Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Quinn, Jacqueline W.

Publications and source records attributed to Quinn, Jacqueline W..

At least 19 records

RESOLVE - Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction

The Regolith & Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) payload is an exploration system designed to be placed on a rover and driven over the surface of the moon for 9 days to map the distribution of the water ice and other useful compounds seen on previous missions. RESOLVE will drill into the lunar surface and heat the material collected in order to measure the amount of water vapor and other compounds that are present, thus showing how future missions could gather and then use these valuable resources. Future missions will benefit from this analysis tool and others because it will be more cost-effective to mine water components, fuel, and other compounds at the point of destination rather than transport them from Earth. NASA is packaging the RESOLVE payload in the Resource Prospector mission targeted for launch in 2020. NASA continues to explore mission solutions by leveraging partnerships across NASA, industry, other nations and academia.

RESOLVE↗

Treatment System for Removing Halogenated Compounds from Contaminated Sources

A treatment system and a method for removal of at least one halogenated compound, such as PCBs, found in contaminated systems are provided. The treatment system includes a polymer blanket for receiving at least one non-polar solvent. The halogenated compound permeates into or through a wall of the polymer blanket where it is solubilized with at least one non-polar solvent received by said polymer blanket forming a halogenated solvent mixture. This treatment system and method provides for the in situ removal of halogenated compounds from the contaminated system. In one embodiment, the halogenated solvent mixture is subjected to subsequent processes which destroy and/or degrade the halogenated compound.

Quinn, Jacqueline W.↗

RESOLVE: An International Mission to Search for Volatiles at the Lunar Poles

Numerous studies have shown that the use of space resources to manufacture propellant and consumables can significantly reduce the launch mass of space exploration beyond earth orbit. Even the Moon, which has no atmosphere, is ricb in resources that can theoretically be harvested. A series of lunar missions over the last 20 years has shown an unexpected resource on the Moon. There is evidence that water ice and other volatiles useful for the production of propellants are located at the lunar poles, though most of it is located within permanently shadowed craters where accessing these resources is challenging.

Larson, William E.↗

Mechanical alloying of a hydrogenation catalyst used for the remediation of contaminated compounds

A hydrogenation catalyst including a base material coated with a catalytic metal is made using mechanical milling techniques. The hydrogenation catalysts are used as an excellent catalyst for the dehalogenation of contaminated compounds and the remediation of other industrial compounds. Preferably, the hydrogenation catalyst is a bimetallic particle including zero-valent metal particles coated with a catalytic material. The mechanical milling technique is simpler and cheaper than previously used methods for producing hydrogenation catalysts.

Quinn, Jacqueline W.↗

Zero-Valent Metallic Treatment System and Its Application for Removal and Remediation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs)

PCBs are removed from contaminated media using a treatment system including zero-valent metal particles and an organic hydrogen donating solvent. The treatment system may include a weak acid in order to eliminate the need for a coating of catalytic noble metal on the zero-valent metal particles. If catalyzed zero-valent metal particles are used, the treatment system may include an organic hydrogen donating solvent that is a non-water solvent. The treatment system may be provided as a "paste-like" system that is preferably applied to natural media and ex-situ structures to eliminate PCBs.

Quinn, Jacqueline W.↗

Evaluation of Tribocharged Electrostatic Beneficiation of Lunar Simulant in Lunar Gravity

The lunar regolith has high concentrations of aluminum, silicon, calcium, iron, sodium, and titanium oxides. Liberation of these metals would provide necessary materials for structural and building material fabrication, spare part, machine and tool production, and construction and site preparation in-situ on the moon or other extraterrestrial body (Rao et al 1979). Ilmenite (FeTi03) is a mineral of interest on the moon as a source of iron, titanium, and oxygen (Cameron 1992, Zhao and Shadman 1993) and therefore enrichment of this mineral in the feedstock before processing would be a considerable advantage in reducing energy requirements to process regolith. Not only for construction materials, but shipping oxygen and water from earth is weight prohibitive, and so investigations into the potential production of oxygen from the oxides of lunar regolith are a major research initiative by NASA (Sibille et al. 2009, Moscatello et al. 2009). In this paper, the results of electrostatic beneficiation of two sets of lunar simulants on two different reduced gravity flight series are presented.

