A new type of air purifying device has been invented by a backcountry survivalist and his girlfriend.
The device uses charcoal and charcoal air purifiers, which are inexpensive, reliable and are great for backcountry environments.
The couple, who have been backpacking and hiking in Alaska for almost a year, decided to try a new air purification technology for themselves, but were skeptical.
What would happen if it started to stink?
“The biggest issue was that the air purifyers have a limited lifespan,” explains Emily Hulley, one of the inventors.
“I was concerned about that because it was not something I would buy again.”
So, they decided to make their own.
“We wanted to find a way to improve our air purifications, but at the same time we wanted to protect ourselves from what the world might think,” Hulleys husband, Steve, said in a statement.
“A simple device that we could install in the backcountry could potentially save lives, and at the time, it was one of those things that we thought we could make for ourselves.”
It took them about a year and a half to design and manufacture the device, which they dubbed the Charcoal Air Purifier.
The two started by designing a device that uses a charcoal filter and an air purificator.
The filter is attached to a device with a small electric heating element, and when the air in the air is cooled by the heating element and then cooled by water, the filter releases the air.
The air then flows through the air filter and is absorbed by the charcoal air.
As the charcoal is evaporated, it’s filtered through a small hole and then the charcoal filter is re-purified by a charcoal air filter.
The Air Purifiers have a lifespan of two to three years, depending on how well the filter is working.
The company also plans to sell the device in a backpack or a backpack case, which will be able to take a load of charcoal and air.
“This is something that we’re going to build to go with our gear and the backpacks we carry,” said Hulkins husband, “and if it works, we’re thinking we can make a case for it and put it in a bag and get a ton of people on it.”
They plan to have the device out in the wilderness in the spring and summer of 2019.
“The technology we developed will be useful for backpacking, but it’s also really useful for life in the outdoors,” Steve Hullesaid.
“People will be using it for survival purposes, camping, and for backpack use.”