Oxygen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide absorption in a single use container

Abstract

The invention provides for a method of absorbing carbon dioxide comprising providing a container containing a product that gives off carbon dioxide, placing calcium hydroxide into the container, and sealing the container to form a sealed container.

1 . A method of absorbing carbon dioxide and oxygen, comprising:
 disposing a carbon dioxide absorber and an oxygen scavenger within a container containing a product, wherein the product gives off carbon dioxide and is degradable in the presence of oxygen;   sealing the container to form a sealed container containing the carbon dioxide absorber, the oxygen scavenger, and the product;   absorbing, with the carbon dioxide absorber, carbon dioxide given off by the product within the container, wherein absorption of the carbon dioxide by the carbon dioxide absorber produces water; and   at least partially promoting the oxygen absorption of the oxygen scavenger with the water.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the carbon dioxide absorber and the oxygen scavenger is contained within a sachet, the method further including disposing the sachet within the container before sealing the container. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the sachet is formed from at least one of a carbon dioxide permeable material, an oxygen permeable material, and a water vapor permeable material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the sachet contains between approximately 38 percent by weight and approximately 66 percent by weight of the carbon dioxide absorber, with the remainder being the oxygen scavenger. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide absorber comprises calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen scavenger comprises silica gel. 
     
     
         7 . A sealed container, comprising:
 an inner cavity;   a product disposed within the inner cavity, the product giving off carbon dioxide and being degradable in the presence of oxygen;   a carbon dioxide absorber disposed within the inner cavity and configured to absorb carbon dioxide given off by the product within the container, wherein absorption of carbon dioxide by the carbon dioxide absorber produces water; and   an oxygen scavenger disposed within the inner cavity and arranged to receive the water, wherein the water at least partially promotes the oxygen scavenger.   
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the container is formed from a material that is substantially impermeable to carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 7 , further including a sachet containing at least one of the carbon dioxide absorber and the oxygen scavenger, wherein the sachet is formed from at least one of a carbon dioxide permeable material, an oxygen permeable material, and a water vapor permeable material. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the product comprises at least one of cheese, kimchi, and ground coffee. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the carbon dioxide absorber comprises calcium hydroxide having a grain size of between approximately 200 millimeters and approximately 300 millimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the calcium hydroxide is embedded in a film. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the carbon dioxide absorber is embedded in a film, and the film is disposed within the inner cavity. 
     
     
         14 . A sealed container, comprising:
 a gas flushed inner cavity wherein the flush gas comprises at least carbon dioxide;   a product disposed within the inner cavity that is sensitive to oxygen;   a water producing carbon dioxide absorber, disposed within the inner cavity and configured to absorb carbon dioxide from the flush gas within the container, wherein absorption of carbon dioxide by the carbon dioxide absorber produces water; and   an oxygen scavenger disposed within the inner cavity and arranged to receive the water, wherein the water at least partially promotes the oxygen scavenger.   
     
     
         15 . A method of absorbing oxygen without prematurely promoting scavenging of oxygen comprising:
 disposing a water producing carbon dioxide absorber and an oxygen scavenger within a container containing a product;   gas flushing the container with a flushing gas that contains carbon dioxide   sealing the container to form a sealed container containing the carbon dioxide absorber, the oxygen scavenger, the flushing gas, and the product;   absorbing, with the carbon dioxide absorber, carbon dioxide from the flushing gas, wherein absorption of the carbon dioxide by the carbon dioxide absorber produces water; and   at least partially promoting the oxygen absorption of the oxygen scavenger with the water.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising disposing a carbon dioxide absorber and the oxygen scavenger within a oxygen impermeable container. 
     
     
         17 . A oxygen absorbing device comprising:
 A water generating composition comprising a carbon dioxide absorber;   an oxygen scavenger that will react with water to absorb oxygen;   an outer container containing the water generating composition and the oxygen scavenger.   
     
     
         18 . The oxygen absorbing device of  claim 17  where the water generating composition comprises calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
         19 . The oxygen absorbing device of  claim 17  where the oxygen scavenger comprises a mixture of iron and an electrolyte. 
     
     
         20 . The oxygen absorbing device of  claim 17  where the outer container comprises a material that is permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide but impermeable to water vapor and liquid water. 
     
     
         21 . The oxygen absorbing device of  claim 20  wherein the outer container comprises an olefin. 
     
     
         22 . The oxygen absorbing device of  claim 21  wherein the olefin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The oxygen absorbing device of  claim 17  further comprising water sufficient enough to raise the oxygen absorbing compositions water activity to just below what is needed to initiate a redox reaction. 
     
     
         24 . An oxygen absorbing film comprising:
 a first layer comprising an oxygen and carbon dioxide impermeable resin;   a second layer comprising a resin that is permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide, an oxygen scavenging composition, and a water generating composition comprising a carbon dioxide scavenger.