Russian specialists have developed a prototype device capable of absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, and currently under consideration for use on the International Space Station (ISS), the official newspaper of Russian state nuclear energy firm Rosatom said on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th November, 2021) Russian specialists have developed a prototype device capable of absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, and currently under consideration for use on the International Space Station (ISS), the official newspaper of Russian state nuclear energy firm Rosatom said on Monday.
According to the newspaper, the newly presented device, created by experts from Rosatom's Russian State Research Center of the Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research, can be used in any private or public space, including in an apartment, a sports club, on transport, and even aboard the ISS. It is particularly relevant given the coronavirus pandemic, the news outlet added.
The device works cyclically, alternating phases of sorption and desorption, and regenerates the sorbent on its own. Depending on the design, CO2 is either removed into the ventilation duct, or pumped under pressure into gas cylinders, or decomposed into carbon and oxygen.
The composition of the sorbent will remain confidential until a patent is issued, the newspaper said.
According to the developers, the device destroys microorganisms and cleanses the air of allergens. There is nothing else like the device in Russia, and it differs from the foreign version as it works automatically while using a cheaper sorbent carrier.
The developers plan to produce the device in two variants: a mobile one, suitable for cars, buses, and airplanes; and a stationary version which will vary in size and performance and be usable on any premises.
The institute is negotiating with experts from the Russian space agency Roscosmos to jointly study the possibilities of the absorber aboard spaceships as it would be of immense value to the performance of cosmonauts, the newspaper said, citing one of the developers.
A human being requires air, which includes 0.03-0.04% CO2, to exist comfortably. However, when the concentration of carbon dioxide is above 0.1%, it leads to a feeling of stuffiness and subsequent general discomfort, weakness, headache, and other symptoms affecting the function of the human body.
According to statistics, the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 20% over the past half-century. The problem is particularly acute in large cities.
