Dust removal in deep space environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11866203-B2
Application number	US-202017060336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2020
Priority date	Oct 1, 2020
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods to remove dust from an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) worn by an astronaut in a deep space environment involve one or more ionic shower units installed external to an interior volume of a facility. Each ionic shower unit releases positively charged ions and negatively charged ions in a specified direction to neutralize the dust and generate neutralized dust. The interior volume of the facility is defined by an interior hatch that is separated from an exterior hatch by an airlock. One or more collection units is installed external to the interior volume. Each collection unit traps the neutralized dust to prevent the dust from entering the interior volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to remove dust from an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) worn by an astronaut in a deep space environment, the system comprising:
one or more ionic shower units installed external to an interior volume of a facility, each ionic shower unit being configured to release positively charged ions and negatively charged ions in a specified direction to neutralize the dust and generate neutralized dust, wherein the interior volume of the facility is defined by an interior hatch that is separated from an exterior hatch by an airlock; and
one or more collection units installed external to the interior volume, each collection unit being configured to trap the neutralized dust to prevent the dust from entering the interior volume.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is located in the airlock between the interior hatch and the exterior hatch of the facility and the facility is a space vehicle or a habitat.

3. The system according to claim 2 , further comprising a filter in a space between a raised platform with openings on which the astronaut stands and the floor of the airlock.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the filter in the space is configured to recirculate air and to trap the neutralized dust.

5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more ionic shower units or the one or more collection units are installed in a ring-shaped support whose opening is sized to encircle the astronaut.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the ring-shaped support is configured to move up and down to release the positively charged ions and the negatively charged ions along a length of the EMU or to trap the neutralized dust along the length of the EMU.

7. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more ionic shower units or the one or more collection units are installed on a swing arm to move around the EMU.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more ionic shower units or the one or more collection units installed on the swing arm are also configured to move up and down.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is located external to the exterior hatch of the facility.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the system is affixed to a ladder leading to the exterior hatch to prevent the dust from entering the airlock.

11. A method of removing lunar dust from an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) worn by an astronaut in a deep space environment, the method comprising:
installing one or more ionic shower units external to an interior volume of a facility, each ionic shower unit being configured to release positively charged ions and negatively charged ions in a specified direction to neutralize the lunar dust and generate neutralized dust, wherein the interior volume of the facility is defined by an interior hatch that is separated from an exterior hatch by an airlock; and
installing one or more collection units external to the interior volume, each collection unit being configured to trap the neutralized dust to prevent the neutralized dust from entering the interior volume.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising installing in the airlock between the interior hatch and the exterior hatch of the facility, the facility being a space vehicle or a habitat.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising disposing a filter in a space between a raised platform with openings on which the astronaut stands and the floor of the airlock.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising configuring the filter to recirculate air and to trap the neutralized dust.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the installing the one or more ionic shower units or the one or more collection units is in a ring-shaped support whose opening is sized to encircle the astronaut.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising configuring the ring-shaped support to move up and down to release the positively charged ions and the negatively charged ions along a length of the EMU or to trap the neutralized dust along the length of the EMU.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the installing the one or more ionic shower units or the one or more collection units on a swing arm to move around the EMU.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising configuring the swing arm to move up and down.

19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more ionic shower units and the one more ionic collection units are installed external to the exterior hatch of the facility.

20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising affixing a ladder leading to the exterior hatch.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Strickland Julie
• Brophy Nicholas

Classifications

• B03C3/155 Primary

  Filtration · CPC title

• B64G1/46 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of devices for control of environment or living conditions · CPC title

• B64G6/00

  Space suits · CPC title

• B64G1/22 Primary

  Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles · CPC title

• B64G1/52

  Protection, safety or emergency devices; Survival aids · CPC title