Mars CO2 dynamic adaptation type underground water-ice melting cavity system and water-ice melting method

Abstract

The invention discloses a Mars CO2 dynamic adaptation type underground water-ice melting cavity system and a water-ice melting method, and belongs to the field of planet in-situ resource utilization. The problems that an existing Mars water ice mining scheme mostly adopts a simple heating or sealing strategy, and the pressure intensity and temperature management problem caused by the dynamic characteristic of Mars atmosphere CO2 and the violent day and night temperature difference cannot be effectively solved are solved. According to the system, a heating element is arranged in an ice melting cavity and used for melting water and ice in a controlled environment; the expandable sealing unit is arranged at the wellhead of the ice melting cavity and is used for carrying out airtight isolation; the intelligent CO2 gas management unit is connected with the ice melting cavity; the intelligent heat management unit is connected with an internal heating element of the ice melting cavity and is used for dynamically scheduling heat energy under the day and night temperature difference change of Mars; the central control unit is used for receiving sensor data and outputting a control instruction, and the working modes of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit and the intelligent heat management unit are dynamically optimized. The method is mainly used in the energy efficiency optimization field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of planetary in-situ resource utilization, and in particular relates to a Mars CO2 dynamically adaptive underground water ice melting cavity system. Background Art

[0002] Mars possesses abundant water ice resources beneath its surface, which are crucial for future human exploration and the establishment of a permanent base. Water ice is not only a source of drinking water but also a key precursor for producing the oxygen and rocket fuels (liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen) needed for life. However, obtaining and stably utilizing liquid water on Mars presents unique and challenging challenges, which directly necessitate precise pressure and temperature control within the ice-melting chamber: 1. Liquid water instability and physical limitations of phase transitions: The average atmospheric pressure on the Martian surface is approximately 600 Pa. The water phase diagram shows that water cannot exist stably in liquid form below the triple point pressure (611.7 Pa). This means that even at suitable temperatures, ice will sublime directly into water vapor without first melting into liquid water. Therefore, in order to stably obtain and collect liquid water within the ice melting chamber, an environment must be maintained within the chamber at a pressure consistently above the triple point of water and at a temperature above 0°C.

[0003] 2. Dynamic changes in CO2 in the Martian atmosphere and the challenge of controlling pressure: The Martian atmosphere is primarily composed of carbon dioxide (CO2). Its seasonal condensation and sublimation at the poles causes significant fluctuations in local and global atmospheric pressure. This dynamically changing CO2 partial pressure poses a significant challenge to maintaining a constant high pressure in the underground melting chamber. Traditional methods of transporting pressurized gas from Earth or continuously consuming large amounts of energy for mechanical pressurization are costly and inefficient for Mars missions. Therefore, intelligently adapting to and utilizing these naturally occurring CO2 partial pressure fluctuations to maintain the required chamber pressure (above 611.7 Pa) is key to achieving efficient and sustainable melting.

[0004] 3. Extreme day-night temperature swings and temperature control challenges: The Martian surface experiences dramatic day-night temperature swings of up to 100°C or even higher. For example, the temperature in the Martian equatorial region can rise to approximately 20°C during the day, while plummeting to -100°C or even lower at night. Water ice must be continuously heated to above 0°C (273.15 K) to melt. However, the extremely low ambient temperature at night quickly causes the melted liquid water to refreeze, placing enormous energy pressure and wear on the heating system. Therefore, precise and dynamic temperature control of the ice melting chamber is crucial to ensure that its temperature is always maintained above 0°C to ensure the continuous melting of water ice and the stable existence of liquid water, while effectively managing heat losses caused by the day-night temperature swing.

[0005] Existing Mars water ice mining solutions mostly use simple heating or sealing strategies, failing to fully consider and effectively solve the pressure and temperature management problems brought about by the dynamic characteristics of CO2 in the Martian atmosphere and the drastic day-night temperature difference, resulting in serious limitations on their efficiency, autonomy and sustainability. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose a Mars CO2 dynamically adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system and water ice melting method to solve the problem that the existing Mars water ice mining solutions mostly adopt simple heating or sealing strategies, which cannot effectively solve the pressure and temperature management problems brought about by the dynamic characteristics of Mars atmospheric CO2 and the drastic day and night temperature difference.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: A Mars CO2 dynamically adaptable underground water ice melting chamber system, the system comprising: Ice melting chamber, expandable sealing unit, intelligent CO2 gas management unit, intelligent thermal management unit and central control unit; The ice melting chamber is formed inside the underground water ice layer of Mars and is used to melt the water ice in a controlled environment. A heating element is provided inside the ice melting chamber, and a liquid water collection port is provided on the ice melting chamber. The expandable sealing unit is provided at the wellhead of the ice melting chamber, and is used to airtightly isolate the ice melting chamber from the external Martian atmosphere, and to adhere to the well wall by expansion to maintain the seal; The intelligent CO2 gas management unit is connected to the ice-melting chamber and includes an external CO2 capture and filtration module, a pressure sensor array, and a dynamic boost control module. The dynamic boost control module is controlled by a central control unit and is used to dynamically adjust the flow rate of CO2 into or out of the ice-melting chamber based on real-time changes in the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere and a preset target pressure of the ice-melting chamber. The target pressure is always maintained in a region where liquid water can stably exist, above the triple point pressure of water of 611.7 Pa. The intelligent thermal management unit is connected to the internal heating element of the ice melting chamber and includes a heat pump system and a phase change material heat storage module. It is used to dynamically dispatch heat energy under the temperature difference between day and night on Mars to ensure that the temperature of the ice melting chamber is always maintained above 0°C. The central control unit is equipped with an artificial intelligence algorithm for receiving sensor data and outputting control instructions, dynamically optimizing the working modes of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit and the intelligent thermal management unit to maximize system energy efficiency and optimize water ice production rate.

