LUNAR OXYGEN PRODUCTION BY DIRECT HYDROGEN REDUCTION OF ILMENITE AND VAPOR-PHASE ELECTROLYSIS OF RESULTANT WATER VAPOR APPEARS THE MOST PROMISING METHOD.

LUNAR OXYGEN PRODUCTION BY DIRECT HYDROGEN REDUCTION OF ILMENITE AND VAPOR-PHASE ELECTROLYSIS OF RESULTANT WATER VAPOR APPEARS THE MOST PROMISING METHOD. THE PRELIMINARY ASPEN SIMULATION MODEL TO BE DEVELOPED WILL BE BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION OF MINING ILMENITE OR REMOVING IT FROM A MARE PIT USING A BUCKET-WHEEL EXCAVATOR FEEDING A SHIFTABLE CONVEYOR SYSTEM; BENEFICIATION OF THE ILMENITE ORE BY SIEVING, ELECTROSTATIC SIZING, MAGNETIC SEPARATION, AND ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION; PROCESSING OF THE CONCENTRATED ILMENITE ORE BY CONTINUOUS FLUID-BED REDUCTION TO PRODUCE WATER VAPOR WHICH IS ELECTROLYZED TO PRODUCT OXYGEN AND RECYCLED HYDROGEN; AND LIQUEFACTION AND STORAGE OF PRODUCT OXYGEN FOR FUTURE TRANSPORT TO USER FACILITIES. THE PHASE I EFFORT INVOLVES: (1) THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRELIMINARY FLOWSHEET FOR THE OVERALL MINING, BENEFICIATION, PROCESSING, AND RECOVERY SCHEME; (2) THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ASPEN MODEL BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY FLOWSHEET; (3) PRELIMINARY COSTING AND ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE OVERALL SCHEME; AND (4) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER UPGRADING OF THE MODEL BY IMPROVING DESIGN, PHYSICAL PROPERTY AND COSTING DATA. PHASE I RESULTS WOULD BE EXTENDED IN GREATER DETAIL IN PHASE II TO OPTIMIZE THE CHOICES OF CONCEPTUAL EQUIPMENT AND THEIR COMBINATION TO CONFIRM THE FEASIBILITY OF AN EFFECTIVE OVERALL PROCESS. PROMISING PHASE II RESULTS WOULD JUSTIFY MAJOR ENGINEERING/COST ESTIMATING AND LUNAR PRODUCTION PLANNING IN A FOLLOWING PHASE III PROGRAM.