METAL-LOX SPACE PROPULSION

TECHNOLOGY FOR IN-SITU RESOURCE

UTILIZATION (ISRU)

H. Heng, J. Palečka, S. Hampl, S. Goroshin, J. Bergthorson

Alternative Fuels Laboratory
Department of Mechanical Engineering
McGill University, Canada

The 21st of July, 2022

COSPAR 2022 44th Scientific Assembly

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Introduction: Making space exploration sustainable

Earth’s Space
resources resources

Image credit: NASA/SAIC/Pat Rawlings

Lunar in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) for rocket propulsion

• Propellants have a significant portion of the mass launched from Earth

• The material transportation cost from Earth to Moon is >$35,000/kg [1]

[1] G.F. Sowers, A cislunar transportation system fueled by

2 lunar resources, Space Policy. 37 (2016) 103–109. afl
Can we rely on water resources on the Moon?
Lunar Ice on the Moon [2] Volumetric/Energy Density [3]

in kg/L in MJ/L
North Pole South Pole Using
LH2 0.07 9.9 LOX-LH2
LNG 0.42 21.9 for space
Diesel 0.85 38.9 propulsion
LOX 1.14 -

Sustainability

Storage

Production
We need
[2] Schlüter, L., Cowley, A., 2020. Review of techniques for
Abundancy alternatives!
In-Situ oxygen extraction on the moon. Planetary and Space
Science 181, 104753.
[3] Bergthorson (2018) Recyclable metal fuels for clean
and compact zero-carbon power Prog. Energy Combust.
Sci. 68:169-196
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We have other alternatives – lunar regolith
Lunar surfaces colored by types of regolith [4]

MxOy

Reduction using
renewable energy

M O2
Combustion

MxOy
Moon’s Near Side
[4] Schreiner, S.S et. al., 2016. Thermophysical property
models for lunar regolith. Advances in Space Research 57,
4 1209–1222. afl
 There are challenges for using lunar-regolith fuels
40%Al- Highlands Region Low-Ti Mare
60%Si Region
Using metal-
LOX for space
propulsion

System Design
Ex: dispersing solid powders?

Flame Stabilization
Can metal flame be stabilized?

Thermodynamics
Sufficient propulsion? High temperature? Gaseous products?

Abundancy, Production,
Storage, Sustainability
Al LNG LH2
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Using metal-LOX for rocket Thermodynamics
Flame System
propulsion is feasible Stabilization Design
Al/Ice Rocket [5] (Al + H2O): 285 s
Space Shuttle SRB [6] (Al + NH4ClO4): 268 s Simulated by CEA

Isp is Temperature Possible

too low Isp is decreasing
is too high operating range
[5] Pourpoint et al., 2010. Detailed Characterization of
[6] https://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/system/system_SRB.html
Al/Ice Propellants. 46th AIAA/ ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint
Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, Nashville, TN 6 http://www.astronautix.com/s/srb.html afl
Using metal-LOX for rocket Thermodynamics
Flame System
propulsion is feasible Stabilization Design

Based on Lunar Highland mixture

Non-gaseous products

74% gas Gaseous products 80% gas

4261 K
254 s 252 s

3283 K

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 Using metal-LOX for rocket Thermodynamics
Flame System
propulsion is feasible Stabilization Design

Ventilation Stabilization of Al flame on a laminar burner

[7] [7]
Flame

High speed camera

(15,000 fps)

Nozzle (exit
diameter: 12 mm)

laminarizing
tube (60 cm) Aluminum-air Methane-air
Dispersed with
air (21% O2)
Effective metal flame
Aluminum particles stabilization requires a fuel-rich
(diameter: 2-5 µm) (low O/F ratio) condition [7]
Powder feeder
(driven by a [7] Goroshin S., Palecka J., Bergthorson J. 2022. Some fundamental
linear actuator) 8
aspects of laminar flames in nonvolatile solid fuel suspensions.
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Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 91, 100994.
Using metal-LOX for rocket Thermodynamics
Flame System
propulsion is feasible Stabilization Design

Using LOX as a carrier gas and film coolant

Fuel rich flame stabilization followed by fuel lean exhaust [8]

Pyrotechnic LOX film cooling

gas generator through porous
Piston
nozzle walls

Pressurant
Metal Fuel-lean
LOX Powders (high O/F)
exhaust

Primary Pre-burner for fuel-rich (low

oxygen flow Secondary
O/F) flame stabilization
oxygen flow

[8] S. Goroshin, A. Higgins, M. Kamel, 2001. Powdered

Metals as Fuel for Hypersonic Ramjets. American Institute
9 of Aeronautics and Astronautics. AIAA-2001-3919 afl
Conclusion: A feasible idea that requires on-going work
Future Work
[9] Using metal-
Fine Tuning LOX for space
propulsion

Stabilize the Al-Si Conduct microgravity

mixture and measure experiments with
the flame speed larger particle sizes
System Design

Flame Stabilization
Preliminary ground experiments show Al
flame can be stabilized in a fuel-rich condition
Thermodynamics
At O/F = 4 (fuel-lean):
▪ Isp = 244 – 261 s Model limitation:
Abundancy, Production, The assumption of
▪ Isp and temp. are optimized
Storage, Sustainability 100% effectiveness and
▪ ~80% of gaseous products efficiency in reduction
[9] Image reproduced from: Julien et al., 2017. Flame speed
measurements in aluminum suspensions using a counterflow
10 burner. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 36. 2291–2298. afl
 Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the support of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) [22COSHENGH]
We acknowledge the support of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) [21FAMCGA17]

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