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Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] CO2 Scrubber
Sure. Like I said, my tests aren't complete, so I don't know how well my specific design will work. But
here is what I do know: CO2 scrubbers work by passing air through granulated calcium hydroxide. There is
a reaction between the calcium hydroxide and the CO2 in the air. The by-products of this reaction are
calcium carbonate and water. It is pretty ovious how this simple chemistry works. The trick is that calcium
carbonate is what you start with when you make calcium hydroxide. You hydrate calcium carbonate (steam) to
get the calcium hydroxide. This means that the water in the filter canister can be heated by an element to
drive off the carbon from the calcium carbonate and produce CO2 and calcium hydroxide. The CO2 would need to
be vented during this recharging process. The basic scrubber will consist of a canister with two screens, one
on the top, and one on the bottom. Granulated calcium hydroxide is then lightly packed or "sandwiched" between
the two filters to hold the medium in place. Air is then circulated through the canister. In rebreathers the
air is forced to circulate with two one-way valves. (So it doesn't just stagnate somewhere along the line.) At
this point I should mention that calcium hydroxide is standard slaked or hydrated lime, available at any hardware
store for a few bucks a fifty pound sack. I am trying porous plastic for my scrubber filters, but you should be
able to use plastic or stainless screen as well. Oh, and you have to remember that you will still need to slowly
replenish the oxygen in your sub with oxygen or air from a scuba tank. You should be able to test you own designs
for cheap with PVC or ABS pipe and fittings for your local hardware store.
Warren.
> Hi Warren!
>
> My name is Pierre and I'm building a dry-ambient sub. I was planning to use
> a mouth-piece inside the sub but your mail about co2 scrubber raise my
> interest. I don't know anything about scrubbers but by the way you are
> talking about it, it sound pretty simple... Could you give me more details
> about the system?
>
> Thank you very much!
>
> Pierre Poulin
>
>
>
> >From: "Warrend Greenway" <dub@linuxmail.org>
> >Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> >To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
> >Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] CO2 Scrubber
> >Date: Sun, 05 Jan 2003 06:03:33 +0800
> >
> I just picked up the parts for my "test" CO2 scrubber. It cost all of
> $12.00. Has anyone else already done this? It's a pretty cheap test, but any
> words of wisdom would be appreciated. I am using porous plastic for the
> filters, PVC caps for the canister. I am going to use my welder
> tanks and regulator to introduce a controlled flow of mixed gas. There will
> be electronic CO2 sensors on the inlet and outlet so I can monitor
> absorption rates. Filter medium will be slaked lime from the hardware store
> granulated. I obviously won't be able to electrically recharge this test
> scrubber...I'll know how it works as soon as I can assemble it!
> >
> >Warren.
> >--
>
>
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