Ultra-compact portable solar-powered thermo-chemical decontamination system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11951222-B2
Application number	US-202017124208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2020
Priority date	Dec 16, 2020
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A system includes a containment vessel configured to receive and retain equipment to be decontaminated. The system also includes a solar reflector configured to reflect solar energy towards the containment vessel in order to heat the containment vessel. The system further includes end supports configured to receive and retain the solar reflector and the containment vessel. The system also includes a base having or coupled to multiple side supports, where each side support is configured to contact and support a corresponding one of the end supports. In addition, the system includes one or more semi-transparent solar shades configured to reduce the solar energy reaching the solar reflector and the containment vessel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a solar reflector configured to reflect solar energy towards a containment vessel;
end supports configured to receive and retain the solar reflector and the containment vessel and including shade connections;
a base comprising or coupled to multiple side supports, each side support configured to contact and support a corresponding one of the end supports; and
one or more semi-transparent solar shades removably mounted to the shade connections of the end supports and configured to reduce the solar energy reaching the solar reflector and the containment vessel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the solar reflector comprises one or more reflectors; and
the end supports comprise grooves configured to receive edges of the one or more reflectors in order to hold the one or more reflectors in place and form the solar reflector.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more reflectors are flexible and are configured to (i) bend when the edges of the one or more reflectors are inserted into the grooves of the end supports and (ii) revert to a substantially planar shape.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the end supports comprise projections configured to receive and hold the containment vessel such that a focal line of the solar reflector substantially coincides with a central longitudinal axis of the containment vessel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each side support comprises a groove in which an edge of a corresponding one of the end supports is configured to slide in order to rotate the solar reflector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be disassembled for storage or transport and reassembled.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more semi-transparent solar shades comprise multiple semi-transparent solar shades; and
different solar shades or different combinations of solar shades have different levels of semi-transparency and are configured to reduce the solar energy reaching the solar reflector and the containment vessel by different amounts.

8. A system comprising:
a containment vessel configured to receive and retain equipment to be decontaminated;
a solar reflector configured to reflect solar energy towards the containment vessel in order to heat the containment vessel;
end supports configured to receive and retain the solar reflector and the containment vessel and including shade connections;
a base comprising or coupled to multiple side supports, each side support configured to contact and support a corresponding one of the end supports; and
one or more semi-transparent solar shades removably mounted to the shade connections of the end supports and configured to reduce the solar energy reaching the solar reflector and the containment vessel.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the solar reflector comprises one or more reflectors; and
the end supports comprise grooves configured to receive edges of the one or more reflectors in order to hold the one or more reflectors in place and form the solar reflector.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more reflectors are flexible and are configured to (i) bend when the edges of the one or more reflectors are inserted into the grooves of the end supports and (ii) revert to a substantially planar shape.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the end supports comprise projections configured to receive and hold the containment vessel such that a focal line of the solar reflector substantially coincides with a central longitudinal axis of the containment vessel.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein each side support comprises a groove in which an edge of a corresponding one of the end supports is configured to slide in order to rotate the solar reflector.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the one or more semi-transparent solar shades comprise multiple semi-transparent solar shades; and
different solar shades or different combinations of solar shades have different levels of semi-transparency and are configured to reduce the solar energy reaching the solar reflector and the containment vessel by different amounts.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the containment vessel comprises a cylindrical containment vessel; and
the solar reflector comprises a parabolic cylindrical reflector.

15. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a telescope or optical sight configured to facilitate aiming of the solar reflector.

16. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
an insulation covering a portion of the containment vessel;
wherein the containment vessel is configured to be inserted between the end supports with the insulation facing away from the solar reflector.

17. The system of claim 8 , wherein the containment vessel comprises a handle, the containment vessel configured to be inserted between the end supports with the handle facing away from the solar reflector.

18. A method comprising:
inserting a containment vessel containing equipment to be decontaminated between end supports of a decontamination system;
reflecting solar energy towards the containment vessel using a solar reflector of the decontamination system, wherein edges of the solar reflector are received and retained by the end supports;
using a base comprising or coupled to multiple side supports, supporting the end supports and allowing the end supports to rotate in order to aim the solar reflector; and
using one or more semi-transparent solar shades removably mounted to shade connections on the end supports to control the solar energy reaching the solar reflector.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
changing an amount of the solar energy reaching the solar reflector by (i) altering a number of solar shades being used or (ii) altering the one or more solar shades being used.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
inserting a low-concentration hydrogen peroxide solution into the containment vessel with the equipment to be decontaminated; and
heating the low-concentration hydrogen peroxide solution and the equipment to be decontaminated in the containment vessel using the solar energy.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Crouch David D
• Carroll Iii Alf L
• Carcone John
• Feenstra Travis B
• Sar David R
• Serino Anthony

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• A61L2103/50

  Textiles, e.g. bedwear or towels · CPC title

• A61L2103/23

  Containers other than laboratory or medical, e.g. bottles or mail · CPC title

• A61L2/186 Primary

  Peroxide solutions · CPC title

• A61L2/084

  Visible light · CPC title