TEAM MARS-E | ETRAM

ETRAM is a waste management infrastructure for a mission of a crew of 7 astronauts located on the Jezero crater on Mars. It develop to manage 12,600 kg of waste, which are composed by 7 different general materials: Polyethylene, Aluminum, Zotek F30, Nitrile, Cotton/Celullose, Polyester, Nylon and Carbon Fibers.

There are 3 modules that help to separate and desintegrate the waste to turn the components at end of life into their primary form to create feedstocks as filament and cotton.

MODULE A

There are 2 heated ceramic rollers at the entry of the Module A, those are for pushing and melting all the polyethylene bags as air cushions, bubble wrap filler, reclosable bags and rehydratable pouch.

A thin film of all of that polyethylenes comes out of the rolling process and start rolling in another roller. The crew can easily take out that roller and use the film at whatever they need.

It also includes a emergency stop for any issue with the electrical system. We use a 72V 1500W DC motor to supply the crusher.

We used potentiometers to simulate the raise and decraise of the temperature of the thermistors ntc, when the temperature reaches 90°C the green light turns on.

(The LCD Display was used just for representation)

MODULE B

In the Module B are 2 crushers, one for the hard materials like Aluminum and Zotek F30 and the other is for soft materials like Polyethylene and Nitrile.

When the materials are crushed into dust, they mix in the black funnel that has a turbine inside to mix two or more dusts. When they are mixed, the same turbine pushes the mixture trough a heated metal noozle creating a filament for the 3d printer.

The 3d printer also has already uploaded tools and fun things (for birthdays) designs in it just waiting for the waste to be recycled!

It also includes an emergency stop for any issue with the electrical system. We use two 72V 1500W DC motors to supply the crushers and the mixing turbine. One 12V DC motor to spool the filament.

All turns on with an individual start button.

MODULE C

To recycle clothes, we first washed them with water to remove leftover dust and other remains.

When the clothes are cleaned, a member of the crew can pull up a cable to raise the bottom of the washer and let the clothes drop down to the crusher.

Finally we obtain and storage the cotton in the container.

It also includes a emergency stop for any issue with the electrical system. We use two 72V 1500W DC motors to supply the crusher and the washer.

This is our filter to clean all the gases that can came out of the polyethylene, nitrile and Zotek melting processes.

It has 7 filters in it:

Coarse
HEPA/H13
Rubber alcalino
Packed hed
Cama granular
HEPA/Carbon
Ventilation and monitorized with PID to detect HF & HCL

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MARS-E