With Dr Vassilis Inglezakis (PhD, Chemical Engineer, Reader in Chemical Engineering, and Director of Research at the University of Strathclyde, the U.K.), we discuss the case of Lunar and Martian camps for the planets also deep space exploration:
- the available hydrogen production systems (fuel cells' water electrolysis),
- carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen capture technologies for energy, fuels and fertiliser production,
- the best purposing of zeolites with hydroponics on Mars, based on our chemical engineering knowledge of zeolites as materials, the design and use as catalysts (in petroleum engineering, responsible for 40% of crude oil products in the world), adsorbers for purification and separation of products, ion exchange materials in detergents and water purification.
The chemical engineering perspective is about building technologies, systems and their materials purposed for synthesis- resynthesis, securing resources and serving a circular supply chain in the production cycle (its risk analysis and management), the best operation of such systems and the specific requirements of the building materials of these systems under the space and Lunar-Mars conditions, the sustainability of the resources for those technologies purposes and competing purposing and repurposing.
Vassilis has also been my guest in the 2020 episode "Leadership in Technology: Science or Politics?" and the special episode in 2021, "The power of Negotiations".
Music: "Fortitude" by Humans Win
Source: Storyblocks