| 主权项 |
1. A process for the production of oxygen, water, carbon monoxide, ammonia, nitrogen-based fertilizers and edible biomass on Martian regolith through the use of available resources in situ, said process comprising a chemical-physical section for producing the oxygen, water, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and nitrogen-based fertilizers, and a biological section for producing the edible biomass, said chemical-physical section comprising:
a) assembling on a Martian surface at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome to house a first set of plant units operating in an interior of the at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome; b) assembling a first set of photovoltaic panels outside of the at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome to produce energy needed for heating inside the at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome and for a first powering plant of said first set of plant units; c) assembling a first variable-temperature adsorption unit (Temperature Swing Absorber or TSA) and a first solid-state dehumidifier (Water Vapor Adsorption Reactor or WAVAR) outside of the at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome; d) blowing pressurized Martian CO2 into said at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome, through the first TSA, until an internal pressure not less than 0.8 bar is achieved; e) heating the interior of said at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome until a temperature not less than 10° C. is achieved, through heating systems powered by said first set of photovoltaic panels; f) assembling a first structure for mechanical protection of a second set of plant units operating outside of the at least one geodesic dome; g) placing in the interior of the at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome the first set of plant units for the production of the nitrogen-based fertilizers; h) conveying gas comprising Martian atmosphere to the first WAVAR unit, for atmospheric water extraction; i) excavating and conveying the Martian regolith to a first microwave system operating in the interior of the at least one chemical-physical geodesic dome, for extraction of adsorbed water and minerals by microwaves; j) conveying the water extracted from the gas comprising Martian atmosphere to a first storage tank; k) splitting the absorbed water extracted from the Martian regolith into three streams (π1, π2 and π3); l) conveying the water stream π1 to a first electrolyzer operating in the interior of the at least one geodesic dome to produce two distinct streams of H2 and O2; m) conveying dehydrated atmosphere output from the first WAVAR to the first TSA for separation and pressurization of CO2, based on cycles of adsorption-desorption at variable temperatures on zeolitic materials, simultaneously producing a second gas stream comprising N2 and Ar; n) conveying the separated and pressurized CO2 to the first electrolyzer for the production of O2 and a gas stream consisting of a mixture of CO and CO2 to be stored and used as a propellant for extravehicular activity; o) conveying the second gas stream separated from the first TSA together with H2 produced by electrolysis of water, into a first reactor that allows for production, by electrosynthesis, of gaseous ammonia (NH3), simultaneously producing a stream of Ar which is inert during the reactive process leading to the production of NH3; p) splitting the stream of produced NH3 into two streams (⊖1 and ⊖2); q) conveying the stream of Ar coming from the electrosynthesis step (o), together with the stream ⊖1 of NH3 (p), with the oxygen, produced as per step (l), with the stream of water π2 produced as per step (k), to a unit for the production of nitric acid (HNO3) and an exhaust gas comprising Ar, which operates on the basis of an Ostwald process; r) splitting the stream of the produced HNO3 into two streams (ρ1 and ρ2); s) further splitting the stream π2 of NH3 produced as per step (p) into two streams π2′ and π2″) t) conveying the stream π2′ to a second storage tank from which the NH3 is drawn to be used as a propellant for extravehicular activity or as a fertilizer in hydroponics; u) conveying the stream ρ1 of HNO3 together with the stream π2″ of NH3, produced as per step (s) in a second reactor for absorption and neutralization, which allows the production of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) to be used as the nitrogen-based fertilizer; and said biological section comprising the steps of:
a′) assembling on the Martian surface at least one biological geodesic dome to house a third set of plant units operating in an interior of the at least one biological geodesic dome;b′) assembling a second set of photovoltaic panels outside of the at least one biological geodesic dome to produce energy needed for heating inside the at least one biological geodesic dome and for a second powering plant of said third set of plant units;c′) assembling a second variable-temperature adsorption unit (Temperature Swing Absorber or TSA) and a second solid-state dehumidifier (Water Vapor Adsorption Reactor or WAVAR) outside of the at least one biological geodesic dome;d′) blowing pressurized Martian CO2 into said at least one biological geodesic dome, through the second TSA, until an internal pressure not less than 0.8 bar is achieved;e′) heating the interior of said at least one biological geodesic dome until a temperature not less than 10° C. is achieved, through heating systems powered by said second set of photovoltaic panels;f′) excavating and conveying the Martian regolith to a second microwave system operating in the interior of the at least one biological geodesic dome, for extraction of adsorbed water and minerals by microwaves;g′)mixing the water produced with suitable amounts of the nitric acid produced in said chemical-physical section;h′) splitting the dehydrated Martian regolith produced as per step (f′) into two distinct solid streams (τ1 ′ and τ2′);i′) conveying the water mixed with nitric acid produced in step (g′) together with the solid stream τ1′ of Martian regolith in a leaching reactor for the transfer of micro- and macronutrients from a solid phase to a liquid phase;j′) conveying a mixture of solid and liquid (slurry) coming from the leaching reactor to a filtration system for the separation of the solid (leached regolith) from the liquid enriched in micro- and macronutrients (culture broth);k′) conveying the Martian atmosphere to the second TSA of separation and pressurization of CO2, based on cycles of adsorption-desorption at variable temperatures on zeolitic materials, simultaneously producing a second gas stream comprising N2 and Ar;l′) storing said second gas stream of N2 and Ar, produced as per step (k′), in suitable containers from which it can be drawn to be used as a buffer gas in an analytical apparatus used during sampling steps to be carried out for scientific purposes during a mission;m′) preparing an inoculum of suitable algal strains brought from Earth;n′) conveying the culture broth produced as per step (j′), together with the pressurized stream of CO2, produced as per step (k′), together with HNO3, produced in said chemical-physical section, and the inoculum produced as per step (m′), in at least one photobioreactor to be used to promote algal growth;o′) performing the CO2 absorption in the liquid phase through systems based on hydropneumatic pumps (airlift) that allow proper mixing of components conveyed in the photobioreactor, and adequate circulation of the mixture of algae and culture medium (biological slurry);p′) exposing the at least one photobioreactor to a light source capable of promoting photosynthesis, thus resulting in the formation of a new photosynthetic algae biomass and oxygen;q′) separating the algal biomass from the culture broth by centrifugation and oxygen by degassing;r′) storing oxygen to be conveyed to ECLSS sections (Environmental Control and Life Support System) in a sealed and pressurized tank, and further dehydrating algal biomass in order to use it as food or a dietary supplement;s′) transferring the culture broth spent in step (q′), together with ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) produced in the chemical-physical section, the leached regolith, produced as per step (j′), with appropriate amounts of humic and fulvic acids brought from Earth, and human metabolic wastes, into domes where plantations for food are grown. |
