Performance analysis of a bucket drum for lunar regolith collection in lunar base construction

To facilitate the collection of lunar regolith for lunar base construction, the use of a bucket drum has emerged as an efficient and convenient method. This paper aimed to investigate the influence of drum configurations and operating parameters on collection performance. Initially, a DEM model for lunar regolith simulant particles was developed, and parameters were calibrated using RSM. Three different drum configurations were designed for simulation to compare the motion behavior of particles, drum forces, torque, and collection mass. Additionally, the effects of the rotation speed, cut depth, and linear cut speed on collection process were analyzed through simulations. Furthermore, a testing platform was constructed to evaluate the collection performance of the drum under various operating parameters. The influence of operating parameters was further confirmed, thereby validating the effectiveness and accuracy of the DEM simulations. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing drum structures and establishing appropriate operating parameters.