CHILLED AIR RESPIRATOR AND RELATED METHOD FOR TREATING AIR
A portable chilled air respirator device is used to treat air. Ambient air is drawn into an inlet of the device. The air is passed through a filter to filter the air. The air is cooled and dehydrated, such as by being passed over a reactant to create an endothermic reaction. The air is then secondarily cooled and rehydrated, such as by a secondary endothermic release of energy in an evaporative process, before being directed through the outlet of the device.
1 . A method for treating air using a portable chilled air respirator, comprising the steps of:
providing a portable chilled air respirator device comprised of a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet;
drawing ambient air into the inlet of the device;
filtering the air;
creating an endothermic reaction to cool and dehydrate the air;
rehydrating the air; and
directing the filtered, cooled and rehydrated air through the outlet of the device.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the filtering step comprises the step of passing the air through a filter disposed between the inlet and outlet of the device.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the filtering step includes the step of filtering smoke, smog, pollen, dust, nuclear contaminants, biological contaminants and/or chemical contaminants from the air.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing step includes the step of providing a fan disposed between the air inlet and outlet.
5 . The method of claim 4 , including the step of powering the fan using a motor and batteries associated with the device.
6 . The method of claim 4 , including the step of manually rotating a hand crank to rotate the fan and/or recharge batteries of the device.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the creating an endothermic reaction step comprises the step of passing the air over a reactant.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the reactant comprises sodium bicarbonate and citric acid.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the reactant is disposed within a removable cartridge of the device.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rehydrating step comprises the step of passing the air across water.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the air is passed over a water-laden material.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the material is operably associated with a refillable water reservoir of the device.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the rehydrating step further cools the air.
14 . A method for treating air using a portable chilled air respirator, comprising the steps of:
providing a portable chilled air respirator device comprised of a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet;
drawing ambient air into the inlet of the device using a fan disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet;
filtering the air by passing the air through a filter disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet;
creating an endothermic reaction to cool and dehydrate the air by passing the air over a reactant disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet;
rehydrating the air by passing the air over a water-laden material or through a mist of water; and
directing the filtered, cooled and rehydrated air through the outlet of the device.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the filtering step includes the step of filtering smoke, smog, pollen, dust, nuclear contaminants, biological contaminants and/or chemical contaminants from the air.
16 . The method of claim 14 , including the step of powering the fan using a motor and batteries associated with the device.
17 . The method of claim 14 , including the step of manually rotating a hand crank to rotate the fan and/or recharge batteries of the device.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the reactant comprises sodium bicarbonate and citric acid.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the reactant is disposed within a removable cartridge of the device.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the water-laden material is operably associated with a refillable water reservoir of the device.