Researchers Develop Groundbreaking Liquid Nitrogen Spray

Cryoclastic movement brought on by liquid nitrogen poured on lunar mud simulant. Credit score: WSU

Researchers at Washington State University have developed a liquid nitrogen spray that may successfully eradicate nearly the entire simulated moon mud from an area go well with, doubtlessly fixing a major problem for astronauts on future moon missions.

In accordance with the researchers’ report within the journal Acta Astronautica, the sprayer was in a position to eradicate over 98% of the moon mud simulant in a vacuum surroundings with little to no hurt to the spacesuits, outperforming any beforehand studied methods.

Whereas individuals have managed to place males on the moon, they haven’t discovered find out how to preserve them clear there. Just like the clingiest packaging peanuts, moon mud sticks to all the pieces that it touches. Worse than the packing peanuts, the mud consists of very wonderful particles which can be the consistency of floor fiberglass.

“Moon mud is electrostatically charged, abrasive and will get all over the place, making it a really troublesome substance to cope with,” mentioned Ian Wells, first creator on the paper and a senior in WSU’s College of Mechanical and Supplies Engineering. “You find yourself with a wonderful layer of mud at the least simply overlaying all the pieces.”

1/6-scale astronaut after mud software (left); after mud software and remedy in a vacuum (heart); after mud software, remedy in a vacuum, and spot remedy with a handheld liquid cryogen spray (proper). Credit score: WSU

In the course of the six crewed Apollo missions to the moon within the Sixties and early Seventies, astronauts used a brush to attempt to take away the mud from their spacesuits, nevertheless it didn’t work very properly. The abrasive and tiny mud particles can get into engines and electronics. In addition they bought into the spacesuits, destroying their seals and making a few of the costly fits unusable. Astronauts additionally suffered from “lunar hay fever,” and researchers assume {that a} longer publicity to the mud might trigger lung harm much like that of Black Lung Illness.

“It posed lots of issues that affected the missions in addition to the astronauts as soon as they returned dwelling,” mentioned Wells.

The NASA Artemis mission aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon in 2025 with the hope of eventually setting up a base camp there for further planetary exploration, so they are interested in finding a solution to the moon dust problem.

In their work, the research team demonstrated their technology that uses the Leidenfrost Effect to clean the space suits. The effect can be seen when one pours cold water on a hot frying pan, where it beads up and moves across the pan. Spray the very cold liquid nitrogen at a warmer dust-covered material, and the dust particles bead up and float away on the nitrogen vapor.

The team tested their cleaning method under normal atmospheric conditions and in a vacuum that is more similar to outer space with the sprayer performing better in the vacuum atmosphere.

The liquid nitrogen spray was also much gentler on spacesuit materials than other cleaning methods. While a brush caused damage to the spacesuit material after just one brushing, the liquid nitrogen spray took 75 cycles before damage occurred.

A liquid nitrogen spray developed by Washington State College researchers can take away nearly all of simulated moon mud from an area go well with, doubtlessly fixing what’s a major problem for future moon-landing astronauts. The sprayer eliminated greater than 98% of moon mud simulant in a vacuum surroundings with minimal harm to spacesuits, performing higher than any methods which were investigated beforehand. Credit score: WSU

Supported by a NASA grant, the researchers’ revolutionary cleansing concept took a high prize final 12 months on the company’s Breakthrough, Modern and Sport-changing (BIG) Thought Problem. Along with Wells, undergraduate researchers on the paper included John Bussey and Nathaniel Swets. Jacob Leachman, affiliate professor within the College of Mechanical and Supplies Engineering, led the venture.

The researchers at the moment are working to totally perceive and mannequin the complicated interactions between the mud particles and liquid nitrogen that permits the cleansing course of to work. They’re additionally making use of for one more grant to additional take a look at the expertise in situations that extra carefully approximate outer area, reminiscent of in lunar gravity.

Reference: “Lunar mud elimination and materials degradation from liquid nitrogen sprays” by I. Wells, J. Bussey, N. Swets and J. Leachman, 10 February 2023, Acta Astronautica.
DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.02.016