Quinn, Jacqueline W.↗

Mechanical alloying of a hydrogenation catalyst used for the remediation of contaminated compounds

A hydrogenation catalyst including a base material coated with a catalytic metal is made using mechanical milling techniques. The hydrogenation catalysts are used as an excellent catalyst for the dehalogenation of contaminated compounds and the remediation of other industrial compounds. Preferably, the hydrogenation catalyst is a bimetallic particle including zero-valent metal particles coated with a catalytic material. The mechanical milling technique is simpler and cheaper than previously used methods for producing hydrogenation catalysts.

Quinn, Jacqueline W.↗

Removal of PCB and other halogenated organic contaminants found in ex situ structures

Emulsified systems of a surfactant-stabilized, biodegradable water-in-solvent emulsion with bimetallic particles contained with the emulsion droplets are useful at removing PCBs from ex situ structures. The hydrophobic emulsion system draws PCBs through the solvent/surfactant membrane. Once inside the membrane, the PCBs diffuse into the bimetallic particles and undergo degradation. The PCBs continue to enter, diffuse, degrade, and biphenyl will exit the particle maintaining a concentration gradient across the membrane and maintaining a driving force of the reaction.

Quinn, Jacqueline W.↗

Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD) Test Results

NASA has undertaken the In-Situ Resource Utilization (lSRU) project called RESOLVE (Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction). This project is an Earth-based lunar precursor demonstration of a system that could be sent to explore permanently shadowed polar lunar craters, where it would drill into regolith, quantify the volatiles that are present, and extract oxygen by hydrogen reduction of iron oxides. The RESOLVE chemical processing system was mounted within the CMU rover "Scarab" and successfully demonstrated on Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano in November 2008. This technology could be used on Mars as well. As described at the 2008 Mars Society Convention, the Lunar Water Resource Demonstration (LWRD) supports the objectives of the RESOLVE project by capturing and quantifying water and hydrogen released by regolith upon heating. Field test results for the quantification of water using LWRD showed that the volcanic ash (tephra) samples contained 0.15-0.41% water, in agreement with GC water measurements. Reduction of the RH in the surge tank to near zero during recirculation show that the water is captured by the water beds as desired. The water can be recovered by heating the Water Beds to 230 C or higher. Test results for the capture and quantification of pure hydrogen have shown that over 90% of the hydrogen can be captured and 98% of the absorbed hydrogen can be recovered upon heating the hydride to 400 C and desorbing the hydrogen several times into the evacuated surge tank. Thus, the essential requirement of capturing hydrogen and recovering it has been demonstrated. ,

Muscatello, Anthony C.↗

A Novel Method for Remediation of PCBs in Weathered Coatings

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of synthetic aromatic compounds with the general formula C 12H1oCl that were historically used in industrial paints, caulking material and adhesives, as their properties enhanced structural integrity, reduced flammability and boosted antifungal properties. Although the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has banned the manufacture of PCBs since 1979, they have been found in at least 500 of the 1,598 National Priorities List (Superfund) sites identified by the USEPA. Prior to the USEPA's ban on PCB production, PCBs were commonly used as additives in paints and asphalt-based adhesives that were subsequently applied to a variety of structures. Government facilities constructed as early as 1930 utilized PCB-containing binders or PCB-containing paints, which are now leaching into the environment and posing ecological and worker health concerns. To date, no definitive in situ, non-destructive method is available for the removal of PCBs found in weathered coatings or on painted structures/equipment. The research described in this paper involves the laboratory development and field-scale deployment of a new and innovative solution for the removal and destruction of PCBs found in painted structures or within the binding or caulking material on structures. The technology incorporates a Bimetallic Treatment System (BTS) that extracts and degrades only the PCBs found on the facilities, leaving the structure virtually unaltered.

