Biological Fuel Manufacture In Space

Mark Smith

Algae in Early Earth Paved the Way For Human Habitation.

MIT Persuades Algae to Make Hydrogen FuelChlamydomonas Reinhardtii

3rd Generation Algae Biofuel Companies

Sapphire Energy

Genetically Engineered Cyanobacterium: Genetically engineered a

cyanobacterium that can convert CO2 directly to liquid hydrocarbons (diesel fuel, jet fuel, and gasoline) requiring no biomass intermediates, processing, cracking or refining.

Run a continuous circulating medium comprised of brackish water and micronutrients through the algae.

Joule Unlimited

Improvement on Chlamydomanas Reinhardtii:

Successfully produced 91-octane Gasoline from algae that fully conforms to ASTM certification standards.

In 2009 participated in a test flight using algae-based fuel in a Boeing-737-800 twin-engine aircraft

Key ConceptCreate a renewable source of fuel in space to avoid the transport

cost

Uses: Space Tug

Continual material transportation between LEO and Moon using STP

Provide intermediary refueling station to more distant destinations

Refuel Satellites

Algae used to: Produce H2 fuel source Produce Liquid Hydrocarbons

Nourishing food source Breathable air- used as

scrubbers

My Proposal: Algae Refueling Station

Refueling your Refueling Station in Space

The Cold Hard Facts:1st gas pump in space set for 2015. That’s GREAT!

But what happens when THEY run out of fuel?Objectives: Renewable source of fuel using algae Avoids excessive costs involved in launching fuel

Algae Hydrocarbon Production:• 3785.4 gallons of liquid hydrocarbons/(m2 of land*year)

Algae Hydrogen Production: 33 grams of algae produce 264.2 gallons of H2

Requirements: Sunlight… No problem! Water… Use hydroponics to replenish water supply. C02…

A single human exhales .9 kg of C02 per day Algae absorbs 1.6 kg/(day*Liter of algae) C02 from 2 people can accommodate 1 Liter of algae We need more C02! I propose to use decaying vegetables from the hydroponics garden to

supply C02

Bottom Line:For a 50 m2 algae tank we will be able to get 189,270 gallons of liquid hydrocarbons per year. Fuel that could be used without modification to existing engines.

Graphene Oxide: Framework For Tank Surface Packs in

Hydrogen, C02

GOFs Strong Storage Ability

Roughly 1% weight in hydrogen

Optimum H2 storage capability

at cold temperatures (77 kelvin)

Inexpensive material Light weight Optimal Mechanical Properties

Tougher than a diamond Stretches like rubber Graphene thin as cling film

is Able to support an elephant Ideal for space application

Optimum H2 storage capacity at

Cold temperatures (77 Kelvin)

Combining graphene with special metallic nanostructures could lead to better solar cells and optical communications systems

Applications: Transport From LEO to the MoonWhat’s the Rush?

Space Tug Inspiration: JPL’s SEP Space Tug Study- 1986 LEO to Lunar transport Flight time = 1 year New set of engines required for each

flight. Payload fraction = 60%

Space Tug Concept Revamped: STP Monopropellant & light-weight graphene

tank Algae in a separate tank continually

supplying propellant Objectives Lower cost & More flexible transportation 5000 kg delivered to the moon from LEO

every 100 days SART engines Continuous ISP=750sec. Thrust=10N

Power to the ISS

Highlighted: Location of ECLSS life support

equipment

Electrolysis: Produces most of the station's oxygen

Utilizes electricity from the ISS solar panels to split water into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas

Drawback: Requires energy input

Viability Foton Satellite Orbiting Earth. Housed Algae Experiment in 2005/2007

BIOKIS: Photo-Evolution Hardware used to Test the space tolerance of Chalmydomonas Reinhardtii

ISS housed BIOKIS hardware in 2011

Synthetic Genomics-Craig Venter

“……it’s pretty obvious that there’s nothing in the natural world to make the levels that are needed.”…… Synthetic fuel producing algae coming ?

The Future of Space Travel Looks...SLIMY