A vacuum system for simulating lunar water and dust laden environment

Abstract

The application provides a vacuum system for simulating a lunar water-containing and dust-containing environment and belongs to the technical field of lunar water-containing and dust-containing environment simulation. The vacuum system solves the problem that a lunar vacuum system for simulating a lunar water-containing and dust-containing environment mainly faces micro-nano dust and water molecule pollution when simulating lunar ice-soil material. The vacuum system comprises a lunar PSR comprehensive environment simulation cabin, an electrostatic dust collector, a cold trap, a vacuum system, a pressure recovery system and a vacuum degree measurement system. The top of the lunar PSR comprehensive environment simulation cabin is sequentially connected with the electrostatic dust collector and the cold trap. The vacuum system comprises a rough pumping system and a high vacuum system. The top of the cold trap is respectively connected with the rough pumping system and the high vacuum system. The rough pumping system and the high vacuum system are both communicated with the inner cavity of the lunar PSR comprehensive environment simulation cabin through the electrostatic dust collector and the cold trap. The rough pumping system is provided with the pressure recovery system. The vacuum system is mainly used for lunar water-containing and dust-containing environment simulation experiments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of lunar water- and dust-containing environment simulation technology, and in particular relates to a vacuum system for simulating lunar water- and dust-containing environments. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, lunar vacuum systems simulating the water- and dusty environment of lunar ice-reef materials mainly face the problem of micro- and nano-dust and water molecule contamination. In a high-vacuum environment, the presence of dust and moisture can significantly affect the system's performance and stability. Dust particles may damage vacuum pumps and other critical components, while moisture may condense, forming water or ice films in certain parts of the system, affecting the system's vacuum level and cleanliness. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a vacuum system for simulating the water- and dusty environment of the moon, in order to solve the problem of micro- and nano-dust and water molecule contamination that existing lunar vacuum systems for simulating the water- and dusty environment of lunar ice-soil materials mainly face.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a vacuum system for simulating the water- and dust-containing environment of the moon, comprising a lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber, an electrostatic precipitator, a cold trap, a vacuum system, a repressurization system, and a vacuum degree measurement system. The top of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber is sequentially connected to the electrostatic precipitator and the cold trap. The vacuum system includes a coarse pumping system and a high vacuum system. The top of the cold trap is connected to both the coarse pumping system and the high vacuum system. Both the coarse pumping system and the high vacuum system are connected to the inner cavity of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber through the electrostatic precipitator and the cold trap. A repressurization system is provided on the coarse pumping system. The vacuum degree measurement system is connected to the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber, the coarse pumping system, and the high vacuum system.

[0005] Furthermore, the coarse pumping system includes a Roots pump and a first dry pump. The air inlet of the Roots pump is connected to the cold trap via a pipeline, and the air outlet of the Roots pump is connected to the air inlet of the first dry pump via a pipeline. The air outlet of the first dry pump is open to the outside atmosphere.

[0006] Furthermore, a first filter, a regulating valve group, and a first pneumatic valve are sequentially installed along the gas flow direction on the pipeline between the Roots pump and the cold trap.

[0007] Furthermore, a pressure-rebalancing system is provided on the pipeline between the regulating valve assembly and the first pneumatic valve. The pressure-rebalancing system includes a second pneumatic valve and a second filter. The outlet end of the second filter is connected to the pipeline between the regulating valve assembly and the first pneumatic valve through the second pneumatic valve, and the inlet end of the second filter is connected to the outside atmosphere.

[0008] Furthermore, the high vacuum system includes a cryogenic pump and a second dry pump. The inlet of the cryogenic pump is connected to the cold trap via a pipeline, and the outlet of the cryogenic pump is connected to the inlet of the second dry pump via a pipeline. The outlet of the second dry pump is open to the outside atmosphere.

[0009] Furthermore, a third pneumatic valve is installed on the pipeline at the air inlet of the second dry pump, and a fourth and a fifth pneumatic valve are respectively installed on the pipelines at the exhaust port and air inlet of the cryogenic pump.

