Oxygen extraction apparatus and process
US7935176B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 2008 |
| Grant date | May 3, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB01D2256/12
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A facility and process capable of extracting oxygen in extraterrestrial environments from materials available in extraterrestrial environments, for example, on planets, planetoids, etc. The facility extracts oxygen from a mineral-containing solid material and is configured to form a free-falling molten stream of the solid material, evaporate at least a portion of the molten stream and produce a vapor containing gaseous oxygen, create a supersonic stream of the vapor, condense constituents of the supersonic stream to form particulates within the supersonic stream, separate the gaseous oxygen from the particulates, and then collect the gaseous oxygen.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.