New Mars Forums

JoshNH4H

Member

From: Pullman, WA

Registered: 2007-07-15

Posts: 2,564

Website

Excess Oxygen

We worry about oxygen production, but realistically martians won't struggle with having enough oxygen.  Instead, they'll probably have too much.  The reason is that steel and aluminium production also produces oxygen--.43 kg O2 per kg of Steel, .88kg per kg of Aluminium.  In the US, steel consumption is about 300kg per person per year, plus about 15 kg of Aluminium, which would generate about 140kg per year of Oxygen on Mars.  But Mars is likely to use way more steel and iron per capita than Earth does, both since it'll be growing faster and because structures will use more of it per volume.  China uses double our steel per capita, and I think we should expect Mars to exceed even that.  Agriculture is also likely to generate excess oxygen.  Necessarily, producing the food we eat also produces the oxygen we breathe.  But no plant is 100% edible, and that excess plant matter also means excess oxygen.  Rockets also typically run fuel rich, meaning even more excess oxygen.  Any plastics, polymers, rubbers, etc will also generate comparable volumes of excess oxygen.

Anyway, my question for you all: What's the best use for extra oxygen?  Is there any?  Or will it just be released off into the wind?

---

-Josh

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Excess Oxygen

This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members over time.

I'm hoping someone will come up with at least ** one ** potential market for excess oxygen.

(th)

JoshNH4H

Member

From: Pullman, WA

Registered: 2007-07-15

Posts: 2,564

Website

Re: Excess Oxygen

Some thoughts:

-Habitat leaks: All habitats will leak, and if you have extra oxygen hanging around you don't need to worry about it as much
-Airlocks: Don't worry about pumps or anything, fill it with pure ox and let it bleed out
-Energy storage: Use it as the working fluid in a compressed gas system for blackouts. Don't worry about pumping down when it's exhausted, just let it go.

Having said that, all these combined still don't really add up to enough

---

-Josh

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Excess Oxygen

For JoshNH4H re #3

In recent years while you were away, members have considered economic value of various products that might be created at Mars.

Louis is a name that comes to mind as a leading proponent of economic value, and there are others who've contributed.

With that background in mind, I wonder if raw oxygen might be a commodity of immense value to space faring people.

A recent science fiction story explored that theme, with the twist that the process used to "make" the oxygen was biological, so there were traces of various natural fragrance in the air, and part of the story had to do with how the various "flavors" of the air affected the value to the consumer.

Until you introduced the possibility there might be excess oxygen in the context of Mars, I have not seen that idea considered.

(th)

Calliban

Member

From: Northern England, UK

Registered: 2019-08-18

Posts: 3,792

Re: Excess Oxygen

I think much will depend upon how we produce steel.  If it has to be produced using hydrogen generated by electrolysis, then extra oxygen will be produced.  If we find sources of methane and hydrogen gas within the crust it will be energetically favourable to use them.  Butbwe do not know that such resources exist and we won't know until humans scout the surface.

I have a strong suspicion that people living on Mars will desire open spaces.  Until Mars is terraformed, the habitats will be underground spaces or regolith covered structures.  There will be a desire for open structures with high ceilings that resemble open sky.  There will be a need for new industrial facilities.  Oxygen will be needed to fill these.  The need for new habitable volume will outpace population.

Additional: If perchlorates can be removed from regolith by dissolving in water and concentrated by freeze thaw cycles, oxygen can be produced by chemical decomposition.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemica … _generator

Last edited by Calliban (2024-08-13 07:13:21)

---

"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."