[0010] Furthermore, the vacuum measurement system includes a first resistance gauge, a second resistance gauge, a third resistance gauge, a fourth resistance gauge, a first ionization gauge, a second ionization gauge, and a piezoresistive vacuum gauge. The first resistance gauge is installed on the pipeline between the regulating valve group and the first pneumatic valve. The second resistance gauge is installed on the pipeline between the third and fourth pneumatic valves. The third resistance gauge and the first ionization gauge are both installed on the cryogenic pump. The fourth resistance gauge, the second ionization gauge, and the piezoresistive vacuum gauge are connected in parallel on the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber.

[0011] Furthermore, a sample testing platform is installed at the bottom of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber.

[0012] Furthermore, both the sample test bench and the cold trap are connected to a refrigeration unit.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0014] 1. This invention provides a vacuum system for simulating the water- and dust-containing environment of the moon. By setting an electrostatic precipitator and a cold trap in the front stage of the vacuum system for dust removal and water removal, the performance and stability of the system are greatly improved.

[0015] 2. This invention takes into account the downward settling characteristics of dust particles and water molecules under the influence of Earth's gravity. To prevent dust particles and water from contaminating highly sensitive components such as vacuum pumps and valves, the vacuum system is designed with anti-gravity in mind. That is, the coarse pumping system and the high vacuum system are arranged on the top of the hemispherical chamber to prevent damage to the vacuum pump and other key components, thereby improving the vacuum level and cleanliness of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a vacuum system for simulating a water- and dusty lunar environment, as described in this invention.

[0018] 1-Lunar PSR Integrated Environmental Simulation Chamber, 2-Electrostatic Precipitator, 3-Cold Trap, 4-Recompression System, 5-Sample Test Stand, 6-Refrigeration Unit, 7-Roots Pump, 8-First Dry Pump, 9-First Filter, 10-Regulating Valve Group, 11-First Pneumatic Valve, 12-Second Filter, 13-Second Pneumatic Valve, 14-Cryogenic Pump, 15-Second Dry Pump, 16-Third Pneumatic Valve, 17-Fourth Pneumatic Valve, 18-Fifth Pneumatic Valve, 19-First Resistance Gauge, 20-Second Resistance Gauge, 21-Third Resistance Gauge, 22-Fourth Resistance Gauge, 23-First Ionization Gauge, 24-Second Ionization Gauge, 25-Piezoresistive Vacuum Gauge. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, and the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments.

[0020] See Figure 1 This embodiment describes a vacuum system for simulating a water- and dusty lunar environment. It includes a lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1, an electrostatic precipitator 2, a cold trap 3, a vacuum system, a repressurization system 4, and a vacuum degree measurement system. The top of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1 is sequentially connected to the electrostatic precipitator 2 and the cold trap 3. The vacuum system includes a coarse evacuation system and a high vacuum system. The top of the cold trap 3 is connected to both the coarse evacuation system and the high vacuum system. Both the coarse evacuation system and the high vacuum system are connected to the inner cavity of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1 through the electrostatic precipitator 2 and the cold trap 3. The coarse evacuation system is equipped with the repressurization system 4. The vacuum degree measurement system is connected to the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1, the coarse evacuation system, and the high vacuum system.

[0021] This embodiment improves the system's performance and stability by installing an electrostatic precipitator 2 and a cold trap 3 at the front end of the vacuum system for dust and water removal. Considering that dust particles and water molecules tend to settle downwards under the influence of gravity, the vacuum system is designed with anti-gravity to prevent dust particles and water from contaminating highly sensitive components such as vacuum pumps and valves. This involves placing the coarse pumping system and the high vacuum system on the top of the hemispherical chamber to prevent damage to the vacuum pump and other critical components, thereby improving the system's vacuum level and cleanliness.

[0022] In this embodiment, the electrostatic precipitator 2 employs negative electrode high-voltage corona discharge dust removal technology. Its basic working principle is as follows: the corona wire is connected to a negative electrode high-voltage power supply, forming a strong electric field around it. This strong electric field ionizes the air near the surface of the corona wire, resulting in corona discharge. After particles enter the electrostatic precipitator 2 with the airflow, they gradually become charged under the influence of the corona charge. Under the action of external forces such as Coulomb force and fluid drag, the charged particles gradually move towards the dust collection plate and eventually settle onto it.

[0023] In this embodiment, cold trap 3 employs liquid nitrogen cold trap dehydration technology. It utilizes low-temperature and ultra-low-temperature cold walls or surfaces to capture condensable vapors and gases, placing them at the front end of a high-vacuum system. This facilitates maintaining or reducing the vacuum level to achieve an even lower vacuum. The speed at which cold trap 3 removes water vapor from the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1 is determined by the heat transfer capacity of the cold trap tube.

