Speaker
Description
The growing interest in lunar exploration necessitates new strategies for sustainable resource management, including the recycling of end-of-life (EOL) equipment. Recycling and reuse of such equipment will minimise long-term environmental impact and dependency on Earth- supplied resources. The effectiveness of the recycling process depends on the inherent complexity of the material and this process can be broadly classified into physical, thermal, and chemical processes. The initial step in the recycling process involves the breakdown of equipment to be recycled, and this can be accomplished physically using shredding or thermal methods. Here, this study takes a first look at possible recycling strategies, with a particular focus on the shredding step. However, stochastic nature of the shredding process introduces several challenges in optimisation, including inconsistent particle size distribution, higher energy consumption, and irregular equipment wear and tear. These issues result in fluctuations in material throughput and affect the further separation process efficiency. Therefore, this study investigates shredding process parameters of cutting and centrifugal mills using two different feedstocks: aluminium and space category cables, which are commonly used materials in space missions.
Moreover, based on the experiments and empirical model, this study highlights the challenges and guidelines to design the shredding process according to the unique lunar conditions, such as low gravity, extreme temperatures, and vacuum. Ultimately, this comprehensive analysis will be useful to the development of a robust shredding process essential for long-term lunar missions, ensuring sustainable and supporting the definition of the lunar circular economy.
Keywords: Circular Economy, End of Life management, In Situ Resource Utilization, Lunar Circular Economy, Recycling, Sustainability
