Metal Refining
Vacuum Refining + Alloying Process
The vacuum refining and alloying process is a 150-kilogram metallurgical unit that purifies smelted metals and adjusts their composition to alloy specifications for lunar manufacturing. Operating at 3,000 watts of power with a throughput of 5 kilograms per hour, the system uses a vacuum induction chamber and a stainless ladle to achieve a 0.5 percent compositional accuracy. It leverages the ambient lunar vacuum for degassing dissolved gases, skims oxide slag impurities, and blends in-situ-derived alloying elements—including silicon, magnesium, and titanium—before verifying metal chemistry through spectroscopic analysis.
Vacuum refining + alloying process removing impurities and adjusting composition to per-alloy specs for L1-MFG manufacturing.
Purpose
Vacuum refining + alloying process removing impurities and adjusting composition to per-alloy specs for L1-MFG manufacturing.
Context
Child of L2-MFG-SMELT within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Vacuum degassing removes dissolved gases
- ▸Per-alloy additions (Si, Mg, Ti) to reach spec
- ▸Slag skimming removes oxide impurities
- ▸Spectroscopic composition verification
- ▸Long-life vacuum induction chamber
Typical implementations
- ▸Industrial vacuum induction refining (terrestrial)
- ▸Aerospace alloy refining
- ▸NASA ISRU material processing
Lunar considerations
- ▸Vacuum natural on Moon
- ▸ISRU alloying additions also ISRU-sourced where possible
- ▸Spectroscopic QC via L3-MFG-QC-MAT
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Vacuum refining + alloying process removing impurities and adjusting composition to per-alloy specs for L1-MFG manufacturing. |
| throughput kg per hour | 5 |
| composition accuracy percent | 0.5 |
Physical
| mass kg | 150 |
| materials | Vacuum induction chamber, Stainless ladle |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 3000 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 20 |
| mtbf hours | 30000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Refined alloy melt
Requires
- Reduced metal input
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Metal Refining" (L3-MFG-SMELT-REFINE). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-MFG-SMELT-REFINE
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.