THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE 1 EFFORT WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE ADVANCED CA…

Public award description

THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE 1 EFFORT WAS TO DEMONSTRATE THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE ADVANCED CARBOTHERMAL ELECTRIC (ACE) REACTOR CONCEPT. UNLIKE STATE-OF-THE-ART CARBOTHERMAL REACTORS THAT USE CONCENTRATED SOLAR ENERGY AND/OR LASER ENERGY TO HEAT THE REGOLITH, THE ACE REACTOR USES AN INNOVATIVE METHOD TO ELECTRICALLY HEAT THE REGOLITH TO TEMPERATURES OVER 1800 C WITHIN A THERMALLY INSULTED ENVIRONMENT, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT A CRUCIBLE. COMMERCIAL HIGH-TEMPERATURE HEATING ELEMENTS MADE FROM MOLYBDENUM DISILICIDE (MOSI2) ARE DESIGNED TO ONLY OPERATE IN OXIDIZING ATMOSPHERES WHERE A PROTECTIVE LAYER OF SILICON DIOXIDE (SIO2) WILL FORM. IN PHASE 1, THE ACE REACTOR USED MOSI2 HEATING ELEMENTS WITH A PROTECTIVE COATING TO ALLOW THEM TO OPERATE IN ANY TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT (OXIDIZING, REDUCING, OR VACUUM). THE ACE REACTOR CONCEPT ELIMINATES THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH TRADITIONAL CARBOTHERMAL HOT-WALL REACTORS AND OFFERS SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES OVER CURRENT CARBOTHERMAL REACTOR APPROACHES. BY ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR A CONCENTRATED SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM, THE ACE REACTOR OFFERS A SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERS SYSTEM MASS AND REMOVES THE NEED TO KEEP OPTICAL SURFACES CLEAN. IN ADDITION TO EFFICIENTLY PRODUCING OXYGEN, THE ACE REACTOR SEPARATES THE PROCESSED REGOLITH INTO METALLIC IRON AND A SILICATE GLASS THAT CAN BE FORMED INTO STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OR SHIELDING MATERIALS.