About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Materials and Manufacturing in Space
|
| Presentation Title |
Computational Process Modeling of Aluminum Extraction from Lunar Regolith for Space Manufacturing |
| Author(s) |
Pamela Lagrava, Christopher Dreyer, Corby Anderson |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Pamela Lagrava |
| Abstract Scope |
Establishing a sustained human presence on the moon will require manufacturing structural and functional components using locally available resources rather than relying on materials transported from Earth. Among the resources contained in lunar regolith, aluminum is particularly attractive because of its low density, high specific strength, corrosion resistance, and potential applications in lightweight structures, electrical conductors, and additive manufacturing. Despite its abundance, aluminum exists primarily within stable oxide minerals, making its conversion into usable metallic feedstock a significant materials processing challenge. This research develops a computational process model to evaluate aluminum extraction from lunar regolith. The computational model integrates chemical processing, electrochemical recovery, and steady-state mass and energy balances to quantify aluminum recovery and overall process performance. The study establishes a computational foundation for transforming lunar regolith into engineering materials that support space manufacturing and sustainable lunar infrastructure. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Modeling and Simulation, Extraction and Processing, Aluminum |