A Numerical Model for Plasma Reactor Design: Application to CO2 Conversion for Mars In-Situ Resource Utilization
Abstract
Plasma-assisted CO₂ conversion is a promising chemical synthesis technique for Mars In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Nonthermal plasmas leverage electron excitation chemistry to achieve kinetic activation and split the stable bonds of CO₂ at modest temperatures and pressures. By splitting CO₂ present in the Martian atmosphere, plasma reactors could create breathable oxygen and fuel for astronauts to explore the red planet. Many plasma sources have been explored for CO₂ conversion, and an understanding of the fundamental atomic processes in CO₂ plasmas has led to validated chemical kinetic mechanisms. However, there are limited parametric exploration studies that compare plasma chemical performance under varied operating conditions. Understanding the chemical processes’ coupled pressure, temperature, and reduced electric-field dependence will inform the system-level reactor design, including the pumps, heaters, and electronics required. These comparisons are necessary to go beyond fundamental plasma studies and engineer a competitive technological candidate for Martian ISRU. In this investigation, we use a 0-D chemical kinetic model to explore the performance of a nanosecond repetitively pulsed plasma reactor under different operating conditions and gain insights for future reactor design.
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Plasma conversion boasts low power consumption and adaptability to Martian temperature and pressure conditions, and is experiencing rapid development.
“As a result, plasma conversion, which boasts low power consumption and adaptability to Martian temperature and pressure conditions, is experiencing rapid development. 130-134”
From Energy system and resource utilization in space: A state-of-the-art review (2024) · cites this paper as [134]
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Energy system and resource utilization in space: A state-of-the-art review
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- Authors
- McKinney, L. G., Silva, T., Guerra, V., & Guerra-Garcia, C.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- University of Lisbon (PT)
- Venue
- AIAA SCITECH 2024 Forum
- Published
- 2024-01-04
- OpenAlex
- W4391328451
- Cited by
- 3
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 4.56
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- AIAA SciTech Forum (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Plasma Applications and Diagnostics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Plasma Diagnostics and Applications
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Vacuum and Plasma Arcs
- Keywords
- CO2 conversion, non-thermal plasma, plasma reactor design, chemical kinetic modeling, nanosecond pulsed plasma, oxygen production, fuel synthesis, Mars atmosphere, reduced electric field
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