NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Extraction of Water from Martian Regolith Simulant via Open Reactor ConceptTo demonstrate proof of concept water extraction from simulated Martian regolith, an open reactor design is presented along with experimental results. The open reactor concept avoids sealing surfaces and complex moving parts. In an abrasive environment like the Martian surface, those reactor elements would be difficult to maintain and present a high probability of failure. A general lunar geotechnical simulant was modified by adding borax decahydrate (Na2B4O7·10H2O) (BDH) to mimic the ~ 3 percent water content of hydrated salts in near surface soils on Mars. A rotating bucket wheel excavated the regolith from a source bin and deposited the material onto an inclined copper tray, which was fitted with heaters and a simple vibration system. The combination of vibration, tilt angle and heat was used to separate and expose as much regolith surface area as possible to liberate the water contained in the hydrated minerals, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system. The experiment was conducted in a vacuum system capable of maintaining a Martian like atmosphere. Evolved water vapor was directed to a condensing system using the ambient atmosphere as a sweep gas. The water vapor was condensed and measured. Processed simulant was captured in a collection bin and weighed in real time. The efficiency of the system was determined by comparing pre- and post-processing soil mass along with the volume of water captured.
Document ID
20180002377
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Trunek, Andrew J.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Linne, Diane L.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Kleinhenz, Julie E.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Bauman, Steven W.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
April 11, 2018
Publication Date
April 9, 2018
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GRC-E-DAA-TN46578
Meeting Information
Meeting: ASCE Earth and Space Conference
Location: Cleveland, OH
Country: United States
Start Date: April 9, 2018
End Date: April 12, 2018
Sponsors: American Society of Civil Engineers
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 663323.01.22
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available