Pulsed powered plasma blasting for lunar materials processing

Best, S.; Baltazar-Lopez, M.; Brandhorst, H.; Heffernan, M.; Rose, F.; 231 Leach Center, Auburn Univ., Auburn, AL Plasma Science, 2008. ICOPS 2008. IEEE 35th International Conference on Issue Date: 15-19 June 2008 On page(s): 1 - 1 Location: Karlsruhe ISSN: 0730-9244 E-ISBN: 978-1-4244-1930-2 Print ISBN: 978-1-4244-1929-6 INSPEC Accession Number: 10154142 Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/PLASMA.2008.4591195 Date of Current Version: 08 August 2008

The lunar resource utilization and processing of lunar materials, particularly surface rock drilling and excavation, will sometimes require high peak, low average power. One of the complications, specifically for excavation on the moons surface, is that it would be prohibitive to carry large quantities of chemical explosives to the lunar surface. An attractive alternative method of surface blasting could incorporate the use of pulsed powered plasma blasting. Such a technique also allows easily adjusted explosive yield control for additional safety. The electrical power management design of particularly the high peak power transient loads will need to incorporate additional electrical storage devices such as capacitors. A Bernardes-Merryman (BM) capacitor bank topology was used to protect and drive our pulsed power system. As a result of using this BM scheme, neither capacitor bank is ever subjected to a negative polarity voltage swing eliminating the need for crowbar circuitry. This paper will discuss the design, construction, and performance of a prototype plasma blasting power system and blasting probes. In this system, a capacitor is charged over a long period of time at low current (power), then discharged in a very short pulse at very high current to break blocks of concrete or large rocks. Scalable prototypes of the plasma blasting probes for electrically powered pulsed plasma rock blasting were also designed and constructed. The blasting system is able to provide pressures well above the tensile strengths comparable to those of common rocks, i.e. granite (10-20 MPa), tuff (1-4 MPa) and concrete (7 MPa). The system was successfully tested by reducing concrete specimens into small rubble with blasting probe delivered net energy levels starting at 9 kJ and greater. Tests on concrete and granite rock test samples are reported.