[0008] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is proposed, in which the expandable sealing unit is made of a multi-layer composite material, including: an outermost layer of fluorinated ethylene propylene film, a middle layer of fluorosilicone rubber matrix and an innermost layer of polyurethane coating; and the expandable sealing unit is driven to expand by internal inflation or hydraulic inflation to establish and maintain an environment inside the ice melting cavity with a pressure higher than the triple point of water 611.7 Pa and a temperature higher than 0°C.

[0009] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is proposed, in which the dynamic boost control module of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit includes an intelligent valve, a micro CO2 compressor and a CO2 storage tank; wherein, when the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere is higher than the target pressure of the ice-melting chamber, the dynamic boost control module directly introduces filtered external CO2 gas into the ice-melting chamber through the intelligent valve for pressurization; when the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere is lower than the target pressure, the dynamic boost control module extracts CO2 from the CO2 storage tank and pumps it into the ice-melting chamber through the micro CO2 compressor.

[0010] Furthermore, a preferred method is proposed, in which the external CO2 capture and filtration module includes a CO2 selective adsorber for efficiently capturing and filtering CO2 gas in the Martian atmosphere; the pressure sensor array includes high-precision piezoresistive or capacitive sensors for real-time monitoring of the internal pressure of the ice melting chamber and the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere.

[0011] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is proposed, in which the heat pump system of the intelligent thermal management unit is a compact steam compression or absorption structure, and its coefficient of performance (COP) is dynamically adjusted based on the temperature of the heat source and heat sink; the phase change material heat storage module stores excess heat when there is sufficient energy during the day, and releases heat when the ambient temperature drops sharply at night to maintain the temperature of the ice melting chamber above 0°C.

[0012] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is proposed, in which the intelligent thermal management unit further comprises a cold management module for guiding the cold energy generated during the ice melting process to the CO2 capture device via a heat pump.

[0013] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is proposed in which the artificial intelligence algorithm carried by the central control unit is a model predictive control algorithm, and the model predictive control algorithm includes: Predict future states based on system dynamics models; By optimizing the problem, the total energy consumption of the system is minimized and the water ice production rate is maximized. The objective function is:

[0014] Among them, α and β are adjustable weight coefficients, is the total energy consumption, is the water ice production rate; The optimization process satisfies the constraints, including: the pressure of the ice melting chamber is [ P min , P max ] range and above 611.7Pa, the temperature is [ T min , T max ] range and above 0℃.

[0015] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is proposed, in which the sensor data received by the central control unit includes external atmospheric pressure, external CO2 partial pressure, external ambient temperature, internal cavity pressure, internal cavity temperature, water ice melting rate, energy reserve status and CO2 storage capacity.

[0016] Furthermore, a preferred embodiment is proposed in which the pressure and temperature control area inside the ice melting chamber is located in a liquid water stable area between the solid-liquid equilibrium line and the liquid-gas equilibrium line in the phase diagram of water.

[0017] Based on the same inventive concept, the present invention further proposes a method for melting underground water ice on Mars, which is implemented based on any of the above-mentioned systems and includes: forming a sealed underground ice melting cavity to establish and maintain an environment inside the cavity with a pressure higher than the triple point of water (611.7 Pa) and a temperature higher than 0°C; Real-time sensing of Martian external environmental parameters and the internal state of the cavity, wherein the external environmental parameters include atmospheric pressure, CO2 partial pressure, and day and night temperature; Dynamically adjusting the internal pressure of the cavity by the intelligent CO2 gas management unit according to the external CO2 partial pressure and the cavity target pressure; Dynamically dispatching thermal energy through the intelligent thermal management unit to maintain the cavity temperature for melting water ice according to the external ambient temperature and energy availability; Collect and purify the melt water.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Efficiently utilize local resources to ensure liquid water stability: The proposed Mars CO2 dynamically adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system cleverly transforms the seasonal variations in the partial pressure of CO2 in the Martian atmosphere from a barrier to a resource. This system serves as a local gas source for chamber pressurization, significantly reducing the need to carry pressurized gas from Earth. By synergistically controlling the chamber's pressure (consistently above the triple point of water) and temperature (consistently above 0°C), the system ensures that the melted ice remains stable as liquid water, avoiding sublimation losses and maintaining the solid-liquid equilibrium line.

[0019] 2. Significantly improved energy efficiency and adaptability to extreme temperature swings: When the Martian atmospheric pressure is high, the proposed Mars CO2 dynamically adaptable underground water ice melting chamber system utilizes external CO2 for low-energy boosting, avoiding unnecessary compression power. By combining a heat pump with phase-change material energy storage, the system achieves efficient recovery, storage, and on-demand distribution of heat energy despite the dramatic daytime and nighttime temperature swings on Mars (e.g., 20°C during the day and -100°C at night), significantly reducing overall energy consumption. This ensures continuous and efficient heating even during the extremely cold Martian nights, ensuring continuous melting of water ice and the steady production of liquid water.

[0020] 3. High degree of autonomy and strong environmental adaptability: The intelligent control unit in the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system proposed in this invention can perceive and dynamically adapt to the seasonal and diurnal changes in Martian atmospheric pressure and temperature in real time, and automatically adjust the chamber operating parameters, greatly improving the system's autonomy, robustness and environmental adaptability, and reducing dependence on remote intervention from Earth.

