Design and Analysis of a Scalable In-situ Cryogen Production Facility for Space Exploration

Abstract

A system demonstration of a scalable cryogen production facility will be necessary to establish the feasibility of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) as part of NASA's Space Exploration Initiative. Cryogenic fluids such as liquid oxygen, hydrogen, and methane will be required for propellants for return vehicle propulsion, life support consumables, power generation, and precursors for the refinement of structural materials. A key technology necessary for the realization of a cryogenic ISRU system is high-efficiency cryocoolers that can enable low-temperature thermal processing of extracted volatile materials for separation, liquefaction, and zero boiloff (ZBO) storage. This paper addresses the design and analysis of the following pertinent technologies: (1) producing a concentrated feedstock from low partial-pressure volatile constituents to drive chemical and thermal reaction operations, (2) balancing unit feed and effluent flows and molecular species to derive system efficiency and capture of high-purity cryogenic fluids, (3) thermal isolation of cryogenically cooled stages from ambient and elevated temperature subsystems to achieve power efficiency and thermal stability, and (4) developing a reverse-Brayton cycle cryocooler that provides cooling at 20 K for liquefying and sustaining hydrogen storage.

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“…Further advancements in the ISRU facilities led to the design of scalable in-situ cryogen production facility, which facilitates the capture of high-purity cryogenic fluids, thermal isolation of cryogenically cooled stages and reverse-Brayton cycle cryocooler to liquefy and sustain hydrogen storage 63 64,65 .…”