Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

2023

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Todd Letcher

Keywords

computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Mars, optimization, Rodwell

Abstract

For decades, NASA has been surveying the surface of Mars with plans for human exploration. Due to recent advancements, there is strong evidence to believe that frozen aquifers beneath the Martian surface hold great amounts of usable H2O. Since the discovery of water on Mars, NASA has expressed key interest in harvesting this valuable resource. The presence of usable H2O on Mars could reduce the launching mass of future missions by giving astronauts the capability to harvest water once they have landed on Mars. This research focuses on the optimization of a current design to extract Martian water and the accurate prediction of water extraction to allow scientists to better plan for future human exploration missions on the planet.

This investigation focuses on predicting and optimizing the performance of a small-scale Rodriquez Well, or Rodwell, currently used at numerous arctic locations to reliably produce water for the inhabitants of several research stations. NASA has expressed interest in the use of the Rodwell on Mars due to its simplicity and shown effectiveness in harsh conditions. Simulations using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) program Star CCM+ were correlated with physical results, followed by optimization of the Rodwell performance. By changing the duration of flow entering the cavity, an optimized plan of operation was developed to produce maximum ice melt per unit of energy expended.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Ice.
Mars (Planet) -- Water.
Computational fluid dynamics.

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright