Effects of dust accumulation and removal on radiator surfaces on MarsTests were carried out to assess the impact of wind blown dust accumulation and abrasion on radiator surfaces on Mars. High emittance arc-textured copper and niobium-1 percent-zirconium samples were subjected to basaltic dust laden wind at Martian pressure (1000 Pa) at speeds varying from 19 to 97 m/s in the Martian Surface Wind Tunnel. The effect of accumulated dust was also observed by pre-dusting some of the samples before the test. Radiator degradation was determined by measuring the change in the emittance after dust was deposited and/or removed. The principle mode of degradation was abrasion. Arc textured Nb-1 percent-Zr proved to be more susceptible to degradation than Cu, and pre-dusting appeared to have lessened the abrasion.
Document ID
19930029940
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Gaier, James R. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Perez-Davis, Marla E. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Rutledge, Sharon K. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Hotes, Deborah (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Olle, Raymond (Cleveland State Univ. OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: In: Space nuclear power systems; Proceedings of the 8th Symposium, Albuquerque, NM, Jan. 6-10, 1991. Pt. 3 (A93-13751 03-20)