# US 12,759,028 B2 · Tank for use in microgravity

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- Number: US 12,759,028 B2
- Document ID: US12759028B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/408,327
- Filed: 2024-01-09
- Published: 2025-07-10
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2024-01-09
- Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.
- Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.
- Inventors: Ashley Rose Himmelmann Schuster; Kevin Litton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759028B2

## CPC

- B08B 9/0808: {by methods involving the use of tools, e.g. by brushes, scrapers}
- B08B 3/102: {with means for agitating the liquid (by agitating the container B08B3/042, B08B3/044, B08B3/045, B08B3/06)}
- B08B 9/045: the cleaning devices being rotated while moved {, e.g. flexible rotating shaft or "snake"}(B08B9/047 takes precedence)
- B08B 9/0856: {Cleaning of water-treatment installations}
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A modified tank for use in microgravity environments is provided. The modified tank includes a membrane defining an interior and including an inlet leading to the interior and first and second outlets from the interior. The modified tank further includes first and second filters for the first and second outlets, respectively, and an outlet wiping pair. The outlet wiping pair includes a wiper in the interior and a wiping boss at an exterior of the membrane. The wiping boss is operably coupled to the wiper whereby operation of the wiping boss causes the wiper to wipe at least one of the first and second filters.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A modified tank for use in microgravity environments, the modified tank comprising:
a membrane defining an interior and comprising an inlet leading to the interior and first and second outlets from the interior;
first and second filters for the first and second outlets, respectively; and
an outlet wiping pair comprising:
a wiper in the interior; and
a wiping boss at an exterior of the membrane, which is operably coupled to the wiper whereby operation of the wiping boss causes the wiper to wipe at least one of the first and second filters,
wherein the membrane is continuous and unopened between the wiper and the wiping boss.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The modified tank according to claim 1, wherein:
the inlet comprises a multi-phase inlet by which fluids in multiple phases proceed into the interior,
the first outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a first single-phase fluid exits from the interior,
the second outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a second single-phase fluid exits the interior, and
the first and second single-phase fluids are of different phases.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The modified tank according to claim 2, wherein:
the wiper is disposed between the first and second outlets, and
the wiper comprises an elongate body with a wiping surface that is rotatable into contact with the first and second filters.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The modified tank according to claim 1, wherein the outlet wiping pair is a magnetic outlet wiping pair and:
the operation of the wiping boss comprises a first rotation of the wiping boss with the wiper at the first filter and a second rotation of the wiping boss with the wiper at the second filter, and
the wiping boss is magnetically coupled to the wiper whereby each of the first rotation of the wiping boss and the second rotation of the wiping boss is magnetically transmitted as rotational energy to the wiper.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The modified tank according to claim 4, wherein the wiping boss is manually operated.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The modified tank according to claim 4, wherein the outlet wiping pair further comprises:
a first mounting by which the wiper is mounted to an inside surface of the membrane to allow for a first rotation of the wiper corresponding to the first rotation of the wiping boss and a second rotation of the wiper corresponding to the second rotation of the wiping boss and to prevent translation of the wiper; and
a second mounting by which the wiping boss is mounted to an outside surface of the membrane to allow for the first rotation of the wiping boss and the second rotation of the wiping boss and to prevent translation of the wiping boss.

### Claim 7

A modified tank for use in microgravity environments, the modified tank comprising:
a membrane defining an interior and comprising an inlet leading to the interior and first and second outlets from the interior; and
a stirrer pair comprising:
a stirrer at the interior of the membrane; and
a stirring boss at an exterior of the membrane, which is operably coupled to the stirrer whereby operation of the stirring boss causes the stirrer to stir the interior of the membrane,
wherein the membrane is continuous, smooth and unopened between the stirrer and the stirring boss.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The modified tank according to claim 7, wherein:
the inlet comprises a multi-phase inlet by which fluids in multiple phases proceed into the interior,
the first outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a first single-phase fluid exits from the interior,
the second outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a second single-phase fluid exits the interior, and
the first and second single-phase fluids are of different phases.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The modified tank according to claim 8, wherein:
the stirrer is disposed between the inlet and the first and second outlets, and
the stirrer comprises an elongate body with radially outwardly extending baffles.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The modified tank according to claim 7, wherein the stirrer pair is a magnetic stirrer pair and:
the operation of the stirring boss comprises rotation of the stirring boss, and
the stirring boss is magnetically coupled to the stirrer whereby the rotation of the stirring boss is magnetically transmitted as rotational energy to the stirrer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The modified tank according to claim 10, wherein the stirring boss is manually operated.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The modified tank according to claim 10, wherein the stirrer pair further comprises:
a first mounting by which the stirrer is mounted to an inside surface of the membrane to allow for rotation of the stirrer and to prevent translation of the stirrer; and
a second mounting by which the stirring boss is mounted to an outside surface of the membrane to allow for rotation of the stirring boss and to prevent translation of the stirring boss.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The modified tank according to claim 7, wherein:
the membrane is a floating dynamic tank disposed within a static tank, and
the stirrer pair comprises:
first magnetic elements disposed on the floating dynamic tank; and
an exterior rotor disposed about the static tank and comprising second magnetic elements which are magnetically coupled to the first magnetic elements whereby rotation of the exterior rotor causes corresponding rotation of the floating dynamic tank.

### Claim 14

A modified tank for use in microgravity environments, the modified tank comprising:
a membrane defining an interior and comprising an inlet leading to the interior and first and second outlets from the interior;
first and second filters for the first and second outlets, respectively; and at least one of:
a magnetic outlet wiping pair comprising a wiper in the interior and a wiping boss at an exterior of the membrane, which is magnetically coupled to the wiper whereby manual rotation of the wiping boss causes the wiper to wipe at least one of the first and second filters; and
a magnetic stirrer pair comprising a stirrer at the interior of the membrane and a stirring boss at the exterior of the membrane, which is magnetically coupled to the stirrer whereby manual rotation of the stirring boss causes the stirrer to stir the interior of the membrane,
the membrane is continuous, smooth and unopened between the wiper and the wiping boss and between the stirrer and the stirring boss.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The modified tank according to claim 14, wherein:
the inlet comprises a multi-phase inlet by which fluids in multiple phases proceed into the interior, the first outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a first single-phase fluid exits from the interior, the second outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a second single-phase fluid exits the interior and the first and second single-phase fluids are of different phases, and
the wiper is disposed between the first and second outlets and the wiper comprises an elongate body with a wiping surface that is rotatable into contact with the first and second filters.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The modified tank according to claim 15, wherein the magnetic outlet wiping pair further comprises:
a first mounting by which the wiper is mounted to an inside surface of the membrane to allow for rotation of the wiper and to prevent translation of the wiper; and
a second mounting by which the wiping boss is mounted to an outside surface of the membrane to allow for rotation of the wiping boss and to prevent translation of the wiping boss.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The modified tank according to claim 14, wherein:
the inlet comprises a multi-phase inlet by which fluids in multiple phases proceed into the interior, the first outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a first single-phase fluid exits from the interior, the second outlet comprises a single-phase outlet by which a second single-phase fluid exits the interior and the first and second single-phase fluids are of different phases, and
the stirrer is disposed between the inlet and the first and second outlets and the stirrer comprises an elongate body with radially outwardly extending baffles.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The modified tank according to claim 17, wherein the magnetic stirrer pair further comprises:
a first mounting by which the stirrer is mounted to an inside surface of the membrane to allow for rotation of the stirrer and to prevent translation of the stirrer; and
a second mounting by which the stirring boss is mounted to an outside surface of the membrane to allow for rotation of the stirring boss and to prevent translation of the stirring boss.