Performance of regolith feed systems for analog field tests of In-Situ Resource Utilization oxygen production plants in Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Author:

Townsend, Ivan I., Mueller, Robert P., Mantovani, James G., Zacny, Kris, Craft, Jack

Title:

Performance of regolith feed systems for analog field tests of In-Situ Resource Utilization oxygen production plants in Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Periodical:

Proceedings of the 40th Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium; 263-278

Year:

2010

Subject:

NASA Mauna Kea Oxygen Geology Mauna Kea

Summary:

This paper focuses on practical aspects of mechanical auger and pneumatic regolith conveying system feeding In-Situ Resource Utilization Oxygen production plants. The subsystems of these feedstock delivery systems include an enclosed auger device, pneumatic venturi educator, jet-lift regolith transfer, innovative electro-cyclone gas-particle separation/filtration systems, and compressors capable of dealing with hot hydrogen and/or methane gas re-circulating in the system. Lessons learned from terrestrial laboratory, reduced gravity and field testing on Mauna Kea Volcano in Hawaii during NASA lunar analog field tests will be discussed and practical design tips will be presented.

URL:

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20100021942.pdf

Date:

May 12, 2010

Collection:

Monographs