cabin air stream into the first liquid sorbent; and

a water stripper configured to desorb water from the first liquid sorbent into a decontaminated air stream; and

a carbon dioxide removal system configured to remove carbon dioxide from a dehumidified air stream using a second liquid sorbent, wherein the carbon dioxide removal system comprises:

a carbon dioxide scrubber configured to:

receive the dehumidified air stream from the water scrubber;

absorb carbon dioxide from the dehumidified air stream into the second liquid sorbent; and

discharge the decontaminated air stream to the water stripper; and

a carbon dioxide stripper configured to desorb carbon dioxide from the second liquid sorbent into a contaminant stream.

2 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the first liquid sorbent has a higher capacity for water than the second liquid sorbent.

3 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the first liquid sorbent is an ionic liquid sorbent.

4 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 ,

wherein at least one of the water management system or the carbon dioxide removal system is further configured to remove one or more trace contaminants other than water or carbon dioxide from the respective cabin air stream or dehumidified air stream, and

wherein the removed one or more trace contaminants are at least one of:

accumulated in the respective first or second liquid sorbent; or

desorbed from the second liquid sorbent and discharged to the contaminant stream.

5 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 , wherein each of the water scrubber and the water stripper comprises a hollow fiber membrane contactor that includes one or more hydrophobic porous membranes.

6 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the water management system further comprises a membrane dehumidifier configured to remove water from the cabin air stream prior to the water scrubber.

7 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the water management system further comprises:

a heater configured to heat the first liquid sorbent upstream of the water stripper; and

a cooler configured to cool the first liquid sorbent upstream of the water scrubber.

8 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the water management system further comprises a heat exchanger configured to heat relatively cool first liquid sorbent discharged by the water scrubber using relatively warm first liquid sorbent discharged by the water stripper.

9 . A method for removing contaminants from an environment, comprising:

removing, by a water management system, water from a cabin air stream using a first liquid sorbent to produce a dehumidified air stream, wherein the water management system comprises a water scrubber and a water stripper, and wherein removing the water from the cabin air stream includes at least:

absorbing, by the water scrubber, water from the cabin air stream into the first liquid sorbent; and

desorbing, by the water stripper, the water from the first liquid sorbent into a decontaminated air stream; and

removing, by a carbon dioxide removal system, carbon dioxide from the dehumidified air stream using a second liquid sorbent, wherein the carbon dioxide removal system comprises a carbon dioxide scrubber and a carbon dioxide stripper, and wherein removing the carbon dioxide from the dehumidified air stream includes at least:

receiving, by the carbon dioxide scrubber, the dehumidified air stream from the water scrubber;

absorbing, by the carbon dioxide scrubber, carbon dioxide from the dehumidified air stream into the second liquid sorbent;

discharging, by the carbon dioxide scrubber, the decontaminated air stream to the water stripper; and

desorbing, by the carbon dioxide stripper, carbon dioxide from the second liquid sorbent into a contaminant stream.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first liquid sorbent has a higher capacity for water than the second liquid sorbent.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first liquid sorbent is an ionic liquid sorbent.

12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

removing, by at least one of the water management system or the carbon dioxide removal system, one or more trace contaminants other than water or carbon dioxide from the respective cabin air stream or dehumidified air stream,

wherein the removed one or more trace contaminants are at least one of:

accumulated in the respective first or second liquid sorbent; or

desorbed from the second liquid sorbent and discharged to the contaminant stream.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the water scrubber and the water stripper comprises a hollow fiber membrane separator that includes one or more hydrophobic porous membranes.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising removing, by a membrane dehumidifier, water from the cabin air stream prior to the water scrubber.

15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

heating, by a heater, the first liquid sorbent upstream of the water stripper; and

cooling, by a cooler, the first liquid sorbent upstream of the water scrubber.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising heating, by a heat exchanger, relatively cool first liquid sorbent discharged by the water scrubber using relatively warm first liquid sorbent discharged by the water stripper.

17 . The contaminant removal system of claim 3 , wherein the first liquid sorbent includes an imidazole salt.

18 . The contaminant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the water stripper is smaller than the carbon dioxide stripper.

19 . The contaminant removal system of claim 4 , wherein the first liquid sorbent has a higher affinity for the one or more trace contaminants than the second liquid sorbent.