Conceptual assessment of a lipid-based liquid water storage system for lunar life support and exploration

Banica, Marius Christian; Altorfer, Tim; Inauen, Jan; Wichser, Dario; Dudli, David; Weber Sutter, Markus; Madi, Matteo; Yao, Yang; Mezzenga, Raffaele

doi:10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Conceptual assessment of a lipid-based liquid water storage system for lunar life support and exploration
Authors:	Banica, Marius Christian Altorfer, Tim Inauen, Jan Wichser, Dario Dudli, David Weber Sutter, Markus Madi, Matteo Yao, Yang Mezzenga, Raffaele
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187
Published in:	Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume(Issue):	36
Issue:	6
Page(s):	04023084
Issue Date:	2023
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	American Society of Civil Engineers
ISSN:	0893-1321 1943-5525
Language:	English
Subject (DDC):	620: Engineering
Abstract:	Human lunar and planetary exploration can be simplified by the exploitation of in situ resources. High priorities are placed on propellant and life support consumables, such as oxygen and water. The latter can be considered a biproduct of propellant production, and is essential for sustained human presence. Its existence was detected on the Moon and on Mars. However, its endemic occurrence as ice can make storage and transportation difficult, so a conversion to its liquid state often is preferable. The disadvantage of this is that energy-intensive active heating systems are required to prevent freezing. Recently, a method was presented that potentially can eliminate this disadvantage by maintaining the liquid state down to −120°C, even at pressures as low as 0.1 mbar. This is achieved by mixing the water with a commercially available lipid, thereby forming a lipidic mesophase. Transportation of the mesophase in cryogenic hydraulic networks is achieved easily by pumping, and this can be exploited to design a centralized closed-loop liquid water storage system for a lunar base. The distinguishing feature is that the tanks can be placed outside the human habitats. Key system components are potentially manufacturable in situ. In this work, an architecture for the life support part of such a system is proposed, and the key chemical processes are demonstrated experimentally. The first of these is the scale-up of the water–lipid enrichment process by a factor of 5 from typical laboratory scales. The second is the extraction of water from the mesophase by distillation. It is shown that 79% by weight of the water is extractable for reuse, and the remainder presumably forms an azeotrope with the lipid. The power required to circulate the mixture between human habitats and external tanks is estimated to be <41 kW for a crew of 10.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/28771
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	School of Engineering
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Energy Systems and Fluid Engineering (IEFE) Institute of Materials and Process Engineering (IMPE)
Published as part of the ZHAW project:	Wasserspeichersystem für die Lebenserhaltung und Erforschung des Mondes
Appears in collections:	Publikationen School of Engineering

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Banica, M. C., Altorfer, T., Inauen, J., Wichser, D., Dudli, D., Weber Sutter, M., Madi, M., Yao, Y., & Mezzenga, R. (2023). Conceptual assessment of a lipid-based liquid water storage system for lunar life support and exploration. Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 36(6), 4023084. https://doi.org/10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187

Banica, M.C. et al. (2023) ‘Conceptual assessment of a lipid-based liquid water storage system for lunar life support and exploration’, Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 36(6), p. 04023084. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187.

M. C. Banica et al., “Conceptual assessment of a lipid-based liquid water storage system for lunar life support and exploration,” Journal of Aerospace Engineering, vol. 36, no. 6, p. 04023084, 2023, doi: 10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187.

BANICA, Marius Christian, Tim ALTORFER, Jan INAUEN, Dario WICHSER, David DUDLI, Markus WEBER SUTTER, Matteo MADI, Yang YAO und Raffaele MEZZENGA, 2023. Conceptual assessment of a lipid-based liquid water storage system for lunar life support and exploration. Journal of Aerospace Engineering. 2023. Bd. 36, Nr. 6, S. 04023084. DOI 10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187

Banica, Marius Christian, Tim Altorfer, Jan Inauen, Dario Wichser, David Dudli, Markus Weber Sutter, Matteo Madi, Yang Yao, and Raffaele Mezzenga. 2023. “Conceptual Assessment of a Lipid-Based Liquid Water Storage System for Lunar Life Support and Exploration.” Journal of Aerospace Engineering 36 (6): 4023084. https://doi.org/10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187.

Banica, Marius Christian, et al. “Conceptual Assessment of a Lipid-Based Liquid Water Storage System for Lunar Life Support and Exploration.” Journal of Aerospace Engineering, vol. 36, no. 6, 2023, p. 4023084, https://doi.org/10.1061/JAEEEZ.ASENG-5187.