Design Process

Define the Problem

• Human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy, causes the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere—namely, carbon dioxide. This traps heat, raising global temperatures and causing a more extreme climate. We have to create a rocket which can launch a CO₂ capturing device in the optimum range to filter CO₂ out of the air.

Generate alternative concepts

• Some modern carbon dioxide capture designs function in areas with high air circulation/flow, similar to windmills.

• Other options for the CO₂ capturing device include using sodium hydroxide to mix into the carbon dioxide and make it into a liquid which can be sorted later, or use sorbent, which can absorb carbon dioxide and act as a filter.

• While creating the rocket that launches directly into the atmosphere, many different possibilities can be made. These rockets may have different configurations of fins and engines.

Evaluate and select a concept

• We decided to use a typical three-stage rocket with three sets of fins and three engines. This rocket should reach a height of between 15,000 and 30,000 feet, since that is the mid-troposphere and where a lot of carbon dioxide is.

• For the CO₂ capturing device, we have decided to create a model which uses sorbent as an air filter.

Detail the design

• Our RockSim rocket design has a long, narrow body and contains our carbon capture device on the frontmost segment. After launch, the rocket releases the two lower segments but still has at least one engine and one pair of fins to stabilize its flight path. After reaching the apogee, it releases the carbon dioxide capturing device and unfurls a parachute to descend back to ground for a safe landing.

• The CO₂ capturing device we made in TinkerCAD uses sorbent as a filter as the whole device slowly drifts back to earth with a parachute. After collecting all the CO₂ it can, the entrance and exit to the device close off. Then, the sorbent is heated and the gas inside the device is transferred to the storage units using a vacuum type suction. The entrance and exit then open again and the process repeats until the device lands.

Design defense

• Our rocket reaches an altitude of 25,314.30 feet, which is between 15,000 and 30,000 feet. This means that it releases the CO₂ capturing device in a CO₂ rich zone, so we get the most benefit out of it.

• The CO₂ capture device filters the air and, using heat, is able to transfer the carbon to a storage container for later use.

Manufacture and Test

• Our rocket launched successfully in RockSim, and to manufacture the CO₂ capture device, we 3D printed it through PolarCloud. In our TinkerCAD model, we used a wall in the middle of our design, but in real life, this wall would be replaced with the sorbent.

Evaluate Performance

• Our designs worked successfully!