Centrifugal molten electrolysis reactor for oxygen, volatiles, and metals extraction from extraterrestrial regolith

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 11624119
SERIAL NO

17013584

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Abstract

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A centrifugal molten regolith electrolysis (MRE) reactor that can volatilize and capture volatiles (i.e., 3He or other noble gases) and electrochemically decompose, while under centrifugal action, lunar regolith into oxygen, metals, and semiconductor materials is disclosed. The high-temperature centrifugal MRE reactor comprises four principal components; namely: (1) a rotatable concentric electrolytic cell comprising an outer metallic shell cathode positioned about an inner central drum anode; (2) a motor sized and configured to rapidly spin (rotate) the concentric electrolytic cell reactor about its central longitudinal axis; (3) a stationary (relative to the spinning electrolytic cell) induction coil (connected to an external stationary AC current source) wrapped about, and adjacent to, the rotatable concentric electrolytic cell (for, when selectively energized, melting regolith contained within the concentric electrolytic cell); and (4) a stationary voltage source (for supplying an applied voltage to the concentric electrolytic cell). The centrifugal MRE reactor electrowins metals and oxygen.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
LOOP THOMAS ESEATTLE WA

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Loop, Thomas E Seattle, US 8 100

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