[0024] The coarse pumping system described in this embodiment includes a Roots pump 7 and a first dry pump 8. The air inlet of the Roots pump 7 is connected to the cold trap 3 via a pipeline, and the exhaust port of the Roots pump 7 is connected to the air inlet of the first dry pump 8 via a pipeline. The exhaust port of the first dry pump 8 is open to the outside atmosphere.

[0025] In this embodiment, the evacuation phase from atmospheric pressure to 10 Pa is the rough vacuum stage. A rough vacuum system is used to perform rough vacuuming on the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1. The gas load during this phase is primarily atmospheric. To create an oil-free and clean vacuum environment, this embodiment employs a Roots pump 7 and a first dry pump 8. The first dry pump 8 is a dry vacuum pump capable of operating at 10 Pa. 5 Operating within a pressure range of 0.1 Pa, with its exhaust port open to the outside atmosphere, this type of pump, known as an oil-free vacuum pump, directly exhausts gas into the atmosphere. The Roots pump 7 is a rotary variable displacement vacuum pump that utilizes two figure-eight rotors rotating within the pump casing to generate suction and exhaust. The high-vacuum Roots pump 7 cannot directly exhaust gas into the atmosphere on its own; it needs to be used in series with a first dry pump 8. The gas being pumped is then discharged into the atmosphere through the first dry pump 8. The most significant characteristic of the Roots pump 7 is its high pumping speed over a wide range. Furthermore, the ultimate vacuum of the Roots pump 7 depends not only on the pump's structure and manufacturing precision but also on the ultimate vacuum of the backing pump. The Roots pump 7 is equipped with a frequency converter, enabling it to start at atmospheric pressure, automatically controlling the motor's rotation frequency using the current. Starting the Roots pump 7 at atmospheric pressure increases the initial pumping speed of the dry pump. Using a combination of the Roots pump 7 and the first dry pump 8 for pumping can be divided into two pumping stages based on pump type characteristics: the first dry pump 8 operates from 10... 5 Pa drew 10 3 Pa, Roots pump 7 from 10 3The pumping speed is basically within the normal pumping speed range when the pressure is reduced from Pa to 10 Pa. Based on the above principle, it can be proven that the roughing unit consisting of the Roots pump 7 and the first dry pump 8 is the best choice for the roughing stage of the oilless vacuum container.

[0026] During the initial vacuum pumping stage, i.e., when the atmospheric pressure drops to 10 Pa, to prevent excessively rapid vacuum pumping that could cause an excessive pressure difference between the inside and outside of the simulated lunar soil particles with high porosity in the sample holder, leading to the rapid release of gas inside the particles and pushing the outer particles to move, causing "gas explosion dust" that pollutes the equipment inside the chamber, a regulating valve group 10 is installed to effectively avoid the "gas explosion dust" phenomenon.

[0027] In this embodiment, a first filter 9, a regulating valve group 10, and a first pneumatic valve 11 are sequentially arranged along the gas flow direction on the pipeline between the Roots pump 7 and the cold trap 3. The first pneumatic valve 11 is used to control the on / off of the coarse pumping system, and the first filter 9 is used to filter solid particles contained in the coarse pumping gas to prevent damage to the vacuum pump and other key components.

[0028] In this embodiment, a pressure-resetting system 4 is provided on the pipeline between the regulating valve group 10 and the first pneumatic valve 11. The pressure-resetting system 4 includes a second pneumatic valve 13 and a second filter 12. The outlet end of the second filter 12 is connected to the pipeline between the regulating valve group 10 and the first pneumatic valve 11 through the second pneumatic valve 13, and the inlet end of the second filter 12 is connected to the outside atmosphere.

[0029] The repressurization system 4 described in this embodiment is a system for restoring the vacuum environment to an atmospheric environment. Repressurization of the container is crucial for research progress and equipment maintenance. The lunar PSR integrated environmental simulation chamber 1 is repressurized by filling it with clean air. To obtain purified air, a second filter 12 is installed at the air inlet. This second filter 12 can filter out solid particles larger than 5μm. To reduce the impact of the repressurization airflow on the heat sink, internal equipment, and specimens, as well as dust generation, the repressurization system 4 uses an adjustable regulating valve group 10, shared with the coarse extraction system, to control the airflow rate. The pressure rise rate within the container during repressurization is adjustable. Furthermore, to avoid direct airflow, the repressurization system 4 in this embodiment can also be equipped with a diffuser structure to prevent direct airflow.

