automated hybrid microwave heating for lunar surface
TRANSCRIPT
Automated
Hybrid Microwave Heating
for Lunar Surface Solidification
Shawn M. Allan Dr. Jeffrey Braunstein - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Inessa Baranova, Nicholas Vandervoort, Morgana Fall, Dr. Holly Shulman - Ceralink
Ceralink Inc.
Rensselaer Technology Park
Troy, New York
ASCE Earth and Space 2012
Symposium 1:
5th NASA/ASCE Workshop on Granular Materials in Space Exploration
Pasadena, California
April 17, 2012, 10:20 AM
Acknowledgement
Information presented from:
Ceralink independent investigations
Sponsored in part by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
With Dr. Paul Hintze, Kennedy Space Center
and
NASA Phase I SBIR, NNX10RA69P
Automated Hybrid Microwave Heating for Lunar Surface Solidification
Outline
Technical Accomplishments
Microwave Solidification Experiments
Modeling Work
Summary
Information presented from: From Contract Number: NNX10RA69P, Report Number: NNX10RA69P-03
July 15, 2010
NASA Applications
The primary application targeted by this Phase I project was:
Lunar surface dust passivation and surface stabilization
Technology also applicable to Mars and asteroid regoliths
Hybrid microwave heating method also applicable to:
processing of regolith for bricks
making glass
refining metals
heat intensive applications
generation of oxygen and other valuable gases
Technical Accomplishments Phase I SBIR
First microwave surface heating demo
Largest scale lunar simulant densification via
microwave heating
Advanced modeling with prediction capabilities
Test Apparatus Deep-bed Microwave Surface Heating Module
Microwave penetration from the surface only
Simulate heating above a deep regolith layer
Test Apparatus Microwave experiments
Heated 8-9 kg (5-6 liters) of JSC-1A
Approach 1
MW only
Approach 2
MW + susceptors
Approach 3
MW + suscepting bed
Solidification: Solidification: Solidification:
Deep, localized Shallow, localized Thick, uniform
Solidified Sections Mechanical Testing
Test bar machined from solidified JSC-1A
Flexural Strength Data
Material
Modulus of Rupture
(MPa)
Testing
Method
Buechel Stone Corp. Indiana
Limestone 4.8 ASTM C99
Buechel Stone Corp. Silverdale
Stone 8.1 ASTM C99
NRMCA Concrete In Practice 5.3
ASTM
C78/C239
Solidified JSC-1A Lunar Simulant
Bars 9 to 20 ASTM C1161
Modeling
An advanced model was developed:
Electromagnetic solver
Thermal solver
Option for thermal heat source
Flexibility to build in additional effects
Used measured dielectric properties of JSC-1A
Results generated were verified experimentally
Breakthrough for predicting microwave heating!
Model Base
Autowave- microwave chamber
Insulation box with
metal box inside
Dielectric Properties Testing At Microwave Frequencies for JSC-1A
Loss tangent indicates good heating from 25 °C
Data used in the modeling work
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200Temperature (°C)
Re
al
Pe
rmit
tiv
ity
, e'
0.1
1
10
Die
lec
tric
Lo
ss
, e"
Real Permittivity
Dielectric Loss on Heating
Dielectric Loss on Cooling
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Temperature (°C)
Ha
lf P
ow
er
De
pth
(m
m)
0.01
0.1
1
Lo
ss
Ta
ng
en
t, t
an
d
Half Power Depth
Loss Tangent
Modeling Work Comparison to Experimental Microwave Self Heating
Modeling Work Comparison to Experimental Susceptor Heating
Solid Model of
insulation box with
metal box and
susceptor-lid
1
5
9
13
17
21
25
29
33
37
41
45
49
S1
S4
S7
S1
0
S1
3
S1
6
S1
9
S2
2
S2
5
S2
8
S3
1
S3
4
S3
7
S4
0
S4
3
S4
6
S4
91300-1
400
1200-1
300
1100-1
200
1000-1
100
900-1
000
800-9
00
700-8
00
600-7
00
500-6
00
400-5
00
300-4
00
200-3
00
100-2
00
0-1
00
60 minutes
Computational Model
of insulation box with
metal box and
susceptor-lid
Experimental Result of
insulation box with
metal box and susceptor-lid
Susceptor-lid
Sintering Rate Comparison
Ceralink method faster vs. Taylor single mode*
Ceralink 1 hr (2.2 Kg) – Taylor > 49 hours (equivalent mass)
Estimate 4 rovers with 6 kW microwaves could pave 10k m2 JSC-1A 3 years
Taylor showed lunar regolith microwave heated in 1/3 time at ½ power compared to JSC-1A
Estimate 4 rovers could pave 10k m2 Lunar Regolith 0.5 years * L. Taylor et. al. LEAG Conference on Lunar Exploration 2005.
1746
12
2.48
0.045
2.2
25
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
10000
Single Mode - Taylor Ceralink Phase I Theoretical Limit Sintering
Rate
[kg/hr]
Time for
10,000 m2
[years]
Sintering Rate [kg/hr]
Time for 10,000 m2 [years]
1746
12
2.48
0.045
2.2
25
0.01
0.1
1
10
100
1000
10000
Single Mode - Taylor Ceralink Phase I Theoretical Limit Sintering
Rate
[kg/hr]
Time for
10,000 m2
[years]
Sintering Rate [kg/hr]
Time for 10,000 m2 [years]
Conceptual Paving Rover
Rover fitted with microwave equipment and portable power supply
Concept developed with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Gerling Applied Engineering
Thermionic/fission power
source (modeled after
TOPAZ-II – roughly to scale)
6 kW
Magnetron
Waveguide
Regolith
preheat
Closed-loop
vertical position
control
Summary
JSC-1A Solidification
Complete surface solidification w/ microwave energy
Largest scale surface only microwave heating
Inert atmosphere
60 min to solidify a 7” x 7” x 1.5” volume of JSC-1A
Suscepting materials improved heating efficiency and uniformity
Best result with distributed particulate susceptor (<400 g/m2)
Solidification sufficiently load bearing (9-20 MPa flex strength)
Far Exceeded (100-300x) NASA’s load bearing requirements of 70 kPa (0.07 MPa).
Modeling
Models showed excellent approximations of the experimental microwave heating
Model developed to use thermal and electromagnetic effects
First measurement and input of lunar simulant dielectric properties as a function of temperature
Anticipated Lunar Regolith Solidification
Surface solidification of 10,000 m2 in 0.5 yrs with 4 rovers
each with 6 kW magnetron
Future Work
Measure dielectric properties of Apollo 17 75001 regolith
Have thruster tests performed on solidified sample
Develop continuous process (lab-scale demo)
Explore complimentary technologies