[0021] 4. Stable and reliable water ice acquisition: The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system proposed in this invention ensures that the internal pressure and temperature of the chamber are always in the stable conditions required for water ice to melt and remain in liquid state through precise dynamic control, thereby ensuring the continuous and efficient output of liquid water and improving the success rate and sustainability of the mission. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which constitute part of the present invention, are provided to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are provided to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall and local structures of the CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of heat scheduling of the intelligent thermal management unit according to the present invention under the temperature difference between day and night; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the central control unit of the present invention; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the phase diagram of water described in the present invention, wherein Temperature represents temperature, Pressure represents pressure, Solid represents solid, Liquid represents liquid, Vapor represents gas, Freezing Point at 1 atm represents the freezing point at 1 standard atmosphere of pressure, Critical Point represents the critical point, Bolling Point at 1 atm represents the boiling point at 1 standard atmosphere of pressure, and Triple Point represents the triple point. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention and the features therein can be combined with each other in the absence of conflict, and the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments.

[0024] Embodiment 1: This embodiment describes a Mars CO2 dynamically adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system, comprising: Ice melting chamber, expandable sealing unit, intelligent CO2 gas management unit, intelligent thermal management unit and central control unit; The ice melting chamber is formed inside the underground water ice layer of Mars and is used to melt the water ice in a controlled environment. A heating element is provided inside the ice melting chamber, and a liquid water collection port is provided on the ice melting chamber. The expandable sealing unit is provided at the wellhead of the ice melting chamber, and is used to airtightly isolate the ice melting chamber from the external Martian atmosphere, and to adhere to the well wall by expansion to maintain the seal; The intelligent CO2 gas management unit is connected to the ice-melting chamber and includes an external CO2 capture and filtration module, a pressure sensor array, and a dynamic boost control module. The dynamic boost control module is controlled by a central control unit and is used to dynamically adjust the flow rate of CO2 into or out of the ice-melting chamber based on real-time changes in the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere and a preset target pressure of the ice-melting chamber. The target pressure is always maintained in a region where liquid water can stably exist, above the triple point pressure of water of 611.7 Pa. The intelligent thermal management unit is connected to the internal heating element of the ice melting chamber and includes a heat pump system and a phase change material heat storage module. It is used to dynamically dispatch heat energy under the temperature difference between day and night on Mars to ensure that the temperature of the ice melting chamber is always maintained above 0°C. The central control unit is equipped with an artificial intelligence algorithm for receiving sensor data and outputting control instructions, dynamically optimizing the working modes of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit and the intelligent thermal management unit to maximize system energy efficiency and optimize water ice production rate.

[0025] Traditional Martian water ice mining schemes often use simple heating or sealing strategies, which cannot fully consider the dynamic characteristics of CO2 in the Martian atmosphere. However, in this embodiment, through the intelligent CO2 gas management unit and dynamic boost control module, it can adjust in real time according to changes in external CO2 partial pressure, ensuring that the pressure inside the ice melting chamber is always in a stable state that is conducive to the melting of water ice.

[0026] Mars experiences extreme day-night temperature fluctuations, with a wide range of temperature fluctuations. Traditional heating solutions are unable to stably maintain the required temperature range. In this implementation, the heat pump system and phase-change material heat storage module in the intelligent thermal management unit dynamically allocate heat energy to the changing day-night temperature, ensuring that the temperature inside the ice melting chamber remains above 0°C, thereby maintaining efficient water ice melting.

[0027] This implementation utilizes a central control unit equipped with an artificial intelligence algorithm, capable of receiving real-time data from various sensors and optimizing control strategies to maximize energy efficiency and optimize water ice production. By intelligently regulating the inflow and outflow of CO2 and adjusting the operating mode of the thermal management system, the system can operate efficiently under diverse environmental conditions. The expandable sealing unit design provides an airtight barrier between the Martian underground water ice layer and the external environment, effectively preventing external interference with the ice melt chamber. By expanding and conforming to the well wall, the system maintains its containment and safety even in the extreme Martian environment.

[0028] By providing a heating element and a liquid water collection port inside the ice melting cavity, this embodiment can effectively melt water ice and collect liquid water.

[0029] Embodiment 2: This embodiment further refines the Mars CO2-adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in Embodiment 1. The inflatable sealing unit is constructed from a sophisticated multi-layer composite material designed to withstand the extreme Martian environment. The outermost layer is made of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film, offering excellent resistance to extreme low temperatures (up to -200°C), UV radiation resistance, CO2 permeation resistance, and low friction, providing direct protection from the external environment. The middle layer is constructed from a fluorosilicone rubber matrix embedded with a high-strength aramid fiber woven mesh, ensuring excellent elasticity and flexibility over a wide temperature range of -150°C to +20°C, while also providing a core airtight seal and structural support. The innermost layer is a polyurethane (PU) coating, optionally laminated with a thin layer of aluminum foil to further enhance the chamber's airtightness and heat reflectivity, ensuring stable and efficient operation of the ice melting chamber. Internal air or hydraulic inflation drives the inflatable sealing unit to establish and maintain an environment within the ice melting chamber that exceeds the triple point of water pressure of 611.7 Pa and a temperature above 0°C.

[0030] Implementation method three. This implementation method further limits the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in implementation method one. The dynamic boost control module of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit includes an intelligent valve, a micro CO2 compressor and a CO2 storage tank; wherein, when the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere is higher than the target pressure of the ice melting chamber, the dynamic boost control module directly introduces the filtered external CO2 gas into the ice melting chamber through the intelligent valve for pressurization; when the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere is lower than the target pressure, the dynamic boost control module extracts CO2 from the CO2 storage tank and pumps it into the ice melting chamber through the micro CO2 compressor.

