Difference between revisions of "Ilmenite Reduction"
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==Carbothermal Reduction== | ==Carbothermal Reduction== | ||
| − | Oxygen can be retrieved from [[Ilmenite|Ilmenite (FeTiO<sub>3</sub>)]] and [[Rutile|Rutile (TiO<sub>2</sub>)]] by means of carbothermal reduction. In experiments, powdered [[carbon]] and powdered ilmenite were evenly mixed and then heated. The end products of this reaction are Oxygen and a high strength composite of [[iron|Iron (Fe)]] and Titanium Carbide (TiC) which has high chemical stability. While this method provides a means of retrieving all of the oxygen from ilmenite and a potential of producing high | + | Oxygen can be retrieved from [[Ilmenite|Ilmenite (FeTiO<sub>3</sub>)]] and [[Rutile|Rutile (TiO<sub>2</sub>)]] by means of carbothermal reduction. In [http://www.mtec.or.th/th/seminar/msativ/pdf/CP12.pdf experiments], powdered [[carbon]] and powdered ilmenite were evenly mixed and then heated to 1500 degrees Celsius. The end products of this reaction are Oxygen and a high strength Ceramic-metal composite (Cermet) of [[iron|Iron (Fe)]] and Titanium Carbide (TiC) which has high chemical stability. The amount of reinforcing TiC ceramic in the matrix can be controlled via the amount of rutile and carbon used and will be demonstrated shortly by a stoichiometric equation. While this method provides a means of retrieving all of the oxygen from ilmenite/rutile and a potential of producing reinforced, high performance, high wear components and cutting tools from lunar regolith, it is at the cost of highly valuable carbon needed for biological processes. The process will also require the separation of ilmenite/rutile from regolith by some means. |
| + | Stoichiometry for this reaction: | ||
| + | <BR/><BR/> | ||
| + | FeTiO<sub>3</sub> + nTiO<sub>2</sub> + (4+3n)C ---->Fe + (1+n)TiC + (3+2n)CO | ||
| + | <BR>Where n=the quantity of additional TiO<sub>2</sub> molecules | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Li or Na reduction of Ilmenite== | ||
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| style="border-style:dashed; border-width:1px; border-color:#36648B; background:#F0F8FF;" | '''Please note:'''<br> | | style="border-style:dashed; border-width:1px; border-color:#36648B; background:#F0F8FF;" | '''Please note:'''<br> | ||
| − | This section is a placeholder for work currently in progress.<br>-- [[User:Jarogers2001|Jarogers2001]] | + | This section is a placeholder for work currently in progress.<br>-- [[User:Jarogers2001|Jarogers2001]] 22:59, 31 May 2008 (UTC) |
|} | |} | ||
==Other Methods of Ilmenite reduction== | ==Other Methods of Ilmenite reduction== | ||
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Li or Na reduction of Ilmenite<BR/> | Li or Na reduction of Ilmenite<BR/> | ||
Methane reduction of Ilmenite<BR/> | Methane reduction of Ilmenite<BR/> | ||
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*Processing Lunar Soils for Oxygen and Other Materials. Knudsen & Gibson [http://nss.org/settlement/nasa/spaceresvol3/plsoom1.htm http://nss.org/settlement/nasa/spaceresvol3/plsoom1.htm] | *Processing Lunar Soils for Oxygen and Other Materials. Knudsen & Gibson [http://nss.org/settlement/nasa/spaceresvol3/plsoom1.htm http://nss.org/settlement/nasa/spaceresvol3/plsoom1.htm] | ||
*[http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/HumanExplore/Exploration/EXLibrary/DOCS/EIC048.HTML Lunar Oxygen Production - A Maturing Technology] | *[http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/HumanExplore/Exploration/EXLibrary/DOCS/EIC048.HTML Lunar Oxygen Production - A Maturing Technology] | ||
| + | *[http://www.mtec.or.th/th/seminar/msativ/pdf/CP12.pdf The Effect of TiO2 on Synthesizing Fe-TiC Composites] | ||
<BR/><BR/><BR/> | <BR/><BR/><BR/> | ||
Revision as of 14:59, 31 May 2008
| This article is incomplete or needs more information. You can help Lunarpedia by expanding or correcting it. |
Reduction of ilmenite (FeTiO3) is a chemical reaction proposed for use in production of oxygen (LUNOX) from lunar resources.
Contents
Hydrogen Reduction
Hydrogen reduction is one method currently being tested by many Universities. Products of the hydrogen reduction are free iron, titanium dioxide, and water. The resulting water can be removed by condensation and separated via electrolysis to produce oxygen and H2 (hydrogen). The hydrogen is then be recycled into the reaction.
The basic process sequence is to separate ilmenite from lunar soil, crush it to a fine powder to maximize the surface area, heat the ilmenite in an enclosed reaction vessel in the presence of hydrogen gas, condense the steam which is produced by the reaction, and then use electrolysis to separate the water into hydrogen and oxygen. The process is best utilized if the plant is sited in a location in which ilmenite composes a high fraction of the soil.
The reaction sequence is:
Reduction:
FeTiO3+H2 ---->Fe+TiO2+H2O
Electrolysis:
2H2O ---->2 H2+ O2
Net Reaction:
2FeTiO3---->2Fe+2TiO2+ O2
Carbothermal Reduction
Oxygen can be retrieved from Ilmenite (FeTiO3) and Rutile (TiO2) by means of carbothermal reduction. In experiments, powdered carbon and powdered ilmenite were evenly mixed and then heated to 1500 degrees Celsius. The end products of this reaction are Oxygen and a high strength Ceramic-metal composite (Cermet) of Iron (Fe) and Titanium Carbide (TiC) which has high chemical stability. The amount of reinforcing TiC ceramic in the matrix can be controlled via the amount of rutile and carbon used and will be demonstrated shortly by a stoichiometric equation. While this method provides a means of retrieving all of the oxygen from ilmenite/rutile and a potential of producing reinforced, high performance, high wear components and cutting tools from lunar regolith, it is at the cost of highly valuable carbon needed for biological processes. The process will also require the separation of ilmenite/rutile from regolith by some means.
Stoichiometry for this reaction:
FeTiO3 + nTiO2 + (4+3n)C ---->Fe + (1+n)TiC + (3+2n)CO
Where n=the quantity of additional TiO2 molecules
Li or Na reduction of Ilmenite
| Please note: This section is a placeholder for work currently in progress. |
Other Methods of Ilmenite reduction
Li or Na reduction of Ilmenite
Methane reduction of Ilmenite
Plasma reduction of Ilmenite
External Links
- ISRU on the Moon. by Larry Taylor http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar_knowledge/LTaylor.pdf
- Extraction Techniques-Oxygen. G. L. Kulcinski, February 18, 2004 http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/neep533/SPRING2004/lecture13.pdf
- Processing Lunar Soils for Oxygen and Other Materials. Knudsen & Gibson http://nss.org/settlement/nasa/spaceresvol3/plsoom1.htm
- Lunar Oxygen Production - A Maturing Technology
- The Effect of TiO2 on Synthesizing Fe-TiC Composites
