Abstract:
A system for releasing and capturing gases from a regolith material has a frame that is movable to define a capture space on a regolith material. A mirror captures solar energy, and focuses energy through a lens and on a regolith defined within the captured space. Apparatus is provided for capturing released gas. A method of operating such a system is also disclosed and claimed. In addition, a method of forming structural material is also disclosed and claimed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application relates to a transport vehicle which is movable on a surface, such as a lunar surface, to bring a gas recovery system onto an area of regolith, and then to utilize solar power to release gases, and to recover those gases. 
         [0002]    The field of space travel, colonization, and establishing space stations, carries several logistic challenges. One challenge with implementing stations on the moon, or other non-earth bodies, is the need to transport all required gases, supplies, etc. 
         [0003]    As an example, transporting all the required gases to a lunar station would require a great deal of storage space on vehicles traveling to the moon. 
         [0004]    On the other hand, it is known that the lunar surface, and in particular its regolith, or loose rock and dust on the surface, includes a great deal of recoverable gases. 
         [0005]    It has been proposed to utilize solar energy to release, capture, and utilize those gases. However, the systems proposed to date have not been practical. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A system for releasing and capturing gases from a regolith material has a frame that is movable to define a capture space on a regolith material. A mirror captures solar energy, and focuses energy through a lens and on a regolith defined within the captured space. Apparatus is provided for capturing released gas. A method of operating such a system is also disclosed and claimed. In addition, a method of forming structural material is also disclosed and claimed. 
         [0007]    These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a first view of a transport vehicle for use in recovering gases from regolith. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  is an enlarged portion showing one part of the  FIG. 1A  embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a further detail of the  FIG. 1A  embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a path of solar energy as utilized in this application. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a step subsequent to the  FIG. 1A  step. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows the use of blocks created by melted regolith. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0014]      FIG. 1A  shows a system  20  for recovering gases from a regolith material  43 , such as found in the first several meters of the surface of the moon, and other space bodies. As shown, the system  20  includes a solar acquisition mirror  22  driven by a motor  24  (shown schematically) mounted atop support  26 , and operable to locate the sun&#39;s ray optimally, and to direct those rays toward another turning minor  28 , which is driven by its own motor. Controls for properly aligning the two minors may be as known. 
         [0015]    A focusing lens  30  is mounted atop a movable frame  34 . The movable frame  34  is movable through motors and guides  32  to translate vertically upwardly relative to a housing  40  of the system  20 . Wheels  36  are provide with a motor  38  (shown schematically) and operable to move the entire system along the surface. 
         [0016]    The lens  30  creates a ray  41  directing high intensity solar energy onto the outer surface of the regolith  43 . 
         [0017]    It is well known that the lunar regolith includes large quantities of numerous gases. As an example, there is a good deal of H 2  which can be useful as fuel. In addition, H 2 O, N 2 , C0 2 , CH 4 , Ar, He, and CO are all recoverable to be utilized for various life support functions. In addition, helium 3 and deuterium can be isolated from the regolith, and utilized for fusion energy (such as back on earth) and cryogenics, respectively. 
         [0018]    The solar energy ray  41  is shown in  FIG. 1B  being directed at the regolith. It is believed that temperatures on the order of 700°-800° C. (1292°-1472° F.) or higher can be achieved with such a system. 
         [0019]    The gases released within the frame  34  are captured, as the frame  34  has been moved downwardly to be buried within the upper surface of the regolith  43 . The frame thus defines a capture space. The gases then travel into a capture tube  50 . Capture tube  50  is provided with at least one cryocooler  52 . By cooling the gases, the several released mixed gases can be separated into their individual components, which can then be tapped into capture lines  54  and  58 , leading to gas/liquid storage tanks  56  and  60 . Alternatively, capture tube  50  may contain a turbopump  200  to remove gases from the chamber. The capture tube may also consist of both a cryocooler and a turbopump to remove and collect the gases released from the regolith. 
         [0020]    In addition, the gases may be separated individually as the temperature of the regolith increases. That is, certain gases may be released at a particular low temperature, while other gases are released at a higher temperature. Thus, the separate gases may reach the capture tube serially, and thus be easier to separate. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a better view of the gas recovery along tube  50 . As shown, there is a first cryocooler  52  which will cool the gas downwardly to a first temperature. This will release a particular gas, which can be captured into a storage tank  56 . A valve  57  is positioned to isolate the line leading to the container  56 . A second cryocooler  152  may then further cool the mixed gases such that another gas can be released and captured in is own storage tank  60 , provided with its own valve  57 . In this manner, a number of gases can be recovered from the regolith. More than two cryocoolers can be used in series. This process is like a distillation column. The first gas can be condensed out and collected while the rest of the gases are left to flow on. This will allow for separation of gases by constituent types. 
         [0022]    In addition, and rather than utilizing the methods as set forth above to capture the gases, turbo pumps or vacuum pumps may be utilized. Again, any number of ways of separating and capturing the gases can be utilized. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  schematically shows the movement  100  of the ray  41  within an enclosure defined by the housing  34 . As shown, the lens may be movable along motor and guides  42  and  102  such that it can move backward and forward, and translate laterally within the boundaries of frame  34 . A linear Fresnel lens could also be used, which could simplify the movement down to a single pass. 
         [0024]    At some point, all of the recoverable gases from that portion of regolith captured within the housing  34  will be processed. At that point, the housing  34  may be retracted vertically upwardly out of the regolith, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The system  20  may then be driven to a new location, such as adjacent to the prior area  104 . 
         [0025]    The regolith left may be melted, and thus may be within the form of a tile of relatively rigid material. This melted tile can be utilized as shown in  FIG. 5  to create a platform, such as for use in other applications on a space station. 
         [0026]    While the tiles  104  may be moved to create the platforms, it is also possible to simply utilize the system  20  on a number of adjacent areas to form a solid platform of melted regolith. 
         [0027]    The overall system as described in this application thus not only captures gas, which now does not need to be transported from the earth to the space station. In addition, the “waste” forms tiles  104 , which can be utilized for building purposes such as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0028]    Rather than utilizing lenses that are mounted within the frame, lenses outside the frame can direct rays through the window. In addition, rather than utilizing a pair of minors  22  and  28 , a single minor arrangement could be utilized. Further, heat exchangers can be incorporated into the gas collection process to capture heat for re-use in various other applications. 
         [0029]    Although embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.