Evaluation of tribocharged electrostatic beneficiation of lunar simulant in lunar gravity
Open accessAbstract
Tribocharged electrostatic beneficiation of a lunar simulant and actual Apollo regolith has been shown to be successful under a high lunar vacuum in which various degrees of efficient particle separation and mineral enrichment of up to a few hundred percent were achieved. In this paper, electrostatic beneficiation of a lunar simulant at 1/6g, as run on reduced gravity flights (RGFs), is reported. Enrichment of the target mineral ilmenite was achieved as high as 65 and 106% in the two RGF flights undertaken, showing that tribocharged electrostatic beneficiation is a viable process in the lunar environment. It was also shown that the efficiency of the separation was a factor in the orientation of the apparatus in the aircraft because the force of gravity was not perpendicular to the plane of the apparatus during the flight parabolas.
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In available literature, electrostatic separation is primarily investigated for enriching ilmenite from lunar regolith.
“In the available literature, electrostatic separation is primarily investigated for enriching ilmenite from Lunar regolith [64,71,73-78].”
From A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction (2024) · cites this paper as [76]
The Introduction describes electrostatic beneficiation of lunar simulants with the goal of enriching ilmenite, and the Conclusions report that the method enriched ilmenite. This supports the paper as an example of such research, but it does not establish that ilmenite enrichment is the primary focus of the available literature. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThree methods have been utilized for beneficiating lunar regolith through electrostatic forces: conductive induction via slide separators, tribocharging with parallel plate separators, and electrostatic traveling wave technique.
“Besides, in the literature, three methods have been utilized for beneficiating Lunar regolith through the use of electrostatic forces: conductive induction via slide separators [71,73,74,79], tribocharging with parallel plate separators [70,75-78], and the electrostatic traveling wave technique [72,80-82].”
From A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction (2024) · cites this paper as [76]
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The use of tribocharging in the electrostatic beneficiation of lunar simulant
Trigwell, S., Captain, J. G., Arens, E. E., Quinn, J. W., & Calle, C. I. (2009) · IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications · doi:10.1109/tia.2009.2018976 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
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Quantification of Efficiency of Beneficiation of Lunar Regolith
Trigwell, S., Lane, J. E., Captain, J. G., Weis, K., Quinn, J. W., & Watanabe, F. (2013) · Particulate Science And Technology · doi:10.1080/02726351.2011.641071 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Self-citationLunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD) Test Results
Muscatello, A. C., Captain, J., Quinn, J., Gibson, T. L., Perusich, S. A., & Weis, K. (2009) · AIAA SPACE Conference & Exposition · doi:10.2514/6.2009-6474 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 9
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Cited by
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The beneficiation of lunar regolith for space resource utilisation: A review
Rasera, J. N., Cilliers, J. J., Lamamy, J. A., & Hadler, K. (2020) · Planetary and Space Science · doi:10.1016/j.pss.2020.104879 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
A comprehensive review of lunar-based manufacturing and construction
Azami, M., Kazemi, Z., Moazen, S., Dubé, M., Potvin, M.-J., & Skonieczny, K. (2024) · Progress in Aerospace Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.paerosci.2024.101045 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Electrostatic beneficiation of lunar regolith: Applications in in situ resource utilization
Trigwell, S., Captain, J., Weis, K., & Quinn, J. (2013) · Journal of Aerospace Engineering · doi:10.1061/(asce)as.1943-5525.0000226 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Quinn, J. W., Captain, J. G., Weis, K., Santiago-Maldonado, E., & Trigwell, S.
- Affiliations
- Kennedy Space Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Trigwell, Steve
- Venue
- Journal of Aerospace Engineering
- Published
- 2013-01
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 37-42
- ISSN
- 0893-1321 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-5525
- OpenAlex
- W2022999328
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 2.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Locations
- Journal of Aerospace Engineering (publishedVersion)
- NASA STI Repository (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Space Exploration and Technology
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Mineral Processing and Grinding
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Minerals Flotation and Separation Techniques
- Keywords
- triboelectric charging, lunar regolith simulant, lunar gravity, particle separation, lunar resource utilization
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