Proposal Number:          21-1- Z12.01-2092

          

          

   

Subtopic Title:
      Extraction of Oxygen and Water from Lunar Regolith

          

          

   

Proposal Title:
      A Regenerable Purification System to Remove Sulfur and Halide Impurities

          

          

   

Firm:

          

TDA Research, Inc.

          

   

Address:

          

12345 West 52nd Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

          

   

Phone:

          

(303) 422-7819                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Dr. Gokhan Alptekin Ph.D.

          

   

E-mail:

          

galptekin@tda.com

          

   

Address:

          

12345 West 52nd Avenue, CO 80033 - 1916

          

   

Phone:

          

(303) 940-2349                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

John Wright

          

   

E-mail:

          

jdwright@tda.com

          

   

Address:

          

12345 West 52nd Avenue, CO 80033 - 1916

          

   

Phone:

          

(303) 940-2300                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) :                                                                                                                                                          
Begin: 2
End: 4

          

          

     

Technical Abstract (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words):

In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) increases the efficiency of space missions by utilizing indigenous resources on a planet or moon to reduce the amount of material that must be brought from Earth. Oxygen is one of the most valuable materials in space operations and is abundant in Lunar regolith (up to 40%).  Unfortunately, the lunar regolith beneficiation process for producing oxygen results in process gases that may be contaminated with sulfur (H₂S) and halide (HCl, HF) impurities, all of which must be removed. 

TDA Research, Inc. proposes to develop durable, high-capacity regenerable sorbents that can remove sulfur and halide contaminants from the process gas containing the oxygenated species produced from lunar regolith.  We will use two regenerable sorbents, one of which will reduce the amount of HCl and HF, while the other will remove the H₂S to parts per billion levels. 

In the proposed work we will synthesize new sorbent formulations and evaluate their performance under representative conditions.  We will explore the methods to prepare these sorbents on engineered structures to increase their durability and promote better heat transfer during the thermal regeneration process.  We will perform a minimum of 500 adsorption/regeneration cycles to demonstrate the life of these sorbents.  Finally, we will carry out a detailed engineering analysis and design to assess the technical viability of the concept. 

          

          

     

Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

The main attraction of our research to NASA is its ability to provide a lightweight, compact, and efficient gas purification system to enable the production of oxygen from Lunar regolith feasible.  This will minimize the amount of consumables to be brought from Earth and make the mission more affordable.  In addition to supporting the mission to the Moon, the sorbent-based contaminant clean-up process may also applicable to trace contaminant removal from spacecraft cabin air.

          

          

     

Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

The sorbents developed in this project will find use in the large environmental emissions control market.  The market for materials that remove contaminants from vent air streams and environmental emissions reductions which has annual U.S. sales of $4 billion. 

          

          

     

Duration:     6