Sabatier and Electrolysis Method for Space Travel to Mars - PowerPoint Presentation

Sabatier and Electrolysis Method for Space Travel to Mars Mike Bender Ivan AragonaPaul Rael Colorado State University – Pueblo

Objective and Purpose To save money on Space Travel from Fuel Production on Mars; A space shuttle mission requires over 500,000 gallons of fuel for all three engines [1]; It takes about $450 million, on average, to fund a space shuttle mission and the majority of this cost is the price of the fuel [1].

Using available carbon dioxide gas indigenous to Mars’ atmosphere and Earth-supplied (initially) hydrogen gas; one would be able to create methane and water. CO2(g) + 4 H2(g) ↔ CH4(g) + 2 H2O(g) Requires a ruthenium catalyst; Around 350-400 °C The methane will be used as fuel; The by-product, water, will be recycled into the electrolysis.background Sabatier SOLAr Electrolysis The water is dissociated into hydrogen and oxygen gases; 2H 2 O(g) → 2H 2 (g) + O 2 (g) The oxygen ultimately will be stored in cryogenic tanks for the combustion process; The hydrogen is used in the Sabatier Reaction;

On Mars, these reactions will need energy supplied by the use of Solar Panels. These Solar Panels will be comparable to the size of the Solar Panels used for the International Aerospace missions. Power Supply

Methods & Techniques Construct Prototype Apparatuses Small Scale version to conduct research withTo create methane gas and water from the Sabatier reactor using hydrogen and carbon dioxide gasesTest the purity for safely combustible methaneOptimize the flow rates to maximum methane productionDissociate the water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Optimize the process of recycling the water into usable products.

Table Top Reactor; Welded Metal frame, fabricated catalyst chamber; PM Watlow Controller wire to thermocouples fixed with indicator lights; Fabricated Aluminum block, flow meter, ¼’’ dia tubing; Sabatier Construction Gases flow into quarter turn ball valves connected to the aluminum block.

Solar Panels Each solar panel is a 24-volt, 5-watt, 0.417-ampere commercially sold battery charger; Each panel is roughly 18” x 18”;Wired in series and in parallel to optimize charge;Stand. Angle adjustment to optimize incident angle of the sun; Made out of a steel framework, that was made in four pieces: a foot, neck, angle changer, and panel harness;Made so panels are easily accessible and interchangeable. Electrolysis Construction Hoffman Apparatus Dissociates the water into hydrogen and oxygen gasses; Ionic compound added for conductivity; Electrodes; Leads, connected to the outside tubes of apparatus; Valves at the top of each outside tube to control flow rate of produced gases; Powered by the solar panels.

Sabatier Testing Ran the reaction through to produce the two products Separation of gasses in the three condenser tubes resting in separate cooling baths.Froze out methane, water and excess carbon dioxide.

Test # CO 2 Flow Rate (mL/min)H2 Flow Rate (mL/min) Temperature (° C)Time (min) Pressure (mmHg) Water Produced ( mL ) Methane Produced (mL) Test 1 200 800 388 30 643.1 13 6.5 Test 2 250 800 388 30 643.1 12 6 Test 3 200 800 391 30 643.1 13 6.5 Test 4 300 900 391 30 643.1 13.5 6.75 Test 5 300 1200 392 30643.113.36.65 Sabatier Data Flow rate optimization

Purity Analysis Sabatier Data

Electrolysis Data

Results Success Sabatier Created the two products, methane and water, and collected samples. From spectra, one can conclude pure methane gas was produced and can be used in the combustion process. Solar Electrolysis Created hydrogen and oxygen gases form the Hoffman apparatusUsing solar energy to power the reaction.

Need to adjust the flow rates on the Sabatier The regulator, flow meter Change tubing instead of replacement. Need more power in Electrolysis. The apparatus produced the gases, no where near enough to be recycled into the Sabatier reactor. From the use of larger solar panels. Different conduction compoundNeed more data in both portions of the research recommendations

Joining the two portions of the project and lead the water from Sabatier directly into the electrolysis portion; Run comparison test trials using a different catalyst and/or powder catalyst to ensure optimum product of methane; Angle adjustment on the Solar Panel StandConstruct a 360° frame around the entire project leaving the solar panels attached to the outside.This frame should be lightweight and strong enough to withstand weather conditions similar to that on Mars.Theoretical energy balance of system (enthalpy, Gibb’s Free Energy, solar energy, current, solar panel efficiency).Measure the energy required from the solar panels that would push through the reaction. Further Design Ideas

[1] Space Shuttle and International Space Station . Jan. & Feb. 2009. NASA. March & April 2009 <http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/information/shuttle_faq.html> . [2] Elisha McDowell. Specialty Gas Specialist Airgas Intermountain. elisha.mcdowell@airgas.com[3] http://www.geekologie.com/mt/mt-search.cgi?tag=rocket%20fuel&blog_id=1 [4] http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/methane/methane.html [5] http://www.universetoday.com/44819/distance-from-earth-to-jupiter/ [6] Brooksa, Kristina P., Jianli Hua , Huayan Zhub , and Robert J. Keeb . " Methanation of Carbon Dioxide by Hydrogen Reduction." Chemical Engineering Science 62.10 (2007): 1161-170. Print.[7] http://www.space.com/3571-giant-pool-water-ice-mars-south-pole.html [8] Brown, Theodore L., Eugene H. Lemay Jr., and Bruce E. Bursten. Chemistry: the Central Science. 11 th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice, 2008. Print. [9] http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/M/Marsatmos.html [10] http://www.digipac.ca/chemical/mtom/index.html [11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/electrolysis [12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/electrode [13] Schoffstall , Allen M., Barbara A. Gaddis, and Melvin L. Druelinger . Microscale and Miniscale Organic Chemistry Laboratory Experiments . New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2004. Print. [14] http://www.wolframalpha.com References