LUNAR OXYGEN PRODUCTION FROM ILMENITE

DEVELOPMENT OF A LUNAR OXYGEN PRODUCTION SYSTEM BY DIRECT HYDROGEN REDUCTION OF ILMENITE AND VAPOR-PHASE ELECTROLYSIS OF RESULTANT WATER VAPOR IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT; A BY-PRODUCT, FETIO2, SUITABLE FOR SHIELDING MATERIAL IS PRODUCED AS WELL. TWO PROCESSES--CONTINUOUS FLUID-BED REDUCTION AND SEMI-CONTINUOUS FIXED-BED REDUCTION--ARE TO BE INVESTIGATED INITIALLY. THE FLUID-BED REACTOR WITH HEAT EXCHANGE OFFERS GOOD GAS-SOLIDS HEAT INTEGRATION, BUT SUFFERS FROM EQUILIBRIUM CONVERSION LIMITATIONS. THE FIXED-BED REACTOR OVERCOMES THE EQUILIBRIUM CONVERSION LIMITATION WHEN EQUIPPED FOR HEAT REMOVAL AND WATER CONDENSING, BUT THIS SACRIFICES THE HEAT INTEGRATION. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO COMPARE BOTH TECHNIQUES. PHASE I RESULTS SHOULD ENABLE DESIGN OF CONTINUOUS PROTOTYPE EXPERIMENTS IN PHASE II TO DEMONSTRATE PROCESS FEASIBILITY. PHASE II WOULD INCLUDE DESIGN OF PHASE III SHUTTLE BAY TESTS OF CRITICAL COMPONENTS TO CONFIRM PERFORMANCE FOR LUNAR GRAVITY, VACUUM AND HEAT TRANSFER CONDITIONS.