[0031] In this embodiment, the intelligent valve and dynamic boost control module can directly introduce external CO2 gas for pressurization when the CO2 partial pressure of the Martian atmosphere is higher than the target pressure of the ice-melting chamber. This design can effectively utilize the abundant CO2 resources in the Martian environment and reduce dependence on Earth's resources. The system can dynamically adjust the air pressure in the ice-melting chamber according to changes in the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere. When the CO2 partial pressure of the Martian atmosphere is low, the system can automatically extract CO2 from the CO2 storage tank and pump it into the ice-melting chamber through a micro CO2 compressor for pressurization. This adaptive control mechanism ensures that the ice-melting chamber is always maintained at the ideal target pressure, thereby improving the water ice melting efficiency and system stability.

[0032] By using a micro CO2 compressor and CO2 storage tanks, the system can replenish CO2 when needed, avoiding wasting energy and CO2. It can flexibly respond to changes in demand under different environmental conditions, especially when the ambient pressure on Mars is low, avoiding excessive use of compressor resources and improving overall energy efficiency.

[0033] Implementation method 4. This implementation method further limits the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in implementation method 3. The external CO2 capture and filtration module includes a CO2 selective adsorber for efficiently capturing and filtering CO2 gas in the Martian atmosphere; the pressure sensor array includes high-precision piezoresistive or capacitive sensors for real-time monitoring of the internal pressure of the ice melting chamber and the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere.

[0034] Implementation method five. This implementation method further limits the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in implementation method one. The heat pump system of the intelligent thermal management unit is a compact vapor compression or absorption structure, and its coefficient of performance (COP) is dynamically adjusted based on the heat source and heat sink temperatures. The phase change material heat storage module stores excess heat when there is sufficient energy during the day, and releases heat when the ambient temperature drops sharply at night to maintain the ice melting chamber temperature above 0°C.

[0035] Implementation method 6. This implementation method further limits the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in implementation method 1. The intelligent thermal management unit also includes a cold management module for guiding the cold energy generated by the ice melting process to the CO2 capture device through a heat pump.

[0036] Implementation 7: This implementation further defines the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in Implementation 1. The artificial intelligence algorithm carried by the central control unit is a model predictive control algorithm, which includes: Predict future states based on system dynamics models; By optimizing the problem, the total energy consumption of the system is minimized and the water ice production rate is maximized. The objective function is:

[0037] Among them, α and β are adjustable weight coefficients, is the total energy consumption, is the water ice production (melting) rate; The optimization process satisfies the constraints, including: the pressure of the ice melting chamber is [ P min , P max ] range and above 611.7Pa, the temperature is [ T min , T max ] range and above 0℃.

[0038] Implementation method eight. This implementation method further limits the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in implementation method one. The sensor data received by the central control unit includes external atmospheric pressure, external CO2 partial pressure, external ambient temperature, cavity internal pressure, cavity internal temperature, water ice melting rate, energy reserve status and CO2 storage capacity.

[0039] Implementation method 9. This implementation method further limits the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in implementation method 1. The pressure and temperature control area inside the ice melting chamber is located in the liquid water stable area between the solid-liquid equilibrium line and the liquid-gas equilibrium line in the water phase diagram.

[0040] Embodiment 10: A method for melting underground water ice on Mars described in this embodiment is implemented based on the system described in any one of Embodiments 1 to 9, and includes: forming a sealed underground ice melting cavity to establish and maintain an environment inside the cavity with a pressure higher than the triple point of water (611.7 Pa) and a temperature higher than 0°C; Real-time sensing of Martian external environmental parameters and the internal state of the cavity, wherein the external environmental parameters include atmospheric pressure, CO2 partial pressure, and day and night temperature; Dynamically adjusting the internal pressure of the cavity by the intelligent CO2 gas management unit according to the external CO2 partial pressure and the cavity target pressure; Dynamically dispatching thermal energy through the intelligent thermal management unit to maintain the cavity temperature for melting water ice according to the external ambient temperature and energy availability; Collect and purify the melt water.

[0041] Implementation method 11, see Figures 1 to 5 This embodiment provides a specific example of the Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system described in Embodiment 1, and is also used to explain Embodiments 2 to 9. Specifically: This embodiment proposes a Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system, including: Ice melting chamber, expandable sealing unit, intelligent CO2 gas management unit, intelligent thermal management unit and central control unit; First, a robotic drilling rig creates a vertical wellbore in the Martian underground water ice layer. A closed melt chamber is constructed within or above the ice layer. This chamber houses a highly efficient electric heating element connected to a heat pump system to provide the heat required to melt the water ice. The melt chamber also features a liquid water collection port connected to an external micro-water pump and water purification system. The energy required to convert solid water ice to liquid water within the melt chamber, as well as the heat exchange between the chamber and the surrounding environment, is represented by a water ice melting and energy demand model: Energy rate required to melt water ice ( Q melt ) represents the energy required to melt a certain mass of water ice per unit time:

[0042] in, represents the melting rate of water ice (kg / s), represents the latent heat of fusion of water ice (kg / J), which is 334,000 J / kg.

[0043] Heat loss in ice melting chamber ( Q loss ) represents the heat lost to the outside of the ice melting chamber due to the temperature difference between the chamber wall and the surrounding soil and Martian environment. This part of the heat needs to be compensated by the heating system:

[0044] in, U Indicates the total heat transfer coefficient of the ice melting chamber (W / (m 2 K)), which comprehensively considers the thermal conductivity of the cavity material, the effect of the thermal insulation layer, and the internal and external convection and radiation heat transfer, reflecting the thermal insulation performance of the cavity; A cavity Indicates the effective heat transfer surface area between the ice melting chamber and the surrounding environment (m 2 ); T cavity The average operating temperature inside the ice melting chamber (K). This temperature must be maintained above 0∘C (273.15 K) to ensure that the water ice melts into liquid water. T soil The average temperature of the ice layer around the melting cavity (K), which is affected by the day and night and seasonal changes on the Martian surface, is usually lower than T cavity .

