15 research outputs found
Lunar Prospecting Using Thermal Wadis and Compact Rovers
Recent missions have confirmed the existence of water and other volatiles on the Moon, both in permanently-shadowed craters and elsewhere. Non-volatile lunar resources may represent significant additional value as infrastructure or manufacturing feedstock. Characterization of lunar resources in terms of abundance concentrations, distribution, and recoverability is limited to in-situ Apollo samples and the expanding remote-sensing database. This paper introduces an approach to lunar resource prospecting supported by a simple lunar surface infrastructure based on the Thermal Wadi concept of thermal energy storage and using compact rovers equipped with appropriate prospecting sensors and demonstration resource extraction capabilities. Thermal Wadis are engineered sources of heat and power based on the storage and retrieval of solar-thermal energy in modified lunar regolith. Because Thermal Wadis keep compact prospecting rovers warm during periods of lunar darkness, the rovers are able to survive months to years on the lunar surface rather than just weeks without being required to carry the burdensome capability to do so. The resulting lower-cost, long-lived rovers represent a potential paradigm breakthrough in extra-terrestrial prospecting productivity and will enable the production of detailed resource maps. Integrating resource processing and other technology demonstrations that are based on the content of the resource maps will inform engineering economic studies that can define the true resource potential of the Moon. Once this resource potential is understood quantitatively, humans might return to the Moon with an economically sound objective including where to go, what to do upon arrival, and what to bring along
Analysis of Solar-Heated Thermal Wadis to Support Extended-Duration Lunar Exploration
The realization of the renewed exploration of the moon presents many technical challenges; among them is the survival of lunar-surface assets during periods of darkness when the lunar environment is very cold. Thermal wadis are engineered sources of stored solar energy using modified lunar regolith as a thermal storage mass that can supply energy to protect lightweight robotic rovers or other assets during the lunar night. This paper describes an analysis of the performance of thermal wadis based on the known solar illumination of the moon and estimates of producible thermal properties of modified lunar regolith. Analysis has been performed for the lunar equatorial region and for a potential outpost location near the lunar south pole. The calculations indicate that thermal wadis can provide the desired thermal energy and temperature control for the survival of rovers or other equipment during periods of darkness
Analysis of Solar-Heated Thermal Wadis to Support Extended-Duration Lunar Exploration
The realization of the renewed exploration of the Moon presents many technical challenges; among them is the survival of lunar surface assets during periods of darkness when the lunar environment is very cold. Thermal wadis are engineered sources of stored solar energy using modified lunar regolith as a thermal storage mass that can enable the operation of lightweight robotic rovers or other assets in cold, dark environments without incurring potential mass, cost, and risk penalties associated with various onboard sources of thermal energy. Thermal wadi-assisted lunar rovers can conduct a variety of long-duration missions including exploration site surveys; teleoperated, crew-directed, or autonomous scientific expeditions; and logistics support for crewed exploration. This paper describes a thermal analysis of thermal wadi performance based on the known solar illumination of the moon and estimates of producible thermal properties of modified lunar regolith. Analysis was performed for the lunar equatorial region and for a potential Outpost location near the lunar south pole. The results are presented in some detail in the paper and indicate that thermal wadis can provide the desired thermal energy reserve, with significant margin, for the survival of rovers or other equipment during periods of darkness
An Extension of Analysis of Solar-Heated Thermal Wadis to Support Extended-Duration Lunar Exploration
The realization of the renewed exploration of the Moon presents many technical challenges; among them is the survival of lunar surface assets during periods of darkness when the lunar environment is very cold. Thermal wadis are engineered sources of stored solar energy using modified lunar regolith as a thermal storage mass that can supply energy to protect lightweight robotic rovers or other assets during the lunar night. This paper describes an extension of an earlier analysis of performance of thermal wadis based on the known solar illumination of the Moon and estimates of producible thermal properties of modified lunar regolith. The current analysis has been performed for the lunar equatorial region and validates the formerly used 1-D model by comparison of predictions to those obtained from 2-D and 3-D computations. It includes the effects of a thin dust layer covering the surface of the wadi, and incorporating either water as a phase-change material or aluminum stakes as a high thermal conductivity material into the regolith. The calculations indicate that thermal wadis can provide the desired thermal energy and temperature control for the survival of rovers or other equipment during periods of darkness
Ferrocyanide safety study
The overall objective of this study is to investigate the potentially rapid reactions between the ferrocyanide-containing salts, present in the SST's, and oxidants, such as nitrate, also present in the SST's. The objective of the energetics subtask is to investigate, on a screening basis, SST operational and compositional parameters which could affect the reaction between nickel cesium ferrocyanide, the expected form of cyanide in the SST, and nitrates and/or the nitrate radiolysis product nitrite. The objective of the large-scale explosion study is to independently confirm the results of the PNL laboratory-scale experiments and to determine the explosive behavior of a large sample of ferrocyanide and oxidant. The objective of the PNL-5441 revision subtask is to revise the complexant stability report, PNL-5441, to provide a current overview of the ferrocyanide safety issue and provide information to permit establishment of guidelines for SST management. 1 fig
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Thermodynamic evaluation of a microscale heat pump
The development of microscale thermal components has reached a level of maturity that suggests that complete microthermal systems can be developed. This paper presents the results of a thermodynamic evaluation of a microscale heat pump for space heating and cooling applications. The concept involves fabricating individual unit processes on separate sheets of material and then combining the sheets to form complete systems. The sheet architecture allows a large number of microheat pumps to be fabricated and operated in parallel. Results of the thermodynamic analysis suggest that the microscale heat pump is theoretically feasible. Pressure drop in the evaporators and condensers was not significant, and performance requirements for the microscale compressor are challenging but not unattainable. Results also suggest that there is significant potential for improving heat pump performance by optimizing the integration of the heat pump with the microchannel evaporators and condensers. Sensitivity studies investigated the impact of working fluid selection, heat exchanger approach temperature, and compressor efficiency on cycle performance. Based on the results of this evaluation, additional research on microscale heat exchangers and compressors is suggested