An Overview of Challenges in Modeling Heat and Mass Transfer for Living on Mars

Abstract

Engineering a life-support system for living on Mars requires the modeling of heat and mass transfer. This report describes the analysis of heat and mass transfer phenomena in a greenhouse dome, which is being designed as a pressurized life-support system for agricultural production on Mars. In this Martian greenhouse, solar energy will be converted into chemical energy in plant biomass. Agricultural products will be harvested for food and plant cultivation, and waste materials will be processed in a composting microbial ecosystem. Transpired water from plants will be condensed and recycled. In our thermal design and analysis for the Martian greenhouse, we addressed the question of whether temperature and pressure would be maintained in the appropriate range for humans as well as plants. Energy flow and material circulation should be controlled to provide an artificial ecological system on Mars. In our analysis, we assumed that the greenhouse would be maintained at a subatmospheric pressure under 1/3-G gravitational force with 1/2 solar light intensity on Earth. Convection of atmospheric gases will be induced inside the greenhouse, primarily by heating from sunlight. Microclimate (thermal and gas species structure) could be generated locally around plant bodies, which would affect gas transport. Potential effects of those environmental factors are discussed on the phenomena including plant growth and plant physiology and focusing on transport processes. Fire safety is a crucial issue and we evaluate its impact on the total gas pressure in the greenhouse dome.

Growth of terrestrial cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp., on Martian Regolith Simulant and its vacuum tolerance

“…In Japan, the "Space Agriculture Task Force" consisting of 130 domestic and foreign researchers has a plan that habitation of 100 people can be accomplished on Mars for more than 20 years. They are doing significant research such as material circulation or food security (Yamashita et al, 2006(Yamashita et al, , 2007.…”

Effects of Gravity on Transpiration of Plant Leaves

“…In space, gravity affects the movement of heat and gases between plant surfaces and their environment because of the absence of buoyancy‐dependent convective transport, and limited ventilation in plant growth facilities will cause poor development of plants and poor yields 4 . Yamashita et al 5 also discussed heat and mass transfer in a Martian greenhouse dome under subatmospheric pressure and sub–G gravitational environment. In space farming, using closed plant growth facilities is anticipated 5 .…”

Cyanobacteria for Space Agriculture on Mars

“…They are doing significant research such as material circulation or food security (Yamashita et al, 2006;Yamashita et al, 2007). The environment on Mars is a harsh environment for terrestrial life in terms of low temperature and low pressure.…”