[0045] The energy balance equation of the ice melting chamber describes the dynamic balance of heat input and output inside the chamber, ensuring that there is enough heat to melt the water ice and compensate for heat loss:

[0046] in, P heater The electrical heating power directly provided by the heating element inside the cavity (W); Q thermal_in The rate of heat transfer from the energy storage module or deep underground to the cavity via the heat pump (W); P auxiliary_cavity Total power consumption (W) used for other auxiliary equipment inside the chamber (such as internal pumps, sensors, etc.).

[0047] The dynamic changes in CO2 gas pressure inside the ice melting chamber and how to maintain the target pressure through the introduction of external CO2 and internal CO2 circulation are described by the CO2 gas pressure management model, including: The cavity CO2 mass change rate represents the net change in the CO2 mass inside the cavity per unit time:

[0048] in, m CO2,cavity Indicates the total mass of CO2 gas inside the ice melting chamber (kg); , Indicates the CO2 mass flow rate flowing into and out of the chamber per unit time (kg / s); The ideal gas state equation describes the relationship between the mass, pressure, volume, and temperature of CO2 in the ice melting chamber:

[0049] in, P cavity Indicates the pressure of CO2 gas inside the ice melting chamber (Pa). This pressure must always be kept higher than the triple point pressure of water, 611.7 Pa, to ensure that the melted water can exist stably in liquid form; V cavity Indicates the internal effective volume of the ice melting chamber (m 3 ); M CO2 Indicates the molar mass of CO2 (kg / mol). Its value is approximately 0.044 kg / mol; R represents the ideal gas constant (J / (mol·K)), which is approximately 8.314 J / (mol·K); T cavity Indicates the average temperature of CO2 gas inside the ice melting chamber (K).

[0050] The CO2 inflow / outflow rate model describes how the CO2 gas management unit operates under different external conditions, including: High atmospheric pressure period (direct introduction mode): When the external Martian atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (P Mars When the pressure of CO2 is higher than the chamber pressure, the system introduces external CO2 through the intelligent valve, including:

[0051] in, K valve Indicates the flow coefficient of the smart valve ( ), reflecting the valve opening and fluid dynamics characteristics; P Mars,CO2 represents the real-time partial pressure of CO2 in the external Martian atmosphere (Pa), which is significantly affected by Martian seasonality; sgn(⋅) represents the sign function to ensure the correct flow direction (from high pressure to low pressure).

[0052] Low atmospheric pressure period (storage and supply mode): When the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere is insufficient to maintain the cavity pressure, the system starts the micro CO2 compressor to extract CO2 from the storage tank and pump it into the cavity, including:

[0053] in, P compressor Indicates the electrical power consumed by the micro CO2 compressor (W); Wspecific_comp Indicates the compression work per unit mass of CO2 (J / kg), which depends on the compression ratio and efficiency; Η comp represents the efficiency of the micro CO2 compressor (dimensionless); The CO2 storage tank mass change rate indicates the dynamic change of the CO2 mass in the storage tank:

[0054] in, m CO2,stored Indicates the total CO2 mass in the CO2 storage tank (kg); represents the mass flow rate of CO2 captured from the Martian atmosphere and stored in the tank per unit time (kg / s); It indicates the CO2 mass flow rate (kg / s) extracted from the tank and supplied to the cavity per unit time.

[0055] The expandable sealing unit is made of multiple layers of a special elastic polymer composite material that is resistant to extreme low temperatures (down to approximately -150°C), high pressure, and corrosion, and is wrapped around the upper part of the wellbore. Once the cavity is formed, the expandable sealing unit (sealing ring) is radially expanded by internal inflation (CO2 captured by the system itself can be used) or hydraulic drive, making it fit tightly against the inner surface of the wellbore wall, thereby establishing a highly airtight ice melting chamber underground that is completely isolated from the thin external Martian atmosphere. This sealing mechanism allows the interior of the cavity to be pressurized and the temperature to be controlled to ensure that the melted water can remain in a stable liquid state, that is, in the phase diagram of water (see Figure 5 ) is located in the liquid water stability area between the solid-liquid equilibrium line and the liquid-gas equilibrium line, rather than sublimation.

[0056] An intelligent CO2 gas management unit is connected to the ice melting chamber and includes an external CO2 capture and filtration module, a pressure sensor array, and a dynamic boost control module for utilizing CO2 in the Martian atmosphere to manage chamber pressure. A small, adjustable air inlet and low-power fan are located on top of the external CO2 capture and filtration module, which are used to actively or passively introduce the Martian atmosphere. The introduced CO2 gas first passes through a high-efficiency CO2 selective adsorber (for example, based on metal-organic framework (MOF) materials or zeolite molecular sieves with high CO2 adsorption capacity and selectivity) for adsorption at low temperatures at Martian nighttime, or is directly condensed and captured by a micro-low-temperature condenser. Before entering the core system, the captured CO2 passes through multiple stages of precision filters (for example, HEPA filters and electrostatic filters) to remove fine dust particles commonly found in the Martian environment, thereby preventing contamination or wear on subsequent equipment. The pressure sensor array includes: multiple high-precision piezoresistive or capacitive pressure sensors strategically placed inside the ice melting chamber and in the external environment (in the atmosphere near the wellhead), continuously and in real time monitoring their respective CO2 partial pressure data, and accurately transmitting this data to the central control unit.

