RASSOR Convergence Collector

grabcad

Material: Aluminum sheet, Tungsten carbide cutters Total Mass: Approximately 4.7 kilograms (excluding fasteners) Total drum volume: More than 44 liters Minimum volume regolith captured: More than 28 liters (one scoop cavity empty, material angle of repose = 0 degrees) Intended volume of regolith captured: 28 to 35 liters Minimum fill ratio: Greater than 63% Maximum particle size: 50mm diameter Scoop depth: 25mm Estimated filling time: Approximately 2 minutes (30 liters) The collector consists of three sections, with a central drum situated between two scoop sections. Rotation of the collector diverts regolith (via deflectors) in front of or under the drum towards the scoops located at the ends, where it is scooped up. Once inside the vessel, regolith is diverted internally towards the center of the drum (via internal deflector plates). During transportation, the bulk of the regolith is kept inside the drum by two main baffles and the internal deflector plates. When the direction of rotation is reversed, regolith is diverted outwards via the deflector plates and scoops. The design utilizes aluminum sheet, bent and fastened with rivets and/or machine screws. Drive rods are included to increase stiffness. Drive rod/hub dimensions must be adjusted to fit existing RASSOR drive flange. Notes: Other materials should also be considered, as well as an anti-abrasive coating. An additional baffle can be placed in each scoop cavity to minimize losses. Deflector angles (now at 30 degrees) can be adjusted to complement regolith properties, i.e., internal friction angle/angle of repose. Special care was taken to avoid elongated channels, as clogging of the collector while unassisted on the moon would be catastrophic. Capturing ability could theoretically be improved by using parallel spirals seen in many other designs; however, this approach is unrealistic for mining applications.