Lunar Oxygen Production from Ilmenite/Fluid Particle Processing Carbotek Development Laboratories, Houston, TX

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Lunar Oxygen Production from Ilmenite/Fluid
Particle Processing Carbotek Development
Laboratories, Houston, TX

• Innovation
• Developed conceptual design for lunar oxygen
  production system
• based on fluidized-bed hydrogen reduction of
  lunar ilenite.
• Laboratory reduction of lunar stimulants and
  fabrication of
• models for study of fluidized bed dynamics
  at g-1 and 1/6-g

• Accomplishments
• Determined reaction kinetics for numerous
  lunar stimulants an development
• correlations for actual lunar samples.
• Measured bubble sizes in two-dimensional
  fluidized beds at 1-g and at
• 1/6-g on NASAs KC-135 variable gravity
  aircraft. Verified two-phase (gas-
• solid) flow theory at lunar gravity for
  fluidized-bed reactors.
• Demonstrated smooth, downward transfer of
  solids through standpipe
• transfer mechanisms for multi-staged
  fluidized-bed reactors.

• Commercialization
• Private funding of research since 1991 advanced
  state-of-the-art considerably with reduction
• of actual lunar samples and design of
  additional KC-135 experiment packages.
• Other applications of lunar oxygen such as a
  thrust enhancer for a nuclear rocket engine, are
• opening new markets and funding sources
• Phase two SBIR contract enabled Carbotek to add
  scientifically skilled employees and expand
  research capabilities.
• Private funding from Shimizu Crop. In 1991 to
  continue research.
• JSC funded KC 135 lunar gravity flights and Lunar
  oxygen pilot plant based on this technology.

Hydrogen reduction of Lunar Ilmenite

• Government/Science Applications
• NASA identified lunar oxygen production as
  enabling
• technology for solar system exploration -
  hydrogen
• reduction is baseline process.
• Lunar oxygen production enables substantial mass
  
• reduction for transportation systems and near
• self-sufficient lunar base operations

Points of Contact - NASA Jane I Fox -
Company Mike Gibbon--cdl_at_Carbotek.com 1984 SBIR
Phase II NAS 9 17288 SS 09-11
Johnson Space Center Date of Update 2-22-98