Systems and methods for fluid barriers through permeable structures
AssigneeBlue Origin Manufacturing, LLC
InventorsEric D. Contreras, Satyanarayana Venkata Emani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are directed toward support structures for materials that include one or more flow passages to form a barrier between an inner wall of the support structures and the materials. The one or more flow passages may include ports or pores extending through a fluid-permeable material forming at least a portion of the support structure. A barrier fluid may be introduced at a first side of the inner wall and may be driven, such as using differential pressure, through the inner wall to from a barrier along a second side of the inner wall to reduce a likelihood of contact between the materials and the second side of the inner wall.
Claims20
A support structure, comprising:
- an outer wall;
- a fluid-permeable inner wall;
- and
- one or more ports extending through the outer wall and directing a barrier fluid to the fluid-permeable inner wall, wherein the barrier fluid is able to flow through the fluid-permeable inner wall to form a barrier between the fluid-permeable inner wall and a material positioned within the support structure.
A container, comprising:
- an outer wall;
- an inner wall;
- and
- one or more ports extending through the outer wall to transport a gas to a first side of the inner wall, wherein the gas is able to flow through the inner wall to form a gas barrier on a second side of the inner wall to block a material on the second side of the inner wall from contacting the inner wall.
A method, comprising:
- forming an outer wall for a containment structure;
- forming one or more ports extending through the outer wall;
- forming an inner wall having one or more openings radially inward from the outer wall and fluidly coupled to the one or more ports;
- causing a gas to flow through the one or more ports and through the one or more openings;
- and
- causing the gas to form a gas barrier between the inner wall and a material within the containment structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.