Cyclonic Pressure Regulator for Low-Gravity Fluid Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments with low or no gravity, traditional pressure regulation systems for fluid reservoirs struggle to effectively separate and manage the liquid and gas phases, leading to inefficient pressure control and liquid loss, as they rely on gravity for phase separation and require bulky heat exchangers or continuous pump operation, which is energy-intensive and prone to wear.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a cyclonic separation chamber with a piston pump and valves for mechanical separation of liquid and gas phases, allowing for efficient extraction and reinjection of the liquid phase, ensuring pure gas evacuation and thermal homogenization without capillary drainage, and reducing the need for continuous pump operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If a pump is used to force convection within the tank's liquid to increase the heat transfer coefficient, then the heat exchanger size and mass are reduced, but the pump must run continuously which increases energy consumption and causes wear
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operates periodically rather than continuously. The control system activates the pump only when pressure regulation is needed and deactivates it when pressure is within acceptable ranges, thereby reducing energy consumption and wear while still achieving effective heat transfer when required
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the pressure differential and natural convection currents generated during pump operation to maintain fluid circulation and heat transfer after the pump stops, allowing the system to serve itself without continuous external energy input
2Weight of stationary object
If a pump is used to force convection within the tank's liquid, then the heat exchanger size and mass are reduced, but the pump efficiency losses and pressure losses along the flow constitute energy dissipations that negatively impact the overall efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the energy dissipation from pump inefficiencies and flow pressure losses back into useful thermal energy by capturing the warmed fluid and using it in the heat exchanger, where the thermal energy is transferred to the main fluid mass, transforming wasted energy into a beneficial heating effect
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the energy lost to pump inefficiencies and flow resistance, the system recovers this energy in the form of thermal energy in the pumped fluid and reintroduces it into the thermal management system through the heat exchanger
3Reliability
If natural convection is used for heat exchange in low gravity, then no pump is required, but the heat transfer coefficient is very low requiring a large heat exchanger surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The system alternates between natural convection (when no pressure regulation is needed) and pump-induced forced convection (when pressure regulation is needed), combining the reliability of passive operation with the compactness of active heat transfer enhancement
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is designed to effectively operate in both natural convection and forced convection modes, making it universally adaptable to different operational requirements and gravity conditions without requiring separate systems
4Device complexity
If ground-based pressure regulators are used in low gravity environments, then the valve structure is simple, but it is impossible to know whether the opening will be in contact with the liquid phase, leading to liquid loss and reduced efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces gravity-dependent mechanical phase separation with a pump-driven fluid circulation system that actively transports liquid phases away from the vent opening and returns them to the tank, ensuring phase separation without relying on gravitational settling
Solution Approach 2:
Pressure sensors and flow sensors provide feedback to the control system, which adjusts pump operation and valve timing to ensure liquid is removed from the vent path before gas venting occurs, preventing liquid loss while maintaining simple valve structures
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
This solution enables effective pressure regulation in low-gravity environments by ensuring pure gas evacuation and efficient liquid reinjection, promoting thermal homogenization and reducing energy consumption and equipment wear, thus improving system performance and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a mechanical separation chamber for the liquid and gaseous phases of the fluid, the separation chamber being a cyclone separator
Implementation Method 2
a mechanical separation chamber for the liquid and gaseous phases of the fluid, the separation chamber being a cyclone separator
Implementation Method 3
a piston whose movement creates compression in a pump body
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates in particular to a pressure regulation system for a liquefied fluid tank. The system comprises a chamber for mechanically separating the liquid and gaseous phases of the fluid, a first opening in the chamber forming an inlet allowing the introduction of the fluid into the chamber, a second opening in the chamber forming a first outlet allowing the evacuation of the gaseous phase from the chamber, a third opening in the chamber forming a second outlet allowing the evacuation of the liquid phase from the chamber, and a pumping element for the liquid phase communicating with the second outlet.