IP Library Granted Patent US 8,197,578
Granted Patent B2
US 8,197,578 · App. 11/881,020 · Granted Jun 12, 2012

Liquid degasser for a space device

Assignee: Busek Company, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,197,578
App. No.
11/881,020
Granted
Jun 12, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid degasser for a space device including a gas permeable material configured for contact with a flow of liquid to be de-gassed on one side and a vacuum on the other side, and wherein the gas permeable material allows gas in the liquid to diffuse to the vacuum to remove the gas from the liquid.

Claims (46)

1. A system for removing high volatility components for a space device comprising:

a highly permeable material configured for contact with a flow of liquid mixture having high volatility components and low volatility components on one side and an outer space vacuum provided by an outer space environment on the other side; and

the highly permeable material further configured to allow vaporized high volatility components to permeate therethrough and into the outer space vacuum to remove the high volatility components from the liquid mixture.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the gas permeable membrane is configured as a tube.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the flow of liquid is located inside the tube and the vacuum is located outside the tube.

4. The system of claim 2 in which the liquid is located outside the tube and the vacuum is located inside the tube.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the gas permeable material is configured as a membrane.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the liquid is located on one side of the membrane and the vacuum is located on the other side of the membrane.

7. The system of claim 3 in which the tube is located upstream of the space device.

8. The system of claim 4 in which the tube is disposed inside a manifold of the space device.

9. The system of claim 6 in which the membrane is disposed in a manifold of the space device.

10. The system of claim 9 in which a porous powder metal material is disposed in the manifold proximate the vacuum.

11. The system of claim 1 in which the space device includes a space device chosen from the group consisting of: a colloid thruster, an arcjet, and electrospray thruster, a monopropellant thruster, a bi-propellant thruster, a cooling loop of a space based power system, a fuel cell of a space based power system, and an environmental gas scrubber.

12. The system of claim 1 in which the gas permeable material includes an amorphous fluoropolymer.

13. The system of claim 1 in which the gas permeable material includes a polymer comprising silicon and/or fluorine.

14. The system of claim 1 in which the polymer includes a polymer chosen from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), poly (1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) and poly (tetrafluoroethylene) derivatives.

15. The system of claim 1 in which the liquid includes a propellant.

16. A system for a space device comprising:

a highly permeable material configured as a tube for contact with a liquid mixture having high volatility components and low volatility components on one side and an outer space vacuum an outer space vacuum provided by an outer space environment on the other side; and

the highly permeable material further configured to allow vaporized high volatility components to permeate therethrough and into the outer space vacuum to remove the high volatility components from the liquid mixture.

17. A system for removing high volatility components for a space device comprising:

a highly permeable material configured as a membrane for contact with a liquid mixture having high volatility components and low volatility components on one side and an outer space vacuum an outer space vacuum provided by an outer space environment on the other side; and

the highly permeable material further configured to allow vaporized high volatility components to permeate therethrough and into the outer space vacuum to remove the high volatility components from the liquid mixture.

18. A system for removing high volatility components comprising:

a highly permeable material configured as a membrane for contact with a liquid mixture having high volatility components and low volatility components on one side and an outer space vacuum an outer space vacuum provided by an outer space environment on the other side; and

the highly permeable material further configured to allow vaporized high volatility components to permeate therethrough and into the outer space vacuum to remove the high volatility components from the liquid mixture.

19. The system of claim 18 in which the gas permeable membrane is configured as a tube.

20. The system of claim 19 in which the flow of liquid is located inside the tube and the vacuum is located outside the tube.

21. The system of claim 19 in which the liquid is located outside the tube and the vacuum is located inside the tube.

22. The system of claim 18 in which the gas permeable material is configured as a membrane.

23. The system of claim 22 in which the liquid is located on one side of the membrane and the vacuum is located on the other side of the membrane.

24. The system of claim 20 in which the tube is located upstream of a space device.

25. The system of claim 21 in which the tube is disposed inside a manifold of a space device.

26. The system of claim 23 in which the membrane is disposed in a manifold of a space device.

27. The system of claim 26 in which a porous powder metal material is disposed in the manifold proximate the vacuum.

28. The system of claim 18 further configured for use with a space device chosen from the group consisting of: a colloid thruster, an arcjet, and electrospray thruster, a monopropellant thruster, a bi-propellant thruster, a cooling loop of a space based power system, a fuel cell of a space based power system, and an environmental gas scrubber.

29. The system of claim 18 in which the gas permeable material includes an amorphous fluoropolymer.

30. The system of claim 18 in which the gas permeable material includes a polymer comprising silicon and/or fluorine.

31. The system of claim 30 in which the polymer includes a polymer chosen from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), poly (1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) and poly (tetrafluoroethylene) derivatives.

32. The system of claim 18 in which the liquid includes a propellant.

33. A system for removing high volatility components comprising:

a highly permeable material configured as a tube for contact with a liquid mixture having high volatility components and low volatility components on one side and an outer space vacuum an outer space vacuum provided by an outer space environment on the other side; and

the highly permeable material further configured to allow vaporized high volatility components to permeate therethrough and into the outer space vacuum to remove the high volatility components from the liquid mixture.

34. A system for removing high volatility components comprising:

a highly permeable material configured as a membrane for contact with a liquid mixture having high volatility components and low volatility components on one side and an outer space vacuum an outer space vacuum provided by an outer space environment on the other side; and

the permeable material further configured to allow vaporized high volatility components to permeate therethrough and into the outer space vacuum to remove the high volatility components from the liquid mixture.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Feb 24, 2016
From: BUSEK CO. INC.
To: GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
Reel/Frame 037901/0678 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 20, 2009
From: BUSEK CO., INC.
To: NASA
Reel/Frame 022576/0804 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2007
From: HRUBY, VLADIMIR J.; DEMMONS, NATE; ROY, TOM; SPENCE, DOUG; EHRBAR, ERIC; ZWAHLEN, JURG; GASDASKA, CHARLES
To: BUSEK COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 020251/0936 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 60833345 · Jul 26, 2006
Related Publication 20080083335A1 · Apr 10, 2008