4213 | DEM-Based Analysis and Optimization of an Excavation Bucket Drum for In-Situ Resource Utilization

Lunar infrastructure construction involves leveling of the lunar surface and collecting lunar regolith as a building material. RASSOR 2.0 developed by NASA is one of the typical robotic vehicles as a lunar excavator. It features cylindrical rotating bucket drums for collecting regolith, positioning it as a pivotal tool for future lunar in-situ resource utilization and infrastructure development. However, the optimization of the bucket drum's shape and its motion remain as open issue. Therefore, this study aims to find an optimal design of the bucket drum through numerical simulation using the discrete element method (DEM). We introduce five key design parameters of the bucket drum: two of them are related to the bucket shape (scoop throat length, scoop inlet number) and the rest of them are to motion (bucket vertical force, horizontal velocity, and angular velocity). These five parameters were examined in accordance with two performance indices: the sand fill ratio in the drum and the power consumption of the excavation. Solving the multi-objective problem of increasing the fill ratio and reducing power consumption, we found an optimal bucket drum shape and motion. Subsequently, a bucket drum reflecting the optimal shape was fabricated, and the optimal motion was tested. The test results qualitatively matched with the results derived from the DEM analysis. This outcome highlights the validity of the relationship between the design parameters and two performance indices.