[0057] Inside the ice melting chamber: The sensor is deployed in the upper area of ​​the chamber, below the sealing unit and above the expected liquid water collection level. The sensor is secured via a dedicated interface on the chamber wall or seal. Its function is to monitor the CO2 gas pressure within the chamber in real time. The core objective is to ensure that the pressure within the chamber is always above the triple point pressure of water (611.7 Pa), which is the physical prerequisite for the stable existence of liquid water.

[0058] Outside the Martian surface or near a wellhead: The sensor is installed outside the system, directly exposed to the Martian atmosphere. Its function is to accurately obtain real-time partial pressure data of CO2 in the external Martian atmosphere.

[0059] The dynamic boost control module, driven by the central control unit's AI algorithm, comprises a set of highly responsive intelligent microvalves (including intake, pressure relief, and recirculation valves), a low-power, high-efficiency micro CO2 compressor (using advanced oil-free or magnetic levitation technology for improved reliability), and a lightweight, high-pressure, and thermally insulated CO2 storage tank. The intelligent CO2 gas management unit includes a high-pressure introduction mode, a low-pressure supply mode, and a CO2 storage and circulation mode; The high voltage introduction mode (external P Mars , CO2 is higher than P target ) includes: when the external pressure sensor detects that the CO2 partial pressure of the Martian atmosphere is higher than the target pressure P of the ice melting chamber target When the target pressure P is higher than 611.7 Pa, the central control unit commands the intelligent valve to open the external air inlet channel, allowing filtered Martian atmospheric CO2 to flow directly into the ice melting chamber. target It is necessary to always maintain a stable liquid water pressure above the triple point of water (611.7 Pa). In this mode, the system can quickly increase the pressure in the chamber to the target range with extremely low energy consumption because it mainly utilizes the natural pressure of the external atmosphere. Excess CO2 can be compressed by the compressor and stored in the CO2 storage tank for use during low-pressure periods. The low pressure supply mode (external P Mars , CO2 is lower than P target) including: when the external pressure sensor detects that the CO2 partial pressure in the Martian atmosphere is too low to maintain the required pressure in the cavity, the central control unit commands the intelligent valve to close the external air intake and start the micro CO2 compressor to extract CO2 from the internal high-pressure CO2 storage tank and pump it into the ice melting cavity to maintain its stable pressure; The CO2 storage and circulation mode includes: storing excess CO2 when the external CO2 partial pressure is high, or storing CO2 separated during purification treatment (such as extracted from waste liquid) during system operation; the material and structural design of the storage tank can withstand the drastic temperature difference and high-pressure cycle on Mars.

[0060] The intelligent thermal management unit (ITMU) is connected to the internal heating element of the ice melt chamber and comprises a heat pump system and a phase change material (PCM) thermal storage module. This unit dynamically manages thermal energy to maintain the melt chamber temperature above 0°C despite the diurnal temperature swings on Mars. Its primary energy source is electricity provided by a surface-deployed flexible solar array (during the day) or a small nuclear isotope thermal generator (RTG) (all-weather). The heat pump system utilizes a small, high-coefficient-of-performance (COP) heat pump, which can be a compact vapor compression or absorption type. The IMU's energy storage mechanism involves the following: during daytime hours when there is ample solar energy, a central control unit dispatches the heat pump to convert excess electrical energy into heat, which is then transferred to the phase change material (PCM) thermal storage module for storage. The PCM is selected based on its phase change temperature range, ensuring it can effectively store and release the heat required for ice melt. At night, when the ambient temperature on Mars drops dramatically, for example, from 20°C during the day to -100°C or even lower, and when solar output is insufficient or zero, the heat pump reverses its operation. It extracts the stored heat energy from the PCM heat storage module, or raises the relatively constant ground temperature deep underground (if the drilling depth allows) to the ice melting chamber, and continuously provides heat for the melting of water ice through the internal heat exchanger. This process ensures that the chamber temperature can be stably maintained above 0°C (273.15 K) even in the extremely cold night of Mars, and cooperates with the pressure inside the chamber to ensure that water is in the phase diagram (see Figure 5 ) always maintains a liquid water region above the solid-liquid equilibrium line, ensuring continuous melting of water ice and the production of liquid water. As the water ice melts, it absorbs heat, generating "cold" in the system. This cold energy can be channeled to the CO2 capture device via a heat pump, assisting in CO2 condensation capture, further improving CO2 capture efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

[0061] The intelligent thermal management unit is represented by an intelligent thermal management (heat pump and energy balance) model, which describes how the heat pump system efficiently manages heat under the temperature difference between day and night, as well as the total energy balance of the entire system, including: Heat pump coefficient of performance (COP): This indicates how well a heat pump can heat or cool a room at a given power input. COP is typically affected by the temperatures of the heat source and heat sink, including: Heating mode COP( COP heating ):

[0062] in, Q H Indicates the heat rate transferred from the heat pump to the ice melting chamber (W); P heatpump Indicates the electrical power consumed by the heat pump (W); T H Indicates the hot side temperature of the heat pump (K), usually refers to the ice melting chamber temperature; T C Indicates the cold side temperature of the heat pump (K), which can be the surrounding ice temperature, nighttime ambient temperature or CO2 capture temperature; Η carnot The efficiency factor representing the actual COP relative to the Carnot cycle COP (dimensionless, usually less than 1); Cooling mode COP( COP cooling ):

[0063] in, Q C Indicates the rate of cooling removed by the heat pump from the cooling source (e.g., cooling generated by the ice melting chamber or CO2 capturer) (W); Phase change material heat storage / release rate ( ): Describes the heat changes of phase change materials during the heat absorption (charging) or heat release (discharging) process, including:

[0064] in, represents the effective mass flow rate of the phase change material (kg / s), if the system is designed for PCM fluid circulation; L PCM Indicates the latent heat of phase change of phase change material (J / kg); f ( T PCM ) represents the phase change completion function (dimensionless), which indicates the phase change percentage of PCM at a specific temperature.

