US 11,779,869 B2
Multiplex inertial filter, collector and separator
Mark M. Weislogel, Wilsonville, OR (US); John C. Graf, Houston, TX (US); Nora D. Shapiro, Tempe, AZ (US); Logan Torres, Wilsonville, OR (US); Rawand M. Rasheed, Houston, TX (US); and Ryan Jenson, Wilsonville, OR (US)
Assigned to IRPI LLC, Wilsonville, OR (US); and The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by IRPI LLC, Wilsonville, OR (US); and The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/455,736.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/262,803, filed on Oct. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0120148 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. B01D 45/16 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B01D 45/16 (2013.01) [B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inertial filter, comprising:
a planar porous material; and
an array of helical passages receiving at least a mixture of at least gas and liquid, each helical passage of the array of helical passages extending from a top surface of the porous planar material to a bottom surface of the porous planar material, the helical passages configured to passively induce centrifugal accelerations that drive liquid of the liquid/gas mixture to outer walls of the array of helical passages where droplets impinge onto the porous planar material and are absorbed, and then are driven by wicking capillary forces away from the helical passage walls.