US 12,305,514 B2
System for extracting water from lunar regolith and associated method
Philip Metzger, Orlando, FL (US)
Assigned to UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., Orlando, FL (US)
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., Orlando, FL (US)
Filed on May 20, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/668,351.
Application 18/668,351 is a continuation of application No. 18/318,766, filed on May 17, 2023, granted, now 12,071,851.
Application 18/318,766 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/307,044, filed on Apr. 26, 2023, granted, now 11,891,896, issued on Feb. 6, 2024.
Application 18/307,044 is a continuation of application No. 17/177,277, filed on Feb. 17, 2021, granted, now 11,719,100, issued on Aug. 8, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/988,940, filed on Mar. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0301794 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21C 51/00 (2006.01); B03C 1/30 (2006.01); B03C 7/02 (2006.01); B04C 9/00 (2006.01); B64G 4/00 (2006.01); B64G 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC E21C 51/00 (2013.01) [B03C 1/30 (2013.01); B03C 7/02 (2013.01); B04C 9/00 (2013.01); B64G 4/00 (2013.01); B64G 5/00 (2013.01); B03C 2201/20 (2013.01); B04C 2009/001 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for extracting water from lunar regolith, comprising:
a regolith intake configured to collect lunar regolith and separate and discharge gravel and pass a mixture of ice-regolith powder;
a heater configured to heat the ice-regolith powder and vaporize any layer of ice in at least a continuous, non-filling ice-regolith relationship; and
a separator configured to receive the ice-regolith powder and split the ice-regolith powder into split streams of different sized lithic fragments and ice particles per the ratio of inertial force and aerodynamic drag force of the lithic fragments and ice particles.