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At least 199 records · Page 11

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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Thermal Modeling of a Compressor for CO2 Removal in the International Space Station

Contaminant removal technology, such as the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) on the International Space Station (ISS), is critical to Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), which enable humans to live and work in outer space. The CDRA includes an adsorbent bed, which absorbs CO2 from the cabin air and releases it to a Sabatier reactor for water production when thermally cycled. An effective system would heat and cool the adsorbent quickly and uniformly to maximize the amount of CO2 removed from the cabin and delivered to the Sabatier reactor. Air-Cooled Temperature Swing Adsorption Compressors (AC-TSAC) are promising for use downstream of the CDRA because they are a simple alternative to more mechanically-complex compressors, which are currently in use on the ISS. A thermal model of the AC-TSAC was created in COMSOL and validated by comparing the model outputs to experimental data for the heating phase of the cycle. Subsequently, several design trades and performance sensitivities were conducted, including bed geometry (rectangular vs. cylindrical), bed structural material (i.e., the material that makes up the walls and shelves), thermal conductivity of the adsorbent material and bed structural materials, and the input power for heating. The results from these studies will inform the design of the next generation of the AC-TSAC, and the thermal modeling results will be further validated through testing.

Hannah Alpert↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Thermal Modeling of a Compressor for CO2 Removal in the International Space Station

Hannah Alpert↗

NASA NTRS2026

Recirculating and Sub-Atmospheric Rapid Cycle Amine Swing Bed Testing at Various Metabolic Profiles, Temperatures, and Half-Cycle Times

Sixty years since the first spacewalk, NASA’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) exploration space suit has undergone numerous design improvements and iterations. As commercial manufacturers develop next-generation systems to support increasingly complex missions, including Moon-to-Mars architecture prototyping and the design of the Martian Portable Life Support System (PLSS), material selection and individual subunit testing under realistic metabolic and pressure conditions are paramount. To determine whether a reusable carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) scrubber design and adsorbent can be utilized in new suit configurations, an all-encompassing test rig is required to compare existing and newly developed technologies. The test rig must be capable of sub-atmospheric testing, calibrated humid CO 2 dosing, and facilitation of the evaluation of sorbents across a wide range of operational requirements. Recently, XploSafe has developed an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) testing rig specifically designed to explore CO 2 and humidity control materials for spacesuits. This closed-loop recirculating swing bed (Rapid Cycle Amine Test Rig) was utilized to compare adsorbent utility across a wide range of xEMU operating conditions. Following successful testing with Xplo-SA9T over multiple simulated eight-hour Extravehicular Activity (EVA) tests, improvements to the test stand were considered. Regeneration vacuum supply within the test rig was updated to more closely resemble space vacuum, theoretically increasing half-cycle timing. An improved water vapor delivery system was incorporated to dose a wider calibrated range of humidity over both short and long-duration EVAs. A range of metabolic profiles between 800 and 3000 BTU/h were tested, and the corresponding average CO 2 steady-states were compared. The effect of dosing temperature at the adsorbent bed inlet between 10 and 40 ̊C and the corresponding CO 2 removal efficiency was also evaluated.

John R Tidwell↗

NASA NTRS2019

Dynamic Modeling of Gaseous Multicomponent Trace Contaminant Adsorption

Activated carbon is a porous material in the Trace Contaminant Control (TCC) system that physically adsorbs volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated within spacecraft and spacesuit environments. Several isotherm models exist to predict adsorption equilibria for processes involving multicomponent systems. This paper investigates the use of Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) for predicting multicomponent trace contaminant adsorption behavior using single-component isotherms based on potential theory. Developing simulations for experimental breakthrough curves will gauge the validity on the sizing and design of TCC architecture. Model results on predicting bed performance and roll-up effects are compared with available multicomponent test data.

Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST)↗

NASA NTRS1969

Detection of molecular infrared spectra

Total energy distribution measurements of field emitted electrons detect molecular infrared spectra of adsorbed molecules. Tunneling electron gives up energy to excite various modes of adsorbed molecule. These electrons, when energy-analyzed, show up on the collector and exhibit the spectra of various modes excited by tunneling electrons.

Swanson, L. W.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Potassium permanganate for mercury vapor environmental control

Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) was evaluated for application in removing mercury vapor from exhaust air systems. The KMnO4 may be used in water solution with a liquid spray scrubber system or as a solid adsorber bed material when impregnated onto a zeolite. Air samples contaminated with as much as 112 mg/cu m of mercury were scrubbed to 0.06mg/cum with the KMnO4-impregnated zeolite (molecular sieve material). The water spray solution of permanganate was also found to be as effective as the impregnated zeolite. The KMnO4-impregnated zeolite was applied as a solid adsorber material to (1) a hardware decontamination system, (2) a model incinerator, and (3) a high vacuum chamber for ion engine testing with mercury as the propellant. A liquid scrubber system was also applied in an incinerator system. Based on the results of these experiments, it is concluded that the use of KMnO4 can be an effective method for controlling noxious mercury vapor.