[0030] In this embodiment, a backup pressure-repressurization system 4 can also be set in the high vacuum system as needed.

[0031] In this embodiment, the second pneumatic valve 13 is used to control the on / off state of the pressure regulating system 4.

[0032] The high vacuum system described in this embodiment includes a cryogenic pump 14 and a second dry pump 15. The inlet of the cryogenic pump 14 is connected to the cold trap 3 via a pipeline, and the outlet of the cryogenic pump 14 is connected to the inlet of the second dry pump 15 via a pipeline. The outlet of the second dry pump 15 is in communication with the outside atmosphere.

[0033] In this embodiment, the high-vacuum stage is the evacuation phase from the 10 Pa range to the required vacuum environment, with a loaded 10⁻³ Pa and an unloaded 10⁻⁵ Pa. A high-vacuum system is used to conduct the high-vacuum stage in the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1. The gas load in the high-vacuum stage is mainly residual atmosphere and experimental water vapor. Any material can dissolve and adsorb some gases in an atmospheric environment. In the high-vacuum stage, when the material is placed in the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1, it will release gas due to dissolution and desorption. For this device, the release of experimental materials and experimental water vapor is the most important gas source of the vacuum system, and its impact should be carefully considered. The high-vacuum system consists of a cryogenic pump 14 and a second dry pump 15. It is necessary to evacuate the experimental chamber from the 10 Pa range to the required vacuum environment before the experiment and to maintain the stability of the experimental pressure during the experiment. The cryogenic pump 14 is a gas trapping pump, and its working principle includes cryogenic condensation, cryogenic adsorption, and cryogenic capture. Compared with other pumps of the same diameter, the cryogenic pump 14 has the highest pumping speed, especially for water vapor. Without hydrocarbon pollution, a clean, high-vacuum experimental environment can be created.

[0034] In this embodiment, a third pneumatic valve 16 is installed on the pipeline at the air inlet of the second dry pump 15, and a fourth pneumatic valve 17 and a fifth pneumatic valve 18 are respectively installed on the pipeline at the exhaust port and air inlet of the cryogenic pump 14. The third pneumatic valve 16, the fourth pneumatic valve 17 and the fifth pneumatic valve 18 jointly control the on / off state of the high vacuum system and adjust the opening degree.

[0035] The vacuum measurement system described in this embodiment includes a first resistance gauge 19, a second resistance gauge 20, a third resistance gauge 21, a fourth resistance gauge 22, a first ionization gauge 23, a second ionization gauge 24, and a piezoresistive vacuum gauge 25. The first resistance gauge 19 is installed on the pipeline between the regulating valve group 10 and the first pneumatic valve 11. The second resistance gauge 20 is installed on the pipeline between the third pneumatic valve 16 and the fourth pneumatic valve 17. The third resistance gauge 21 and the first ionization gauge 23 are both installed on the cryogenic pump 14. The fourth resistance gauge 22, the second ionization gauge 24, and the piezoresistive vacuum gauge 25 are connected in parallel on the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1.

[0036] In this embodiment, the vacuum measurement system measures the vacuum level of key points such as vacuum containers and vacuum pipelines by selecting appropriate vacuum gauges and vacuum meters. A fourth thermal resistance gauge 22, a second ionization gauge 24, and a piezoresistive vacuum gauge 25 are installed on the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1, with a measurement range of 1×10⁻⁶. 5 ~1×10 -8 The pressure gauge 21 (Pa) is used to accurately measure pressure changes during the roughing and high-vacuum phases. A resistance gauge is installed in both the roughing and high-vacuum systems. The cryogenic pump 14 is equipped with a third resistance gauge 21 and a first ionization gauge 23 to measure the pressure inside the pump 14 during evacuation. All vacuum gauges are displayed via a digital vacuum gauge.

[0037] In this embodiment, a sample test platform 5 is provided at the bottom of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber 1, which is used to place experimental samples.

[0038] In this embodiment, both the sample test bench 5 and the cold trap 3 are connected to the refrigeration unit 6. The connection between the sample test bench 5 and the refrigeration unit 6 is used to maintain the low temperature of the sample for low-temperature testing.

