Patent Grant
10739070
The present disclosure relates to fluid extraction systems, and more specifically, to extracting water from space waste material.
Conventional Waste Collector Systems (WCS) aboard, for example, the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS), utilize air flow to entrain human waste. For example, fecal material is typically collected by air flow entrainment. For instance, air may enter in a fairly uniform radial direction under a seat of the WCS. Air drag then helps separate the fecal bolus and draw it into a tank or fecal collection bag. The collected feces are generally thrown overboard. Because a substantial portion of fecal matter is comprised of water, disposing of collected fecal matter in this manner results in a loss of water, a valuable resource for space travel, from the spacecraft.
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a fluid extraction apparatus that includes a first chamber within which waste material is configured to be disposed and a second chamber comprising a vacuum source interface. The first chamber may be in selective fluid communication with the second chamber. In various embodiments, the fluid extraction apparatus further includes an intermediate valve disposed on a conduit extending between the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the intermediate valve is selectively actuatable to control the selective fluid communication. In various embodiments, the selective fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber is exclusively via the intermediate valve and the conduit.
In various embodiments, the first chamber includes an air inlet. In various embodiments, the first chamber includes a sealable door that is configured to open to allow the waste material to be placed within the first chamber. The second chamber may include a fluid outlet through which extracted fluid from the waste material is configured to flow. In various embodiments, the fluid extraction apparatus further includes a heater coupled to the first chamber. The second chamber may include heat transfer augmentation features. In various embodiments, the second chamber is rotatable to facilitate collection of extracted fluid.
Also disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is a waste processing system that includes a fluid extraction apparatus. The fluid extraction apparatus may comprise a first chamber within which waste material is configured to be disposed and a second chamber comprising a vacuum source interface. The first chamber may be in selective fluid communication with the second chamber. The waste processing system also includes an intermediate valve disposed fluidly between the first chamber and the second chamber, according to various embodiments. The intermediate valve may be selectively actuatable to control the selective fluid communication. The waste processing system may further include a controller having a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory. The tangible, non-transitory memory may be configured to communicate with the processor, and the tangible, non-transitory memory may have instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the waste processing system to perform various operations. The various operations include decreasing, by the processor and with the intermediate valve in a closed position, a second pressure in the second chamber, according to various embodiments. The various operations also include after decreasing the second pressure in the second chamber, actuating the intermediate valve, by the processor, to an open position to cause rapid decompression of the first chamber, thereby lowering a first pressure in the first chamber, according to various embodiments.
In various embodiments, the waste processing system further includes a vacuum source coupled to the second chamber at the vacuum source interface. Accordingly, the step of decreasing the second pressure in the second chamber may include at least one of actuating the vacuum source and actuating a vacuum valve disposed between the vacuum source and the second chamber. In various embodiments, the first chamber includes an air inlet and an air valve. The operations may further include actuating the air valve to introduce air into the first chamber to facilitate transport of extracted fluid from the waste material in the first chamber to the second chamber. In various embodiments, the operations further include repeating the decreasing and the actuating steps (e.g., until a extent of extraction).
Also disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is a method for extracting fluid from waste material. The method may include decreasing a second pressure in a second chamber with an intermediate valve in a closed position. The intermediate valve may be disposed between the second chamber and a first chamber. After decreasing the second pressure in the second chamber, the method may include actuating the intermediate valve to an open position to cause rapid decompression of the first chamber, thereby lowering a first pressure in the first chamber and thereby extracting the fluid contained with the waste material disposed within the first chamber.
In various embodiments, the step of actuating the intermediate valve to the open position chamber causes the fluid to exit the first chamber and flow into the second chamber. In various embodiments, the method further includes actuating a heater coupled to the first chamber to control a temperature of the waste material. In various embodiments, the step of decreasing the second pressure in the second chamber includes at least one of actuating a vacuum source and actuating a vacuum valve disposed between the vacuum source and the second chamber. In various embodiments, the method further includes actuating an air valve coupled to the first chamber to introduce air into the first chamber to facilitate transport of the fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber. Still further, the method may include repeating the decreasing and the actuating steps.
The forgoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated herein otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of the disclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of the following description and accompanying drawings.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical changes and adaptations in design and construction may be made in accordance with this disclosure and the teachings herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.