Kuivinen, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1971

Preferential polymerization and adsorption of L-optical isomers of amino acids relative to D-optical isomers on kaolinite templates.

Experiments on the polymerization of the L- and D-optical isomers of aspartic acid and serine using kaolinite as a catalyst showed that the L-optical isomers were polymerized at a much higher rate than the D-optical isomers; racemic (DL-) mixtures were polymerized at an intermediate rate. The peptides formed from the L-monomers were preferentially adsorbed by the clay. In the absence of kaolinite, no significant or consistent difference in the behavior of the L- and D-optical isomers was observed. In experiments on the adsorption of L- and D-phenylalanine by kaolinite, the L-optical isomer was preferentially adsorbed.

Jackson, T. A.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Field emission energy distributions of hydrogen and deuterium on the /100/ and /110/ planes of tungsten.

Total energy distributions of field emitted electrons from the tungsten (110) and (100) planes as a function of coverage by hydrogen and deuterium have been recorded utilizing a spherical deflection energy analyzer. The elastic tunneling resonance spectrum gives a plot of the 'local density of states' in the adsorbate. The inelastic tunneling spectrum reveals those discrete excitation energies available in the adsorbate-substrate complex. These spectroscopic data have been used to infer the chemical nature of the binding states which have been observed in the flash desorption spectrum of hydrogen from tungsten.

Plummer, E. W.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Dynamic technique for measuring adsorption in a gas chromatograph

Gas-chromatographic procedure, together with mathematical analysis of adsorption isotherm, allows relative surface areas and adsorptive powers for trace concentrations to be determined in a few minutes. Technique may be used to evaluate relative surface areas of different adsorbates, expressed as volume of adsorbent/gram of adsorbate, and to evaluate their relative adsorptive power.

Deuel, C. L.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Auger analysis of oxygen and sulfur interactions with various metals and the effect of sliding on these interactions

Various gases were adsorbed to copper, aluminum, and chromium surfaces. The gases included oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and sulfur dioxide. Chemisorption was conducted on static surfaces and during dynamic friction experiments. An Auger cyclindrical mirror analyzer was used to monitor surface films. The sulfur containing gases adsorbed readily to all surfaces. Exposures of as little as 0.000001 (torr)(sec) (1 langmuir) were sufficient to reduce friction. Sliding contact did not affect chemisorption of copper or aluminum but did affect chemisorption to chromium surfaces. Oxygen removed sulfur films from all surfaces at room temperature (23 C). Gaseous exposures were from 0.000001 to 0.01 (torr)(sec) (1 to 10,000 langmuirs).

Buckley, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Ammonium perchlorate gasification and combustion at high heating rates and low pressures.

Mass-spectrometric and linear regression rate characterizations are reported, derived from CO2 laser pyrolyses of pressed NH2ClO4 (AP) at incident heat fluxes ranging from 25 to 4000 cal/sq cm sec. Product evolution-rate histories were obtained in vacuo by time-resolved (5 msec) mass spectrometry during (1) transient heat-up, and (2) subsequent quasi-steady vaporization (QSV). Vaporization induction times were obtained for (1); these, coupled with heat-transfer approximations neglecting thermochemical heat release, indicated that optical absorption at 10.6 microns dominated over conduction for heat fluxes much greater than 300. Conclusions applying in vacuo were: preferential desorption of NH3, with net accumulation of adsorbed HClO4, occurred during transient heat-up and onset of condensed phase decomposition (CPD), but preferential decomposition of adsorbed HClO4 (compared to NH3) occurred during QSV when CPD was significant. CPD was the dominant mode of QSV at moderate heat fluxes.

Pellett, G. L.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Detection techniques for tenuous planetary atmospheres

The development of new types of detectors for analysis of planetary atmospheres is discussed. Initially, the interest was in detectors for use under partial vacuum conditions; recently, the program has been extended to include detectors for use at one atmosphere and adsorption systems for control and separation of gases. Results to date have included detector for O2 and H2 under partial vacuum conditions. Experiments on detectors for use at high pressures began in 1966; and systems for CO, H2, and O2 were reported in 1967 and 1968. In 1968 studies began on an electrically controlled adsorbent. It was demonstrated that under proper conditions a thin film of semiconductor material could be electrically cycled to absorb and desorb a specific gas. This work was extended to obtain quantitative data on the use of semiconductors as controllable adsorbents.

