i Table of Contents Cover Page ...................................................................................................................................... i List of Tables and Figures .............................................................................................................. vi List of Units and Nomenclature .................................................................................................. viii Units ........................................................................................................................................ viii Nomenclature ........................................................................................................................... ix 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 2. Project Background ................................................................................................................ 2 3. Technical Review .................................................................................................................... 5 3.1. Distribution ......................................................................................................................... 5 3.1.1. Moon conditions .......................................................................................................... 5 3.1.2. Terrestrial Power Distribution ................................................................................... 10 3.1.3. DC Transmission ......................................................................................................... 10 3.1.4. Wireless Power Transmission .................................................................................... 10 3.1.5. Conductors ................................................................................................................. 11 3.1.6. Insulators.................................................................................................................... 12 3.1.7. System Hierarchy ....................................................................................................... 12 3.1.8. Other areas of research ............................................................................................. 13 3.2. Generation ........................................................................................................................ 13 3.2.1. Generation Background ............................................................................................. 13 3.2.2. Helium-3 ..................................................................................................................... 14 3.2.3. Solar Power Generation ............................................................................................. 14 3.2.4. Concentrated Solar Power ......................................................................................... 14 3.2.5. Passive Solar Energy ................................................................................................... 14 3.2.6. Photovoltaic Cells ....................................................................................................... 15 3.2.7. Solar Tracking ............................................................................................................. 15 3.2.8. Illumination Conditions at the Lunar South Pole ....................................................... 16 3.2.9. Single Axis Solar Tracker ............................................................................................ 18 3.2.10. Dual Axis Solar Tracker ............................................................................................. 18 3.3. Harvesting ......................................................................................................................... 18 3.3.1. Background ................................................................................................................ 18 3.3.2. Literature Research .................................................................................................... 20 3.4. Storage .............................................................................................................................. 21 ii 3.4.1. Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 21 3.4.2. Pumped Hydro ........................................................................................................... 22 3.4.3. Compressed Air Energy Storage ................................................................................. 24 3.4.4. Flywheel ..................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.5. Supercapacitors.......................................................................................................... 25 3.4.6. Batteries ..................................................................................................................... 25 3.4.7. Fuel Cells .................................................................................................................... 27 4. Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 29 4.1. Distribution ....................................................................................................................... 29 4.2. Generation ........................................................................................................................ 31 4.2.1. Technical aims: ........................................................................................................... 31 4.2.2. Concept 1: Stationary Solar Tracker........................................................................... 31 4.2.3. Concept 1: Construction ............................................................................................ 31 4.2.4. Concept 2: Single Axis Solar Tracker .......................................................................... 33 4.2.5. Concept 2: Construction ............................................................................................ 34 4.2.6. Concept 2: Mechanism of Movement ....................................................................... 34 4.2.7. Concept 2: Tracking Mechanism ................................................................................ 35 4.2.8. Concept 3: Dual Axis Solar Tracking Farm .................................................................. 36 4.2.9. Concept 3: Construction ............................................................................................ 36 4.2.10. Concept 3: Mechanism of Movement ..................................................................... 37 4.2.11. Concept 3: Tacking Mechanism ............................................................................... 38 4.3. Harvesting ......................................................................................................................... 39 4.3.1 Arch-Shaped Generator .............................................................................................. 40 4.3.2. Cantilever Generator ................................................................................................. 46 4.4. Storage .............................................................................................................................. 48 4.4.1. Concept Generation ................................................................................................... 48 4.4.2. Construction ............................................................................................................... 49 5. Results .................................................................................................................................. 53 5.1. Distribution ....................................................................................................................... 53 5.2. Generation ........................................................................................................................ 54 5.2.1. Concept 1 ................................................................................................................... 54 5.2.2. Concept 2 ................................................................................................................... 55 5.2.3. Lunar Solar Generation Estimate ............................................................................... 56 iii 5.2.4. Concept 3 ................................................................................................................... 59 5.3. Harvesting ......................................................................................................................... 60 5.3.1. Arch-Shaped Generator ............................................................................................. 60 5.3.2. Cantilever Generator ................................................................................................. 63 5.4. Storage .............................................................................................................................. 65 6. Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 66 6.1. Distribution ....................................................................................................................... 66 6.1.1.