Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company, Monchegorsk, Russia:

A. P. Tyukin, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Head of the Project Initiation Department of the Engineering Center, e-mail: TukinAP@yandex.ru

Today, the issue of erecting building units on the surface of the Moon is gaining significant importance. The main problem is the cost of delivery of structural materials. The solution may be to obtain a structural material from regolith. The regolith from the Mare Crisium contains up to 20% of the amount of iron and titanium and is a polymetallic ore. Its concentration is possible by gas- dynamic separation using a gas in a light insulated chamber under low absolute pressure (10–30 kPa). The processes of gas-dynamic separation with the use of rarefied gases are studied at the Department of Minerals Concentration of NUST MISIS, Moscow, Russian Federation. The paper describes a barostatic research installation of gas-dynamic separation and the process of determining the true gas velocity at various values of its static pressure. The authors have calculated the air velocity according to hydrodynamic formulas, and the true air velocity in the acceleration channel of the separator was established as well with the use of special equipment. A comparison of calculated and experimental data was carried out and a high convergence was ascertained: the difference was no more than 20% rel. Resulting from the calculations and experiments, the principles on the basis of which the gas velocity setting and control should be carried out during studies on gas-dynamic separation are formulated.

1. Turning Moon Dust into Oxygen. The European Space Agency, 27 Nov. 2020. URL: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Turning_Moon_dust_into_oxygen (accessed: 15.11.2021).
2. Jones A. China is Working on a Lander for Human Moon Missions. Space News. Aug. 9, 2021. https://spacenews.com/china-is-working-on-a-lander-for-human-moon-missions/ (accessed: 15.11.2021).
3. Bandyopadhyay S. Lunar Crater Radio Telescope (LCRT) on the Far-Side of the Moon. NASA, Apr. 7, 2020. Avilable at: https://nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/niac/2020_Phase_I_Phase_II/lunar_crater_radio_telescope/ (accessed: 15.11.2021).
4. Ignatova A. M., Ignatov M. N. Use of Resources for Regolith Exploration of the Lunar Surface. International Journal of Experimental Education. 2013. No. 11-2. pp. 101–110.
5. Barsukov V. L. Lunar Soil from the Mare Crisium. Moscow : Nauka, 1980. 360 p.
6. Samygin V. D., Filippov L. O., Shekhirev D. V. Ores Beneficiation Basics. Moscow: “Alteks”, 2003. 304 p.
7. Tyukin A. P. Developing a Combination Concentration Process for Granular Material Involving Aerodynamic and Shock Separation. Dissertation … of Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow : MISiS, 2013. 151 p.
8. Tyukin A. P., Yushina T. I. Mathematical Modelling of Gas-Dynamic Separation Processes. Tsvetnye Metally. 2020. No 7. pp. 9–17. DOI: 10.17580/tsm.2020.07.01
9. Geyer V. G., Dulin V. S., Zarya A. N. Hydraulics and hydraulic drive. Moscow: Nedra, 1991. 331 p.
10. Porolo L. V. Air-Gas Liquid Lifts (Ergazlifts). Basics of Theory and Calculation Methods. Moscow: “Mashinostroenie”, 1969. 160 p.
11. Vilner Ya. M., Kovalev Ya. T., Nekrasov B. B. Reference Manual on Hydraulics, Hydraulic Machines and Hydraulic Drives. Minsk: Vysshaya schola, 1985. 382 p.
12. Idelchik I. E. Handbook of Hydraulic Resistance. Coefficients of Local Resistance and of Friction. National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. Nov. 1986. 517 p.
13. ISO 12232:2019. Photography – Digital still cameras – Determination of exposure index, ISO speed ratings, standard output sensitivity, and recommended exposure index. ICS > 37 > 37.040 > 37.040.10. Published Date: Feb. 2019. 21 p.