Isotopic Separation of ?He/⁴He From Solar Wind Gases Evolved from the Lunar Regolith

by William R. Wilkes, EG&G Mound Applied Technologies, Miamisburg, United States,
Layton J. Wittenberg, EG&G Mound Applied Technologies, Miamisburg, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space III

Abstract:

The potential benefits of ³He when utilized in a nuclear fusion reactor to provide clean, safe electricity in the 21st century for the world's inhabitants has been documented. Unfortunately, ³He is scarce on earth. Large quantities of ³He, perhaps a million tonnes, are embedded in the lunar regolith, presumably implanted by the solar wind together with other gases, notably H₂ and ⁴He with minor amounts of CO₂ and N₂¹. Several studies have suggested processing the lunar regolith and recovering the valuable solar wind gases. Once released, these gases will be separated for use. The separation of helium isotopes is described in this paper. ³He exists in the lunar derived ⁴He at a concentration of 400 at.ppm, too dilute to separate economically by distillation alone. A 'superfluid' separator is being considered to preconcentrate the ³He. The superfluid separator consists of a porous filter in a tube maintained at a temperature of 2.17 K or less. Although the ⁴He, which is superfluid below 2.17 K, flows readily through the filter, the ³He is blocked by the filter, and becomes enriched at the feed end. ³He can be enriched to about 10% in such a system.

Subject Headings: Lunar materials | Dissolved gases | Wind engineering | Regolith | Filters | Moon | Construction materials

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