Granted Patent B2

US 12,377,380 · App. 17/966,669 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Inventors: Klaus Lackner (Paradise Valley, AZ); Robert Page (Phoenix, AZ)

Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of Arizona State University

B01D53/0407B01D2253/25B01D2257/504B01D2259/40083

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A device for passive collection of atmospheric carbon dioxide, comprising:

a vessel comprising an opening and a sorbent regeneration system;

a helical sorbent structure rotatably coupled to the vessel through a support such that the helical sorbent structure can rotate on an axis with respect to the vessel, the helical sorbent structure comprising a helical framework coupled to a sorbent material, the helical sorbent structure being movable between a collection configuration and a release configuration, the support being collapsible;

a lid covering the opening of the vessel when the helical sorbent structure is in the release configuration; and

a product outlet in fluid communication with the inside of the vessel and configured to receive a product stream of enriched gas;

wherein the support is a tether rotatably coupled to at least one of the lid and the helical sorbent structure;

wherein the collection configuration comprises the helical sorbent structure extending upward from the vessel to expose at least a portion of the helical sorbent structure to an airflow and allow the sorbent material of the helical sorbent structure to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide, the helical sorbent structure free to rotate with respect to the vessel on the axis, at least part of the sorbent material being constrained to a helix by the helical framework, the helix rotating about and propagating along the axis; and

wherein the release configuration comprises the lid covering the opening of the vessel, the support being collapsed and enclosed inside the vessel, and the sorbent material of the helical sorbent structure being sufficiently enclosed inside the vessel that the sorbent regeneration system may operate on the sorbent material to release captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material and form an enriched gas within the vessel.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the helical framework comprises an elastic material formed to trace the helix rotating about and propagating along the axis, and wherein the sorbent material comprises a fabric substrate coupled to at least the helical framework.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the helical framework is a compression spring biasing the helical sorbent structure toward the collection configuration.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the helical framework comprises a plurality of ribs extending radially from the axis, each rib coupled to the sorbent material and slidably coupled to the support.

5. The device of claim 4 :

wherein the support comprises an upper region, a lower region, and a helical groove spiraling along the support from the lower region to the upper region, the helical groove having a collection pitch in the upper region and a release pitch in the lower region, the release pitch being smaller than the collection pitch;

wherein each rib of the plurality of ribs is slidably coupled to the support such that the rib is engaged with the helical groove, constraining the rib to rotate about the support as the rib slides along the length of the support;

wherein the collection configuration comprises at least part of the sorbent material being constrained to the helix defined by the collection pitch of the helical groove; and

wherein the release configuration comprises the sorbent material being constrained to a compressed helix defined by the release pitch of the helical groove, the compressed helix having a smaller pitch than the helix.

6. The device of claim 1 :

wherein the helical framework comprises a plurality of panels moveably coupled to the support, the plurality of panels having a fixed relative orientation with respect to each other while also free to rotate together about the axis, each panel of the plurality of panels comprising the sorbent material;

wherein the collection configuration comprises the plurality of panels spaced along the support with a collection spacing such that the helix passes through each panel of the plurality of panels; and

wherein the release configuration comprises the plurality of panels having a release spacing that is smaller than the collection spacing.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the release configuration comprises the sorbent material being constrained to a compressed helix having a smaller pitch than the helix.

8. A device for passive collection of atmospheric carbon dioxide, comprising:

a vessel comprising an opening and a sorbent regeneration system;

a helical sorbent structure rotatably coupled to the vessel through a support such that the helical sorbent structure can rotate on an axis with respect to the vessel, the helical sorbent structure comprising a helical framework coupled to a sorbent material, the helical sorbent structure being movable between a collection configuration and a release configuration;

a lid covering the opening of the vessel when the helical sorbent structure is in the release configuration; and

a product outlet in fluid communication with the inside of the vessel and configured to receive a product stream of enriched gas;

wherein the collection configuration comprises the helical sorbent structure extending upward from the vessel to expose at least a portion of the helical sorbent structure to an airflow and allow the sorbent material of the helical sorbent structure to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide, the helical sorbent structure free to rotate with respect to the vessel on the axis, at least part of the sorbent material being constrained to a helix by the helical framework, the helix rotating about and propagating along the axis;

wherein the release configuration comprises the lid covering the opening of the vessel, and the sorbent material of the helical sorbent structure being sufficiently enclosed inside the vessel that the sorbent regeneration system may operate on the sorbent material to release captured carbon dioxide from the sorbent material and form an enriched gas within the vessel.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the support is collapsible, such that when the helical sorbent structure is in the release configuration, the support is collapsed and enclosed inside the vessel.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the support is a telescoping rod coupled to the vessel and the lid.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the support is a tether rotatably coupled to at least one of the lid and the helical sorbent structure.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the helical framework comprises an elastic material formed to trace the helix rotating about and propagating along the axis, and wherein the sorbent material comprises a fabric substrate coupled to at least the helical framework.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the helical framework is a compression spring biasing the helical sorbent structure toward the collection configuration.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the helical framework comprises a plurality of ribs extending radially from the axis, each rib coupled to the sorbent material and slidably coupled to the support.

15. The device of claim 14 :

wherein the support comprises an upper region, a lower region, and a helical groove spiraling along the support from the lower region to the upper region, the helical groove having a collection pitch in the upper region and a release pitch in the lower region, the release pitch being smaller than the collection pitch;

wherein each rib of the plurality of ribs is slidably coupled to the support such that the rib is engaged with the helical groove, constraining the rib to rotate about the support as the rib slides along the length of the support;

wherein the collection configuration comprises at least part of the sorbent material being constrained to the helix defined by the collection pitch of the helical groove; and

wherein the release configuration comprises the sorbent material being constrained to a compressed helix defined by the release pitch of the helical groove, the compressed helix having a smaller pitch than the helix.

16. The device of claim 8 :

wherein the helical framework comprises a plurality of panels moveably coupled to the support, the plurality of panels having a fixed relative orientation with respect to each other while also free to rotate together about the axis, each panel of the plurality of panels comprising the sorbent material;

wherein the collection configuration comprises the plurality of panels spaced along the support with a collection spacing such that the helix passes through each panel of the plurality of panels; and

wherein the release configuration comprises the plurality of panels having a release spacing that is smaller than the collection spacing.

17. The device of claim 8 , wherein the helical sorbent structure is slidably coupled to the support, and the support is rotatably coupled to the vessel such that the helical sorbent structure rotates with the support, with respect to the vessel.

18. The device of claim 8 , wherein the helical sorbent structure is rotatably coupled to the support, and the support is fixedly coupled to the vessel.

19. The device of claim 8 , wherein the release configuration comprises the sorbent material being constrained to a compressed helix having a smaller pitch than the helix.

20. The device of claim 8 , wherein the sorbent material is a moisture-swing sorbent material.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (11)