Titanium solar metallurgy – Earth and Space

Jaroslav Kovácik,Peter Šugár,Barbora Ludrovcová,Štefan Emmer,Natália Mináriková,Inmaculada Cañadas,Khaled Al–Athel,Jose Rodriguez,Amro Al–Qutub,Jana Šugárová,S Pantelakis,C Charitidis

doi:10.1051/matecconf/201930407005

Jaroslav Kovácik, Peter Šugár + Show 10 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201930407005

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Abstract

Experimental results for solar metallurgy, solar powder metallurgy of titanium, solar surface treatment of titanium and titanium welding are briefly reviewed. Most of them were performed at Plataforma Solar de Almeria Spain using solar furnaces SF5 and SF40 in gas/vacuum furnace. Generally, it was observed that the time to achieve required sample temperature is very short when concentrated solar power used. Thanks to use of renewable solar energy these technologies starts to be attractive for industrial production of titanium in Earth solar belt. It can be expected that the obtained results and approaches are similar also in Space. According to the obtained knowledge, the possible solutions/necessary changes for solar furnaces on Moon, Mars and in main asteroids belt are discussed.

Highlights

NASA has massive Moon and Mars aspirations in 20 years [1]
Most of them were performed at Plataforma Solar de Almeria Spain using solar furnaces SF5 and SF40 in gas/vacuum furnace
This extraction and processing of local resources into useful products and services on another celestial body is referred as In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU)

Summary

Introduction

NASA has massive Moon and Mars aspirations in 20 years [1]. In December 2017, President Donald Trump gave NASA a new direction. NASA will work with international and commercial partners to refocus exploration efforts on the Moon, with an eye to going on to Mars and even beyond. Human spaceflight in low-Earth orbit transformed to commercial operations to support NASA and the needs of new emerging private sector market. Human exploration of the Moon as preparation for human missions to Mars and deeper into the solar system. NASA plan to print, manufacture and build as much as possible goods from materials found on the Moon. This extraction and processing of local resources into useful products and services on another celestial body is referred as In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU). The main aim of this work is to summarise the results and knowledge obtained in this field during experiments with solar furnaces on Earth and propose design changes necessary for Space utilisation of solar energy in metallurgy of titanium

Earth experiments

Space design and recommendation

Findings

Conclusions