In various embodiments, and with reference to
The fluid extraction apparatus 100 may be utilized with a system, such as waste processing system 10 described below with reference to
The fluid extraction apparatus 100, according to various embodiments and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 120 are in selective fluid communication with each other. That is, the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 120 may be fluidly isolated from each other except for a selective valve, conduit, tube, or membrane. For example, the fluid extraction apparatus 100 may include an intermediate valve 135 disposed on a conduit 130 extending between the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 120, and the intermediate valve 135 may be actuated to either isolate the two chambers or to fluidly connect the two chambers.
In various embodiments, and as described in greater detail below with reference to the method of
In various embodiments, the second chamber 120 has a second volume and the first chamber 110 has a first volume, with the second volume being between about 2 and 5 times as large as the first volume. In various embodiments, the second volume is about 3 and 4 times as large as the first volume. As used in this context only, the term about means plus or minus 10% of the indicated value. In various embodiments, the second chamber 120 may have a dome-like shape. In various embodiments, and with reference to
After the first chamber 110 has been sufficiently decompressed via the one or more rapid decompression stages and after sufficient fluid has been extracted from the waste material 50, the first chamber 110 may be rapidly re-pressurized (e.g., to atmospheric pressure, or to some other pressure value), thereby causing the waste material to be compacted (as shown in
In various embodiments, and with continued reference to
In various embodiments, the second chamber 120 includes a fluid outlet 123 or a fluid drain through which fluid that has been extracted from the waste material 50 is configured to flow. In various embodiments, the extracted fluid may collect or condense or otherwise accumulate in a region or volume of the second chamber 120. For example, the second chamber 120 may be actively or passively temperature controlled, thereby promoting condensation or otherwise facilitating collection of the extracted fluid. In various embodiments, the second chamber 120 may be rotatable about an axis, similar to a centrifuge device, and the extracted fluid may be directed towards a collection area or the fluid outlet 123 via the apparent centrifugal force. In various embodiments, the extracted fluid, such as water vapor, is configured to be recirculated into the cabin. That is, the fluid outlet 123 may be a vapor vent configured to deliver fluid to the cabin and the extracted fluid may recirculate into the cabin via the fluid outlet 123.
In various embodiments, the fluid extraction apparatus 100 may further include a heater 140 coupled to the first chamber 110 and configured to provide heat to the waste material 50. The heater 140 may be configured to elevate the temperature of the waste material 50, thereby facilitating extraction of fluid from the waste material 50 (e.g., water from fecal matter), to prevent freezing of the waste material 50 (which would hinder fluid extraction), and/or to kill bacteria or other microbes/microorganisms present in the waste material 50. The heater 140 may be a microwave antenna or other microwave transducer. The heater 140 may be mounted below the waste material 50 of the first chamber 110, as shown in
In various embodiments, and with reference to
The controller 20 may be integrated into computer systems onboard an aircraft or spacecraft. The controller 20 may also be a standalone computer system separate from the aircraft/spacecraft and in electronic communication with the aircraft/spacecraft. The processor of the controller 20 may include one or more processors and/or one or more tangible, non-transitory memories that are capable of implementing logic. Each processor can be a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof.
In various embodiments, the processor of the controller 20 may be configured to implement various logical operations in response to execution of instructions, for example, instructions stored on the non-transitory memory (e.g., tangible, computer-readable medium). As used herein, the term “non-transitory” is to be understood to remove only propagating transitory signals per se from the claim scope and does not relinquish rights to all standard computer-readable media that are not only propagating transitory signals per se. Stated another way, the meaning of the term “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and “non-transitory computer-readable storage medium” should be construed to exclude only those types of transitory computer-readable media which were found in In Re Nuijten to fall outside the scope of patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101.
In various embodiments, and with reference to
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure.
The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” It is to be understood that unless specifically stated otherwise, references to “a,” “an,” and/or “the” may include one or more than one and that reference to an item in the singular may also include the item in the plural. All ranges and ratio limits disclosed herein may be combined.
Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, and C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.
The steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Elements and steps in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence. For example, steps that may be performed concurrently or in different order are illustrated in the figures to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.
Any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact. Surface shading lines may be used throughout the figures to denote different parts or areas but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials. In some cases, reference coordinates may be specific to each figure.
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “various embodiments,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.
Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190285343 A1 | Sep 2019 | US |