[0039] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention.

Claims

1. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dust-containing environment on the moon, characterized in that: It includes a lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber (1), an electrostatic precipitator (2), a cold trap (3), a vacuum system, a repressurization system (4), and a vacuum degree measurement system. The top of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber (1) is connected to the electrostatic precipitator (2) and the cold trap (3) in sequence. The vacuum system includes a rough pumping system and a high vacuum system. The top of the cold trap (3) is connected to the rough pumping system and the high vacuum system respectively. The rough pumping system and the high vacuum system are connected to the inner cavity of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber (1) through the electrostatic precipitator (2) and the cold trap (3). The rough pumping system is equipped with a repressurization system (4). The vacuum degree measurement system is connected to the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber (1), the rough pumping system, and the high vacuum system respectively. The electrostatic precipitator (2) adopts negative high-voltage corona discharge dust removal technology. The working principle of the electrostatic precipitator (2) is as follows: the corona wire is connected to the negative high-voltage power supply, and a strong electric field is formed around it. The strong electric field ionizes the air around the surface of the corona wire, forming a corona discharge. After the particles enter the electrostatic precipitator (2) with the airflow, they gradually become charged under the action of the corona charge. The charged particles move towards the dust collection plate under the action of Coulomb force and fluid drag force, and finally settle on the dust collection plate.

2. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dusty lunar environment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coarse pumping system includes a Roots pump (7) and a first dry pump (8). The air inlet of the Roots pump (7) is connected to the cold trap (3) through a pipeline, and the exhaust port of the Roots pump (7) is connected to the air inlet of the first dry pump (8) through a pipeline. The exhaust port of the first dry pump (8) is connected to the outside atmosphere.

3. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dust-containing environment on the moon according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pipeline between the Roots pump (7) and the cold trap (3) is provided with a first filter (9), a regulating valve group (10) and a first pneumatic valve (11) in sequence along the gas flow direction.

4. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dusty lunar environment according to claim 3, characterized in that: A pressure recovery system (4) is provided on the pipeline between the regulating valve group (10) and the first pneumatic valve (11). The pressure recovery system (4) includes a second pneumatic valve (13) and a second filter (12). The outlet end of the second filter (12) is connected to the pipeline between the regulating valve group (10) and the first pneumatic valve through the second pneumatic valve (13). The inlet end of the second filter (12) is connected to the outside atmosphere.

5. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dust-containing environment on the moon according to claim 4, characterized in that: The high vacuum system includes a cryogenic pump (14) and a second dry pump (15). The inlet of the cryogenic pump (14) is connected to the cold trap (3) through a pipeline, and the outlet of the cryogenic pump (14) is connected to the inlet of the second dry pump (15) through a pipeline. The outlet of the second dry pump (15) is connected to the outside atmosphere.

6. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dusty lunar environment according to claim 5, characterized in that: A third pneumatic valve (16) is installed on the pipeline at the air inlet of the second dry pump (15), and a fourth pneumatic valve (17) and a fifth pneumatic valve (18) are installed on the pipeline at the exhaust port and air inlet of the cryogenic pump (14), respectively.

7. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dust-containing environment on the moon according to claim 6, characterized in that: The vacuum measurement system includes a first resistance gauge (19), a second resistance gauge (20), a third resistance gauge (21), a fourth resistance gauge (22), a first ionization gauge (23), a second ionization gauge (24), and a piezoresistive vacuum gauge (25). The first resistance gauge (19) is installed on the pipeline between the regulating valve group (10) and the first pneumatic valve (11). The second resistance gauge (20) is installed on the pipeline between the third pneumatic valve (16) and the fourth pneumatic valve (17). The third resistance gauge (21) and the first ionization gauge (23) are both installed on the cryogenic pump (14). The fourth resistance gauge (22), the second ionization gauge (24), and the piezoresistive vacuum gauge (25) are connected in parallel on the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber (1).

8. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dusty lunar environment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the lunar PSR integrated environment simulation chamber (1) is equipped with a sample test platform (5).

9. A vacuum system for simulating a water- and dust-containing environment on the moon according to claim 8, characterized in that: The sample test bench (5) and the cold trap (3) are both connected to the refrigeration unit (6).

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