Zero Gravity Urinal Gas Liquid Separation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a zero gravity environment, existing technologies face challenges in separating gas from a mixture of gas and liquids, particularly in space toilets where urine collection involves a mixture with mostly air and small amounts of liquid, leading to filtration difficulties due to the absence of natural forces and issues with filter clogging or gas passing through.
Innovation Solution
A gas and liquid mixture separation system using a vacuum pump to create pressure differentials and a peristaltic pump to manage liquid flow, combined with a membrane filter and an expandable collection bag, allows for efficient separation and recirculation of the mixture to achieve desired gas removal, preventing filter clogging and ensuring adequate flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vacuum pump is used to create pressure differential for forcing inlet flow through the filter, then gas and liquid separation is achieved, but the filter surface becomes covered with liquid causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
A wick material acts as an intermediary between the filter surface and the liquid-gas mixture. The wick absorbs liquid through capillary action and transports it away from the filter surface, preventing liquid accumulation and clogging while maintaining high flow rates through the filter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical liquid removal systems with capillary action-based wick material. The wick automatically draws liquid away from the filter surface through capillary forces, eliminating the need for additional mechanical pumping or agitation systems.
2Reliability
If high air flow is used to ensure reliable urine collection, then collection reliability is improved, but the mixture becomes mostly air with small liquid amounts that are difficult to filter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous wick material with specific capillary properties that can handle high-velocity gas flows while effectively capturing and transporting liquid droplets. The porous structure provides sufficient surface area and capillary channels to separate liquid from gas even at high flow rates.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the collection bag is made expandable to accommodate variable liquid volumes, then storage flexibility is improved, but the system requires additional connection points and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The collection bag is designed as an expandable flexible structure that dynamically adjusts its volume based on the amount of liquid collected. The bag expands automatically as liquid is added and can be deflated or removed when full, providing adaptive storage capacity without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
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 system effectively separates gas from liquid in a zero gravity environment, maintaining system flow and preventing clogging, allowing for reliable urine collection and gas removal, even in conditions where mostly air is present with small liquid amounts.
Implementation Method 1
A vacuum pump on the air side of the filter generates the pressure delta required to force the appropriate inlet flow
Implementation Method 2
A peristaltic pump is used to transfer liquid away from the filter surface
Implementation Method 3
The mixture is directed to a filter having an air side
Data Source
AI summary
A gas and liquid mixture separation and collection system for zero gravity operation that can be applied to a urinal toilet is disclosed. There is an inlet to receive the gas and liquid mixture. The mixture is directed to a filter having an air side. A vacuum pump on the air side of the filter generates a pressure delta to force the inlet flow. A peristaltic pump is used to transfer liquid away from the filter surface. In doing so, the flow on the liquid side of the membrane filter may contain some gas left over from the inlet flow mixture, but there is substantially less gas than in the gas and liquid mixture at the inlet. The filtered mixture is directed to an expandable collection bag that is attached to the air side of the filter so the filter process can be repeated to remove more gas from the mixture.