Development of electrostatic removal system for application in dust removal from Martian spacesuits

Abstract

Dust removal from Martian spacesuits whilst on exploration activities is critically important for long-term Martian exploration missions. Martian dust is known to contain harmful particles which must be removed from Martian spacesuits to prevent entry into habitation zones on Mars, and prevent spacesuit wear. In this work, an Electrostatic Removal System was developed which utilised the phenomenon of dielectrophoresis to remove Martian dust from the outer layer of spacesuits. Dielectrophoretic forces were exerted on dust particles by an alternating electrostatic field which acted to remove the particles from a surface. The field was generated by applying high voltage square waves, produced by a MOSFET H-Bridge, across an array of parallel copper electrodes contained within an Electrostatic Removal Device. A theoretical model was derived to predict the effect of variables on the system performance, which was validated through experimental testing. This system demonstrated a high dust clearing performance of over 95% when the dust is in direct contact with the Electrostatic Removal Device’s surface. However, the system was not able to achieve dust removal from samples of Nomex, Teflon, and Kevlar, the three constituent materials of the outer layer of spacesuits. Further development is required for the system to become a viable option for the removal of Martian dust from spacesuits. Nonetheless, this system may prove effective in other applications such as dust removal from solar panels or optical devices, where the electrodes may be able to be integrated directly beneath the dust layer.