2006-2007 - Kennedy Space Center Technology Transfer Office

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Tribocharging Lunar Soil for Electrostatic Beneficiation2006 Center Director’s Discretionary Fund ProjectFuture human lunar habitation requires using in situ materials for both structuralIn Situ ResourceUtilization (ISRU) components and oxygen production. Lunar bases must be constructed from thermal-Oxygen Production and radiation-shielding materials that will provide significant protection from theharmful cosmic energy which normally bombards the lunar surface. In addition,shipping oxygen from Earth is weight-prohibitive, and therefore investigating the production ofbreathable oxygen from oxidized mineral components is a major ongoing NASA research initiative.Lunar regolith may meet the needs for both structural protection and oxygen production. Alreadya number of oxygen production technologies are being tested, and full-scale bricks made of lunarstimulant have been sintered. The beneficiation, or separation, of lunar minerals into a refinedindustrial feedstock could make production processes more efficient, requiring less energy to operateand maintain and producing higher-performance end products.The method of electrostatic beneficiation used in this research charges mineral powders (lunarsimulant) by contact with materials of a different composition. The simulant acquires either apositive or negative charge depending upon its composition relative to the charging material. Thecharged particles can then undergo electrostatic separation in an electric field based upon theircharge-to-mass ratio (Q/M). Characteristics such as bulk, surface composition, and particle sizeinfluence the ability of the material to garner a charge and separate under the influence of theelectric field. The lunar regolith grains and the lunar environment are ideal for triboelectrificationand electrostatic separation because the lack of moisture prevents the grains from sticking togetherand the lower gravitational pull permits longer contact times during charging and increased particleseparation.After successful beneficiation experiments had shown proof-of-concept with JSC-1 lunar simulant,an application to use lunar regolith was accepted by the lunar curator at Johnson Space Center. Allthe beneficiation experiments performed with JSC-1 lunar simulant were then repeated with Apollo14163 lunar soil samples.Three inclined-plane tribochargers were constructed ofcopper, aluminum, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).These materials were selected because they offer differentcharging capabilities, and consequently separate the soildifferently. The inclined-plane charger (Figure 1) wasmade from a block of material with a zigzag pathway (atan optimum angle of 50° as determined by friction studiesperformed prior to construction) cut the length of theblock from top to bottom. Simulant was fed directly fromthe inclined-plane charger into an electrostatic separatorbetween two charged plates (one positive and onenegative) and collected as separate fractions.Figure 1. Inclined-plane charger andcharge seperator experimental setup.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was performedfor the purpose of characterizing chemical compositionbefore and after beneficiation. The XPS data (see the table)shows a change in the chemical composition of a numberof elements in each of the beneficiated fractions.38 Spaceport Structures and Materials
Mean relative percentage change in elemental concentration compared with starting sample forApollo 14163 lunar regolith, using aluminum charger (particle size = 50 to 75 μm).Sample Na Fe O Ti Ca C Si AlPositive plate 23 15 8 70 –* –20 8 –*Negative plate 7 –8 –10 –20 –7 7 –* –*Unseparated –* 31 16 210 21 –44 15 17* Relative changes are within error.Positive PlateNegative Plate1.01.00.50.50.00.01.01.00.50.50.00.01.01.00.50.50.0500 1,0000.0500 1,000Raman Shift (cm –1 ) Raman Shift (cm –1 )Figure 2. Raman spectra of beneficiated Apollo 14 samples, using an aluminum tribocharger.Raman spectroscopy was performed for the purpose of characterizing the mineralogy of the samplesbefore and after beneficiation. The Raman data (Figure 2) shows the difference in spectra between thedifferent beneficiated fractions that result from the different mineral compositions. The positive plateis composed mostly of plagioclase. A few extra minerals are present, but their corresponding peaksare of low intensity. The negative plate is a mixture of solid solution a Fe 2O 3/FeTiO 3(226 cm –1 ),Pseudobrookite – FeTiO 5(323 cm –1 ), plagioclase, ilmenite (FeTiO 3), and pyroxene (997, 1,000 cm –1 ).The newly designed tribocharging setup successfully charged and separated JSC-1 lunar simulantand Apollo 14 lunar soil. It also provided preliminary data indicating enrichment of iron- andtitanium-rich minerals in a vacuum. This technique may prove to be a viable tool for specific mineralenrichment of regolith prior to oxygen production processing or other structural-material processing.Future work will focus on optimizing the length of the tribocharger and the charge separator, as well aspossible integration into the In Situ Resource Utilization project’s engineering breadboard unit.Contacts: Dr. Jacqueline W. Quinn , NASA-KSC, (321) 867-8410; and Dr. SteveTrigwell , ASRC Aerospace, (321) 867-1222Participating Organizations: University of Central Florida (James G. Captain); University of Arkansas (Dr. Alex S.Biris); and NASA-KSC (Dr. Carlos I. Calle, Ellen E. Arens, and Dr. Janine E. Captain)KSC Technology Development and Application 2006-200739
Page 5 and 6: ForewordSuccessful technology devel
Page 7 and 8: ContentsSpaceport Structures and Ma
Page 9 and 10: Contents (continued)Process and Hum
Page 11 and 12: IntroductionJohn F. Kennedy Space C
Page 13 and 14: Constellation SystemsSurfaceSystems
Page 15 and 16: Spaceport Structures and MaterialsK
Page 17 and 18: 20181614∆ E1210Modified Sensor Be
Page 19 and 20: Initial results of the EDEM model o
Page 21 and 22: Contacts: Dr. Carlos I. Calle ,NASA
Page 23 and 24: Close examination of the corrosions
Page 25 and 26: Adhesion at Failure (psi)2500200015
Page 27 and 28: Figure 1. After 500 hours of salt f
Page 29 and 30: Contacts: Dr. Paul E. Hintze , NASA
Page 31 and 32: Figure 2. Repairs to various types
Page 33 and 34: on top of the cuvette contains the
Page 35 and 36: Figure 2. A corrugated NiTi sheet e
Page 37 and 38: The PLTD can be used to (1) calibra
Page 39 and 40: SEM images of neat MWNT fibers: (a)
Page 41 and 42: Contacts: Trent M. Smith
Page 43 and 44: Figure 1. An isometric cutaway view
Page 45 and 46: Figure 2. Quartz sand flowing in th
Page 47 and 48: Figure 2. Top images show how the e
Page 49 and 50: Sand volume fraction contour at t =
Page 51: Integrated LWRD/RVC engineering bre
Page 55 and 56: We compared the model’s predictio
Page 57 and 58: Figure 2. Three-dimensional simulat
Page 59 and 60: Figure 3. Camera calibration model.
Page 61 and 62: The sketch in Figure 2 shows alaunc
Page 63: Figure 2. Signal generator (right)
Page 66 and 67: Hail Size Distribution MappingA 3-D
Page 68 and 69: Launch Pad 39 Hail Monitor Array Sy
Page 70 and 71: Autonomous Flight Safety System - P
Page 72 and 73: The Photogrammetry CubeSpaceport/Ra
Page 74 and 75: Bird Vision SystemThe Bird Vision s
Page 76 and 77: Automating Range Surveillance Throu
Page 78 and 79: Next-Generation Telemetry Workstati
Page 80 and 81: GPS Metric Tracking UnitAs Global P
Page 82 and 83: Space-Based RangeSpace-Based Range
Page 85 and 86: Fluid System TechnologiesKSC Techno
Page 87 and 88: 0.900.850.80Discharge Coefficient,
Page 89 and 90: Composite seals for performance eva
Page 91 and 92: 140000120000100000Signal80000600004
Page 93 and 94: Contacts: Dr. Barry J. Meneghelli ,
Page 95 and 96: 60555045Comparative k-value (mW/m-K
Page 97 and 98: a compatible spacecraft model where
Page 99 and 100: In an ongoing effort for improvemen
Page 101: Low-gravity probe prototype test.th
Page 104 and 105:
Countermeasure for Radiation Protec
Page 106 and 107:
Focused Metabolite Profiling for Di
Page 109 and 110:
Process and Human FactorsEngineerin
Page 111 and 112:
DON uses game technology to enable
Page 113 and 114:
Type of mobile crane that impacted
Page 115 and 116:
SALT proof-of-concept communication
Page 117 and 118:
SSLM CAD model.Our design offers th
Page 119 and 120:
Variables that can be integrated by
Page 121:
Exploration Supply Chain Simulation
Page 124 and 125:
Nanosensors for Evaluating Hazardou
Page 126 and 127:
Sixty-four-Channel Inline Cable Tes
Page 128 and 129:
Wireless Inclinometer Calibration S
Page 130 and 131:
Generating Safety-Critical PLC Code
Page 132 and 133:
Spacecraft Electrostatic Radiation
Page 134 and 135:
Ion Beam Propulsion StudySpacecraft
Page 136 and 137:
RT-MATRIX: Measuring Total Organic
Page 139 and 140:
Appendix AKSC High-Priority Technol
Page 141 and 142:
Risk Assessment ToolMission Data Fe
Page 143 and 144:
Appendix BInnovative Partnership Pr
Page 145 and 146:
system for the Government, using th
Page 147:
tracking objects after launch, and
show all

2006-2007 - Kennedy Space Center Technology Transfer Office

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?