[0065] System total energy balance: describes the balance between all energy inputs and consumption of the entire system, including:

[0066] in, P solar represents the solar power captured by the solar array during the day (W); η solarrepresents the efficiency of the solar cell (dimensionless); P RTG Indicates the stable electric power provided by the nuclear isotope thermal generator (RTG) (W); P auxiliary_total Indicates the total power consumption (W) of all other auxiliary devices in the system (such as water pumps, control units, communication modules, etc.).

[0067] The central control unit is equipped with an artificial intelligence algorithm for receiving sensor data and outputting control instructions, dynamically optimizing the working modes of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit and the intelligent thermal management unit to maximize the system energy efficiency and optimize the water ice production rate. The central control unit receives real-time data from all sensors, including but not limited to: external atmospheric pressure, external CO2 partial pressure, external ambient temperature (diurnal variations, such as 20°C during the day and -100°C at night), chamber internal pressure, chamber internal temperature, water ice melting rate, water production, energy reserve status (battery charge, thermal energy storage status), CO2 storage, and the operating status and fault codes of each actuator (heater, heat pump, CO2 compressor, valve, water pump). The artificial intelligence algorithm uses a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm. The MPC maintains a calibrated and simplified system dynamics model based on physical laws and empirical data. This model can predict the changing trends of the melt chamber pressure, temperature, water ice melting rate, energy consumption, and CO2 storage over a period of time (e.g., the next few hours or a Martian day) based on the current system state, external environmental disturbances (such as predicted fluctuations in Martian atmospheric pressure and temperature), and potential control instructions. In each control cycle, the MPC algorithm solves an optimization problem aimed at minimizing the total energy consumption of the system while maximizing the water ice production rate. The objective function can be set as , where α and β are adjustable weight coefficients. The optimization process must meet strict constraints, including: the pressure inside the ice melting chamber is always higher than the triple point pressure of water P triple and maintain within the target range[ P min , P max ]; cavity temperature T melt Maintaining effective ice melting range[ T min , T max]; the power of each energy device does not exceed the rated value; and the CO2 storage tank capacity is limited. The algorithm only executes the first instruction of the optimized control sequence. In the next control cycle, it re-perceives the current state, updates the prediction model, and then optimizes again. This "rolling" mechanism enables it to continuously adapt to the dynamic changes in the Martian environment (including seasonal CO2 pressure fluctuations and drastic day-night temperature differences). Based on real-time perception of Martian day-night temperature changes (e.g., 20°C during the day, -100°C at night) and seasonal CO2 fluctuations, the algorithm can intelligently adjust heating power, heat pump mode, CO2 gas delivery strategy, and other factors. For example, at night when temperatures are low, it will prioritize dispatching the heat pump to extract heat from the energy storage; when the external CO2 partial pressure is high, it will prioritize directly introducing external CO2 for pressurization. The system also has preliminary fault diagnosis capabilities, identifying problems such as sensor anomalies and equipment performance degradation, and attempting to adjust operating strategies or issue alarms.

[0068] The MPC algorithm of the central control unit makes optimization decisions through the following mathematical framework, including: The system state vector (x( k )): In discrete time steps k The key physical quantities that describe the current status of the system include:

[0069] in, E thermal_stored Indicates the total amount of thermal energy stored in a phase change material or other medium; Indicates the amount of accumulated water ice melt; E battery Indicates the remaining battery power.

[0070] Control input vector (u( k )), represents the set of control instructions that the central control unit can issue at time k, including:

[0071] Among them, ValveState CO2 (k) represents the opening degree or status of the CO2 smart valve (for example, 0 represents closed, 1 represents open external air intake, and -1 represents open internal circulation).

[0072] External disturbance vector (d(k)): at time k External environmental variables that affect the system but cannot be directly controlled by the system, including:

[0073] in, P Mars,CO2 ( k):Real-time partial pressure of CO2 in the Martian atmosphere; T Mars ( k ) represents the real-time temperature of the external environment of Mars (diurnal changes); SolarIrradiance( k ) represents the real-time solar radiation intensity.

[0074] Prediction Model( F ) indicates that the central control unit maintains a system dynamics model to predict the state of the system at the next time step given the current state, control input and external disturbance, including:

[0075] In each control cycle, the MPC algorithm solves the future prediction time domain ( N p ) to determine the optimal control sequence ,include:

[0076] The objective function balances the deviation between the system state and the target state in the form of a weighted sum ( w 1(xx target ) 2 ), for example, to maintain the chamber pressure and temperature near target values, where w 2u 2 Indicates the stability and energy consumption of the control input, avoids drastic changes in the control quantity, and reduces energy consumption; represents the water ice production efficiency; w 1, w 2, w 3 represents the weight coefficient (dimensionless), which reflects the relative importance of different optimization objectives; X target represents the target state vector, such as the target pressure and temperature of the cavity to be achieved; u represents the control vector to be optimized; represents the predicted melting rate of water ice.

[0077] The optimization process must meet strict constraints, including physical and operational limitations, specifically: Pressure constraint: The pressure inside the cavity must always be kept above the triple point pressure of water P triple The range shall not exceed the maximum pressure bearing capacity of the equipment, including:

[0078] in, P triple represents the triple point pressure of water (611.7 Pa), Pmax Indicates the maximum allowable operating pressure of the cavity (Pa); Temperature constraints: The temperature inside the cavity must always remain above 0°C and not exceed the temperature limit of the equipment, including:

[0079] in, T melt represents the melting point of water (0°C or 273.15 K), T max Indicates the maximum allowable operating temperature of the cavity (K); Power constraints: The power of each actuator (heater, heat pump, compressor) cannot exceed its rated maximum output power, including:

[0080] in, represents the minimum output power of each actuator, Indicates the rated maximum output power of each actuator; CO2 storage constraints: Capacity limitations of CO2 storage tanks, including:

[0081] in, Indicates the maximum capacity of the CO2 storage tank.

