Radioactive isotope distillation system for recovering water from waste in a spacecraft

Abstract

Abstract THERE IS DISCLOSED AN IMPROVED SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING POTABLE WATER FROM HUMAN WASTE AND INVOLVING TWO EVAPORATORS HAVING A WASTE INLET IN COMMON AND A VAPOR OUTLET IN COMMON BUT SEGREGATED FUNCTIONALLY BY SUITABLY POSITIONED CONTROL VALVES. EACH EVAPORATOR IS OF CYLINDRICAL SHAPE, FORMED OF SEVERAL COMPARTMENTS OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS, TWO OF WHICH ARE SECURED TOGETHER BY A CONICAL HOUSING. THE LOWERMOST COMPARTMENT IS HEMISPHERICAL IN SHAPE AND IS DETACHABLY SECURED TO THE ADJACENT COMPARTMENT. THERE ARE FOUR ISOTOPES IN THE LOWERMOST COMPARTMENT, ALSO A SINGLE ISOTOPE IN THE UPPERMOST COMPARTMENT. THE WASTE MATERIAL IS PUMPED INTO THE LOWERMOST COMPARTMENT WHERE IT IS HEATED AND THE VAPOR IS FORCED TO PASS THROUGH, IN SUCCESSION, A HEAVY LAYER OF "WICKING" MATERIAL, ALSO A PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED FILTERS, IN ADDITION TO A CIRCUMFERENTIAL FILTER. UPON REACHING THE UPPERMOST COMPARTMENT, THE VAPOR IS HEATED BY THE SINGLE ISOTOPE ENCLOSED IN A CASING FROM WHICH A NUMBER OF VANES RADIATE TO DISTRIBUTE THE HEAT. THE SPACE BETWEEN THE VANES IS FILLED WITH AN OXIDIZING CATALYST. THE VAPOR IS FED INTO A COILED PIPE LOCATED IN THE LOWERMOST COMPARTMENT WHERE IT GIVES UP ITS HEAT TO THE SURROUNDING WAST MATERIAL. THE VAPOR IS THEN CONDUCTED THROUGH A WATER COOLED CONDENSER, AND FINALLY TO A STORAGE TANK FOR CONSUMPTION. THE HEMISPHERICAL COMPARTMENT RECEIVES THE SEMI-SOLID PECIPITATE AND IS ADAPTED TO BE CLEANED BY THE ASTRONAUT BY REMOVING THE SAME AT THE DETACHABLE CONNECTION, AFTER A "SWITCH OVER" TO THE OTHER EVAPORATOR HAS BEEN EFFECTED BY THE VARIOUS VALVES.

Inventors

• 👤 Courtney A Metzger
• 👤 Albert B Hearld

Bibliographic Details