Most oxygen‐extraction techniques are temperature‐dependent, with specific temperatures resulting in optimized oxygen yield. An example is hydrogen reduction, in which the optimum process temperature is 1050 °C. However, glass‐rich lunar soil begins to show the effects of sintering at temperatures of 900 °C or lower. Sintering welds particles together due to viscous relaxation of the glass in the sample. One approach to avoid problems related to sintering, such as difficulty in removing waste material from the reactor, is to keep the soil in motion. One of several methods being studied to accomplish this is fluidized‐bed processing techniques, in which the grains are kept in motion by the action of flowing reductant gas. The spent material can be removed from the chamber while still fluidized, or the fluidizing motion can continue until the material has cooled below Until end‐to‐end prototypes are built that can remove the heated soil, the most practical option is to keep the bed fluidized while cooling the waste material. As ISRU technology advances, another option will become valuable, which is to intentionally sinter the material to a great enough extent that it becomes a brick. The free iron in lunar soil is magnetic, and ferromagnetic bricks can be manipulated by robotic systems using electromagnetic end effectors. Finally, if an electromagnetic field is applied to the soil while the brick is being formed, the brick itself will become a magnet. This property can be used to create self‐aligning bricks or other building materials that do not require fasteners. Although sintering creates a challenge for early lunar surface systems, knowledge gained during prototype development will be valuable for the advanced lunar outpost.
Sintering of Lunar and Simulant Glass
SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL FORUM‐STAIF 2008: 12th Conference on Thermophysics Applications in Microgravity; 1st Symposium on Space Resource Utilization; 25th Symposium on Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion; 6th Conference on Human/Robotic Technology and the Vision for Space Exploration; 6th Symposium on Space Colonization; 5th Symposium on New Frontiers and Future Concept ; 2008 ; Albuquerque (New Mexico)
AIP Conference Proceedings ; 969 , 1 ; 186-194
21.01.2008
9 pages
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch