Capillary Gas Distributor for Liquid Intrusion Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas and liquid separation devices are fragile, costly, and limited to operation under gravity conditions, failing to effectively prevent liquid intrusion into gas supply lines during acceleration in spacecraft environments.
Innovation Solution
A gas injection device with a distributor portion featuring capillary passages that guide liquid into a rotational movement, creating a gas bubble to block the inlet pipe and prevent liquid intrusion, utilizing a chamber with a compensation volume for pressure variations and a robust, simple design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex separator devices with magnets, pumps, or membranes are used to separate gas and liquid, then liquid intrusion into gas supply line is prevented, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential separation function from complex separator devices and implements it through a simple distributor portion with capillary passages. Instead of using magnets, pumps, or membranes, the design isolates only the necessary elements (distributor portion with capillary passages) to achieve liquid-gas separation, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical separator components (magnets, pumps, membranes, propellers) with a passive capillary-based system. The capillary passages utilize surface tension and capillary action to separate liquid from gas without requiring mechanical moving parts or complex mechanical structures, thus reducing device complexity and improving reliability.
2Reliability
If traditional separator devices are used, then gas-liquid separation is achieved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to fragile components and laborious production
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the gas injection function into a simple distributor portion with multiple capillary passages. This modular design allows the distributor portion to be manufactured as a single integrated component or easily assembled from simple parts, significantly improving ease of manufacture compared to complex separator devices with multiple fragile components.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributor portion with capillary passages is designed as a simple, inexpensive component that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. This approach trades the high cost and complexity of durable but fragile separator devices for a simple, low-cost component that achieves the same separation function more reliably and easier to manufacture.
3Reliability
If separator devices are designed for gravity-based separation, then gas-liquid separation works under gravity conditions, but adaptability to zero-gravity or acceleration environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the separation mechanism from gravity-based to capillary action-based. By utilizing surface tension and capillary forces in the capillary passages, the system achieves gas-liquid separation that is independent of gravitational field strength, enabling reliable operation in zero-gravity space environments, during acceleration, or in any orientation without requiring design modifications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides reliable protection against liquid intrusion into gas supply lines, maintaining system integrity and ease of production, even in zero-gravity conditions, by leveraging capillary action and a stable gas bubble formation.
Implementation Method 1
the capillary passages are arranged so as to allow for a main flow (of gas or liquid) running, through the capillary passages, along a curve basically or generally tangent to the periphery of the chamber
Implementation Method 2
The chamber thus provides a compensation volume in which the size of the gas bubble may vary, rendering tolerable pressure variations which may occur within the gas supply system
Data Source
AI summary
A gas injection device for injecting an expulsion gas into a tank for a liquid. The gas injection device comprises an inlet pipe for receiving the gas and a distributor portion for releasing the gas through a plurality of capillary passages. The inlet pipe has a first end configured to be connected to a gas supply line and a second end located within a chamber in the distributor portion. The capillary passages respectively extend in a direction adapted to a periphery of the chamber. A tank for a liquid is provided, the tank comprising a gas injection device. A spacecraft is provided comprising such a tank.