AIR CLEANING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FUEL ELEMENTS Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: auxiliary functional systems for servicing fuel elements including sorption of fuel element consumed air from carbon dioxide. SUBSTANCE: novelty is that source air is passed through adsorber incorporating carbon dioxide absorber, then sorbent is reconditioned by heating; absorber used for the purpose has hydrated oxides of transition metals reconditioned by air spent in fuel element at temperature of 60 - 120 C. Air supplied for reconditioning is heated until its relative humidity becomes 15 to 85%. Air cleaning device has air flow booster communicating through pipelines and shut-off equipment with adsorbers which are equipped with carbon dioxide absorbers and connected to air inlet of fuel element; shut-off pieces of equipment are made in the form of switches affording alternate connection of inlet and outlet of one of adsorbers to air flow booster and to air inlet of fuel element, respectively, and outlet of one of adsorbers, to air outlet of fuel element through heater. As an alternative, proposed device can be made so that adsorbers isolated from each other by partitions are disposed in common casing for rotating about longitudinal axis and alternately connecting inlet to air flow booster and outlet, to air outlet of fuel element through heater. Adsorbers can be equipped with absorber incorporating hydrated zirconium oxide. Heat insulation can be fitted inside adsorbers and heaters. EFFECT: provision for continuous and deep air cleaning from carbon dioxide. 8 cl, 4 dwg