Brooks, Kathleen B.↗

Application of Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron to Marine Environments

Contamination of marine waters and sediments with heavy metals and dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) including chlorinated solvents, pesticides and PCBs pose ecological and human health risks through the potential of the contaminant to bioaccumulate in fish, shellfish and avian populations. The contaminants enter marine environments through improper disposal techniques and storm water runoff. Current remediation technologies for application to marine environments include costly dredging and off-site treatment of the contaminated media. Emulsified zero-valent iron (EZVI) has been proven to effectively degrade dissolved-phase and DNAPL-phase contaminants in freshwater environments on both the laboratory and field-scale level. Emulsified Zero-Valent Metal (EZVM) using metals such as iron and/or magnesium have been shown in the laboratory and on the bench scale to be effective at removing metals contamination in freshwater environments. The application to marine environments, however, is only just being explored. This paper discusses. the potential use of EZVI or EZVM in brackish and saltwater environments, with supporting laboratory data detailing its effectiveness on trichloroethylene, lead, copper, nickel and cadmium.

Quinn, Jacqueline W.↗

Evaluating Trichloroethylene Degradation Using Differing Nano- and Micro-Scale Iron Particles

Trichioroethylene, or TCE, is a central nervous system depressant and possible carcinogen, as well as a persistent groundwater pollutant. TCE exists in the aquifer either as free product in the form of a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) or as a dissolved-phase constituent. It is only slightly soluble in water, so dissolution of the contaminant is a long-term process and in-situ remediation is difficult. To remedy this, NASA and the University of Central Florida developed Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron, or EZVI. The emulsion droplet contains ZVI particles and water encapsulated by an oil/surfactant membrane, and effectively penetrates to degrade DNAPL-phase TCE. To maximize the efficiency of this process, several commercially available ZVIs of radically different particle sizes and morphologies both in emulsion and as neat (unemulsified) metal were evaluated for relative effectiveness at TCE degradation.

Berger, Cristina M.↗

Contaminant Removal From Natural Resources

A zero-valent metal emulsion containing zero-valent metal particles is used to remediate contaminated natural resources, such as groundwater and soil. In a preferred embodiment, the zero-valent metal emulsion removes heavy metals, such as lead (pb), from contaminated natural resources. In another preferred embodiment, the zero-valent metal emulsion is a bimetallic emulsion containing zero-valent metal particles doped with a catalytic metal to remediate halogenated aromatic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), from natural resources.

Clausen, Christian A.↗

Application of Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron to Marine Environments

Contamination of marine waters and sediments with heavy metals and dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) including chlorinated solvents, pesticides and PCBs pose ecological and human health risks through the contaminant's potential bioaccumulation in fish, shellfish and avian populations. The contaminants enter marine environments through improper disposal techniques and storm water run-off. Current remediation technologies for application to marine environments include costly dredging and off-site treatment of the contaminated media. Emulsified zero-valent iron (EZVI) has been proven to effectively degrade dissolved-phase and DNAPL-phase contaminants in freshwater environments on both the laboratory and field-scale level. However, the application to marine environments is only just being explored. This paper discusses the potential use of EZVI in brackish and saltwater environments, with supporting laboratory data detailed. Laboratory studies were performed in 2005 to establish the effectiveness of EZVI to degrade trichloroethylene (TCE) in saltwater. Headspace vials were setup to determine the kinetic rate of TCE degradation using EZVI in seawater. The reaction vials were analyzed by Gas Chromatographic/Flame Ionization Detection (GC/FID) for ethene production after a 48 day period using a GC/FID Purge and Trap system. Analytical results showed that EZVI was very effective at degrading TCE. The reaction by-products (ethene, acetylene and ethane) were produced at 71% of the rate in seawater as in the fresh water controls. Additionally, iron within the EZVI particles was protected from oxidation of the corrosive seawater, allowing EZVI to perform in an environment where zero-valent iron alone could not compete. Laboratory studies were also performed to establish the effectiveness of emulsified zero-valent metal (EZVM) to remove dissolved-phase cadmium and lead found in seawater. EZVM is comprised of a combination of magnesium and iron metal surrounded by the same oil/surfactant membrane used in EZVI. The removal of cadmium and lead from a seawater matrix is a unique challenge. It requires a system that is resistant to the corrosive nature of seawater while removing specific ions that are in a relatively low concentration compared to naturally occurring seawater salts. Laboratory studies conducted show greater than 99% removal of lead and 96% removal of cadmium from a seawater solution spiked at 5 mg/L that was treated with an Emulsified Zero-Valent Metal (EZVM). The cadmium and lead are removed from the solution as they transport across the emulsion membrane and plate out onto the zero-valent metal surface.

Brooks, Kathleen B.↗