[0082] The specific embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are intended only to help illustrate the present invention. The specific embodiments do not describe all details in detail, nor do they limit the invention to the specific embodiments described. Numerous modifications and variations are possible based on the contents of this specification. These embodiments are selected and described in detail in this specification to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the present invention.

Claims

1. A Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system, characterized by: The system comprises: Ice melting chamber, expandable sealing unit, intelligent CO2 gas management unit, intelligent thermal management unit and central control unit; The ice melting chamber is formed inside the underground water ice layer of Mars and is used to melt the water ice in a controlled environment. A heating element is provided inside the ice melting chamber, and a liquid water collection port is provided on the ice melting chamber. The expandable sealing unit is provided at the wellhead of the ice melting chamber, and is used to airtightly isolate the ice melting chamber from the external Martian atmosphere, and to adhere to the well wall by expansion to maintain the seal; The intelligent CO2 gas management unit is connected to the ice-melting chamber and includes an external CO2 capture and filtration module, a pressure sensor array, and a dynamic boost control module. The dynamic boost control module is controlled by a central control unit and is used to dynamically adjust the flow rate of CO2 into or out of the ice-melting chamber based on real-time changes in the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere and a preset target pressure of the ice-melting chamber. The target pressure is always maintained in a region where liquid water can stably exist, above the triple point pressure of water of 611.7 Pa. The intelligent thermal management unit is connected to the internal heating element of the ice melting chamber and includes a heat pump system and a phase change material heat storage module. It is used to dynamically dispatch heat energy under the temperature difference between day and night on Mars to ensure that the temperature of the ice melting chamber is always maintained above 0°C. The central control unit is equipped with an artificial intelligence algorithm for receiving sensor data and outputting control instructions, dynamically optimizing the working modes of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit and the intelligent thermal management unit to maximize system energy efficiency and optimize water ice production rate.

2. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The expandable sealing unit is made of a multi-layer composite material, including: an outermost layer of fluorinated ethylene propylene film, a middle layer of fluorosilicone rubber matrix, and an innermost layer of polyurethane coating. The expandable sealing unit is driven to expand by internal inflation or hydraulic inflation to establish and maintain an environment inside the ice melting chamber with a pressure higher than the triple point of water of 611.7 Pa and a temperature higher than 0°C.

3. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The dynamic boost control module of the intelligent CO2 gas management unit includes an intelligent valve, a micro CO2 compressor and a CO2 storage tank; when the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere is higher than the target pressure of the ice melting chamber, the dynamic boost control module directly introduces filtered external CO2 gas into the ice melting chamber through the intelligent valve for pressurization; when the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere is lower than the target pressure, the dynamic boost control module extracts CO2 from the CO2 storage tank and pumps it into the ice melting chamber through the micro CO2 compressor.

4. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The external CO2 capture and filtration module includes a CO2 selective adsorber for efficiently capturing and filtering CO2 gas in the Martian atmosphere; the pressure sensor array includes high-precision piezoresistive or capacitive sensors for real-time monitoring of the internal pressure of the ice melting chamber and the CO2 partial pressure of the external Martian atmosphere.

5. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat pump system of the intelligent thermal management unit is a compact vapor compression or absorption structure, and its coefficient of performance (COP) is dynamically adjusted based on the temperature of the heat source and heat sink; the phase change material heat storage module stores excess heat when there is sufficient energy during the day, and releases heat when the ambient temperature drops sharply at night to maintain the temperature of the ice melting chamber above 0°C.

6. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intelligent thermal management unit further comprises a cold management module for guiding the cold energy generated during the ice melting process to the CO2 capture device via a heat pump.

7. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The artificial intelligence algorithm carried by the central control unit is a model predictive control algorithm, which includes: Predict future states based on system dynamics models; By optimizing the problem, the total energy consumption of the system is minimized and the water ice production rate is maximized. The objective function is: Among them, α and β are adjustable weight coefficients, is the total energy consumption, is the water ice production rate; The optimization process satisfies the constraints, including: the pressure of the ice melting chamber is [ P min , P max ] range and above 611.7Pa, the temperature is [ T min , T max ] range and above 0℃.

8. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor data received by the central control unit includes external atmospheric pressure, external CO2 partial pressure, external ambient temperature, internal cavity pressure, internal cavity temperature, water ice melting rate, energy reserve status and CO2 storage capacity.

9. The Mars CO2 dynamic adaptive underground water ice melting chamber system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure and temperature control area inside the ice melting chamber is located in a liquid water stable area between the solid-liquid equilibrium line and the liquid-gas equilibrium line in the phase diagram of water.

10. A method for melting underground water ice on Mars, the method being implemented based on the system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The method comprises: forming a sealed underground ice melting cavity to establish and maintain an environment inside the cavity with a pressure higher than the triple point of water (611.7 Pa) and a temperature higher than 0°C; Real-time sensing of Martian external environmental parameters and the internal state of the cavity, wherein the external environmental parameters include atmospheric pressure, CO2 partial pressure, and day and night temperature; Dynamically adjusting the internal pressure of the cavity by the intelligent CO2 gas management unit according to the external CO2 partial pressure and the cavity target pressure; Dynamically dispatching thermal energy through the intelligent thermal management unit to maintain the cavity temperature for melting water ice according to the external ambient temperature and energy availability; Collect and purify the melt water.

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