Epiphyte’s sorbent chamber is the metal enclosure that isolates the CO2-laden air drawn into it with the fan so that it comes into contact with the sorbent panel. It is tightly air-sealed with dampers, and it must be designed to withstand vacuum pressure during the desorption phase.
To maximize the carbon desorption efficiency and speed we need to integrate a vacuum pump with Epiphyte, and plan to do so for build 2. However, our initial design will need to be upgraded to ensure sufficient chamber thickness and durability, and we also need to make it completely air tight and leak free for it to work. So changes to the chamber are in the works.
This includes an upgrade to the current dampers, too. The dampers on either end of the sorbent chamber have a critical role to play: sealing off the sorbent chamber from outside air flow, and preventing leaks when the vacuum is applied. The current dampers probably aren’t rated for this use case. We need something more heavy duty.
Here are two videos summarizing the optimizations needed for the Sorbent Chamber for Build #2.