Hoenig, S. A.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Oxygen and sulfur interactions with a clean iron surface and the effect of rubbing contact on these interactions

An investigation was conducted to determine the nature of the chemical interactions of oxygen and sulfur with iron when surfaces are stationary and also during sliding in a vacuum environment. Various gases that contained sulfur, oxygen, or both were adsorbed to iron at 23 C. The gases included oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and sulfur dioxide. Friction experiments were conducted with a hemispherical rider sliding on a rotating disk. An Auger cylindrical mirror analyzer was used to monitor the iron surface chemistry. The results of this study indicate that oxygen will completely displace sulfide films from iron surfaces. Organic thiols containing sulfur, such as methyl mercaptan, adsorb to an iron surface dissociatively. Only sulfur is detected on the iron surface. Sliding inhibits the formation of sulfide films on iron with the adsorption of hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan. With oxygen and sulfur dioxide, the sliding process does not affect adsorption behavior.

Buckley, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Photo-induced free radicals on a simulated Martian surface

Results of an electron spin resonance study of free radicals in the ultraviolet irradiation of a simulated Martian surface suggest that the ultraviolet photolysis of CO or CO2, or a mixture of both, adsorbed on silica gel at minus 170 C involves the formation of OH radicals and possibly of H atoms as the primary process, followed by the formation of CO2H radicals. It is concluded that the photochemical synthesis of organic compounds could occur on Mars if the siliceous surface dust contains enough silanol groups and/or adsorbed H2O in the form of bound water.

Tseng, S.-S.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Virial expansion of the second layer in physical adsorption - An ab initio calculation for helium on argon crystal

A model of helium adsorption on an argon crystal is built up from the premise that local adsorption predominates in the first layer and nonlocal adsorption in the second. Application of the virial expansion theorem to the second layer gives a series in which the first term represents the motion of a single molecule in the external potential field and the second a two-body interaction under this field. The thermodynamic functions of the adsorbed phase are calculated ab initio, the gas-solid interaction potential being derived from lattice summation and the partition function from an appropriate choice of a site-spacing polynomial to describe the periodic potential. The mutual interaction of adsorbed molecules is calculated with a two-dimensional Lennard-Jones potential. The second virial coefficient is calculated and its dependence on temperature and choice of potential is studied. It is found that the second virial coefficient is very well approximated by a two-dimensional gas in free space. The adsorption isotherm, isosteric heat, and specific heat are obtained and compared with the results of Ross and Steele, giving excellent agreement.

Oh, B. K.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Friction and wear of metals in contact with pyrolytic graphite

Sliding friction experiments were conducted with gold, iron, and tantalum single crystals sliding on prismatic and basal orientations of pyrolytic graphite in various environments, including vacuum, oxygen, water vapor, nitrogen, and hydrogen bromide. Surfaces were examined in the clean state and with various adsorbates present on the graphite surfaces. Auger and LEED spectroscopy, SEM, and EDXA were used to characterize the graphite surfaces. Results indicate that the prismatic and basal orientations do not contain nor do they chemisorb oxygen, water vapor, acetylene, or hydrogen bromide. All three metals exhibited higher friction on the prismatic than on the basal orientation and these metals transferred to the atomically clean prismatic orientation of pyrolytic graphite. No metal transfer to the graphite was observed in the presence of adsorbates at 760 torr. Ion bombardment of the graphite surface with nitrogen ions resulted in the adherence of nitrogen to the surface.

Buckley, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Interaction of gases with lunar materials

The surface properties of lunar fines were investigated. Results indicate that, for the most part, these properties are independent of the chemical composition and location of the samples on the lunar surface. The leaching of channels and pores by adsorbed water vapor is a distinguishing feature of their surface chemistry. The elements of air, if adsorbed in conjunction with water vapor or liquid water, severely impedes the leaching process. In the absence of air, liquid water is more effective than water vapor in attacking the grains. The characteristics of Apollo 17 orange fines were evaluated and compared with those of other samples. The interconnecting channels produced by water vapor adsorption were found to be wider than usual for other types of fines. Damage tracks caused by heavy cosmic ray nuclei and an unusually high halogen content might provide for stronger etching conditions upon exposure to water vapor.

Holmes, H. F.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Gas adsorption on crushed quartz and basalt

The new surfaces generated by crushing rocks and minerals adsorb gases. Different gases are adsorbed to different extents so that both the total amount and composition of the released gases are changed. This affects the interpretation of the composition of the gases obtained by vacuum crushing lunar basalts, meteorites and minerals with fluid inclusions.

Barker, C.↗