Modeling energy requirements for oxygen production on the Moon

Area of Science:

• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)
• Planetary Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Spacecraft propulsion relies heavily on oxygen, necessitating sustainable sources for long-duration missions.
• The Moon's regolith contains minerals like ilmenite (FeTiO3), a potential source for extracting oxygen.
• Current energy requirements for lunar oxygen production are not well-defined, hindering mission planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present an energy consumption model for lunar oxygen production.
• To analyze the energy demands of an end-to-end process chain for oxygen extraction from lunar regolith.
• To identify critical parameters influencing energy efficiency in lunar oxygen production.

Main Methods:

• Modeled oxygen production via hydrogen reduction of ilmenite (FeTiO3) in lunar regolith.
• Included process steps: excavation, transportation, beneficiation, hydrogen reduction, water electrolysis, liquefaction, and storage.
• Calculated energy demand per kilogram of liquid oxygen produced based on adjustable parameters.

Main Results:

• Predicted energy demand of 24.3 (± 5.8) kWh per kg of liquid oxygen for 10 wt% ilmenite feedstock.
• Confirmed that hydrogen reduction and water electrolysis are the most energy-intensive stages.
• Sensitivity analysis identified the beneficiation enrichment factor as the most critical optimization parameter.

Conclusions:

• The developed model provides a parameterized framework for assessing energy consumption in lunar oxygen production.
• Efficient oxygen extraction from lunar regolith is feasible but requires careful energy infrastructure planning.
• Optimizing beneficiation processes is crucial for minimizing the overall energy footprint of lunar ISRU oxygen production.