US2012152537A1PendingUtilityA1

Auger for gas and liquid recovery from regolith

36
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 21, 2010Filed: Dec 21, 2010Published: Jun 21, 2012
Est. expiryDec 21, 2030(~4.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Andrew J. ZillmerCheng-Yi Lu
E21B 15/00E21B 43/24
36
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A resource recovery system includes a capture container located at a desired surface defining a capture volume between the surface and an interior of the capture container. One or more hole-making devices are located in the capture container to excavate soil from at least one hole in the surface. A heater located in the hole making device heats the excavated soil, releasing one or more compounds from the excavated soil. The capture container is configured to capture gas and/or liquid compounds released from the excavated soil. A method of resource extraction from soil includes covering a desired surface with a capture container defining a capture volume between the desired surface and an interior of the capture container. Soil is excavated from a hole in the desired surface into the capture volume with an auger. The auger heats the excavated soil thereby releasing one or more compounds into the capture volume.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A resource recovery system comprising:
 a capture container defining a capture volume between a surface and an interior of the capture container;   one or more hole-making devices disposed in the capture container configured to excavate soil from at least one hole in the surface; and   a heater disposed in the hole making device configured to heat the hole making device, thereby heating the excavated soil to release one or more compounds from the excavated soil;   wherein the capture container is configured to capture gas and/or liquid compounds released from the excavated soil.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hole-making devices are one or more augers. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more augers comprise:
 a central rod; and   one or more fins extending from the central rod;   wherein the heater is disposed in a rod channel of the central rod.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more fins include one or more fin channels connected to the rod channel. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hole making devices are one or more spikes, rods, or impactors. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is a radioisotope heater or an electric heater. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a collection device to remove the compounds from the capture container. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the collection device is one of a cold plate, a still, or a turbopump. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the compounds are in liquid or gaseous form. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises regolith. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is secured to a movable cart. 
     
     
         12 . A method of resource extraction from soil comprising:
 covering a desired surface with a capture container defining a capture volume between the desired surface and an interior of the capture container;   excavating soil from a hole in the desired surface into the capture volume with an auger; and   heating the excavated soil with the auger thereby releasing one or more compounds into the capture volume.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the auger comprises:
 a central rod;   one or more fins extending from the central rod; and   a heater disposed in a rod channel of the central rod to heat the auger thereby heating the excavated soil.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more fins include one or more fin channels connected to the rod channel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the heater is a radioisotope heater or an electric heater. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising removing the compounds from the capture volume via a collection device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the collection device is one of a cold plate, a still, or a turbopump. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the compounds are in liquid or gaseous form. 
     
     
         19 . An auger for soil excavation comprising:
 a central rod;   one or more fins extending from the central rod; and   a heater disposed in a rod channel of the central rod to heat the auger thereby heating the soil.   
     
     
         20 . The auger of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more fins include one or more fin channels connected to the rod channel. 
     
     
         21 . The auger of  claim 19 , wherein the heater is a radioisotope heater or an electric heater.

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