a few more processes to think about.
There are several well understood chemical reactions that we can use to produce oxygen, methane, water, and perhaps other materials.
2CO2 --> 2CO + O2
zirconia electrolysis
Oxygen can be produced by passing CO2 through a zirconia electrolysis cell at 800 to 1000deg C.
CO2 + 4H2 --> CH4 + 2H20
Sabatier Reaction
CO2 + 2H2 --> CH4 + O2
Net Reaction
ethylene were produced from hydrogen and a carbon source, polyethylene can be made using technology available today. This material, or other carbon-based polymers, can then be extruded or molded to form habitats, furniture, pipes, and a variety of useful items
Using water to convert carbon dioxide to methane also yields carbon monoxide, a reducing agent that reacts with rust to produce carbon dioxide and free iron.A chemical reactor could process Mars' air and soil into rocket propellant and into rectenna parts. The iron would be rolled up as strips to make dipoles and wire to form a mesh reflector behind the dipoles. the waste, or slag, would formed into insulator strips going between the dipoles.
http://spacescience.spaceref.com/newhome/headlines/mars/refine.jpganother possibility is a co2 pump in the greenhouse to increase co2 conc for plant growth.
be kinda cool and realistic to have a processing hab.
industry hab...
* CO2 (carbon dioxide) and N2 (nitrogen) from the atmosphere of Mars
* H2O (water), NaCl (salt), and hydrated CaSO4 (gypsum), silica, alumina, magnesia from the regolith of Mars
* CO (carbon monoxide), CH4 (methane) from the making* of methane fuel
* H2 (hydrogen) and O2 (oxygen) from the electrolysis* of water to obtain oxygen
* polyethylene for piping and a variety of general storage containers. A pellet extruder and die system will be used to produce piping and joints, blown bottles, and other structural shapes from extruded sheet and assembled by thermal welding.
* polyester to provide a matrix for glass fiber reinforced composites used for habitat module construction. Glass reinforced polyester matrix composites will be used where structural strength is critical such as in the habitat pressure vessels. The cylindrical pressure vessel structures will be fabricated in a wet filament winding machine and the polyester matrix will be cross-link cured at room temperature.
* epoxy for use as a structural adhesive for metal, glass, and composite joints.
The route to polymer precursor formulation uses syntheses that do not rely on a petroleum precursor, the basis for much of today’s chemical industry.
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/Teobaldo-38925-Mars-Homestead-Polymers-Polymer-Synthesis-Manufacturing-SystemsFrank-Crossman-Robert-marshomestead-p-Entertainment-ppt-powerpoint/was thing along the line of post mining hab and the minerla ore we have collected...process into component to be used in production of materials and not just raw materials.
therefore another hab unit to be utilised down stream from the mining / processing hab but knowing hyper already in...
Missions.
1) mission map a route to the poles to collect ice water. could set up remote automatic trains.
2) mine enought mineral to get credits to purchase equipment i.e nuclear power unit and processing hab
3) establish a chemical processing and polymer manufacturing plant to provide materials for construction of habs etc on mars ( credits )
Formation of a Mars based Company : staff wanted for hazardous operations on mars
Mars Mineral is the leader in agitation agglomeration - the conversion of fine powders and dusts into spherical pellets. We've provided equipment, services and single-source systems for the steel, foundry, chemical, mining, cement, lime and fertilizer industries, and consumer products manufacturers.
equipment:
Ampel Horizontal Pelletizer
The Mars Mineral Ampel Horizontal Pelletizer is a rapid-agitation device used to mix, condition and pelletize dust, fine powders and other materials. This equipment produces either a conditioned, wetted product or a granular, free-flowing
pellitised minerals etc could be sold on the market for credits, this utilises the current trading system but incorporates the raw materials being further processed