SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Engineering studies, design activity and testing associated with the development of a waste collection system to accommodate both male and female crewmembers in a space environment are reported.
Water and sewage treatment systems are presented with concentration on the filtration of water. Equipment is described for organic removal, solids removal, nutrient removal, inorganic removal, and disinfection of the water. Such things as aseline hardware, additional piping connections, waste disposal, and costs involved are also reported.
Papers are reported which were presented at the conference on waste glass recovery and re-use in secondary products. The uses considered include: road surfacing, asphaltic concretes, road construction, terrazzo, cement concrete, pozzolan, glass wool, glass-polymer composites, and tiles. Problems of recycling glass in remote areas, and the economics and markets for secondary glass products are discussed.
Effluent concentration distributions from the waste water discharge of the Kraft Division Mill, Consolidated Paper Company, into the Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, is investigated. Effluent concentrations were determined from measurements of the temperature distribution, using temperature as a tracer. Measurements of the velocity distribution in the vicinity of the outfall were also made. Due to limitations in the extent of the field observations, the analysis and comparison of the measurements is limited to the region within about 300 feet from the outfall. Effects of outfall submergence, of buoyancy and momentum of the effluent and of the pattern and magnitude of river currents on these characteristics are considered.
Potential ways of providing solid-waste management for a building complex serviced by a modular integrated utility system (MIUS) were explored. Literature surveys were conducted to investigate both conventional and unusual systems to serve this purpose. The advantages and disadvantages of the systems most compatible with MIUS are discussed.
A baseline laboratory prototype of an integrated, six man, zero-g subsystem for processing human wastes onboard spacecraft was investigated, and included the development of an operational specification for the baseline subsystem, followed by design and fabrication. The program was concluded by performing a series of six tests over a period of two weeks to evaluate the performance of the subsystem. The results of the tests were satisfactory, however, several changes in the design of the subsystem are required before completely satisfactory performance can be achieved.
The basic Waste Collection System (WCS) design under consideration utilized air flow to separate the stool from the WCS user and to transport the fecal material to a slinger device for subsequent deposition on a storage bowel. The major parameters governing stool separation and transport were found to be the area of the air inlet orifices, the configuration of the air inlet orifice and the transport air flow. Separation force and transport velocity of the stool were studied. The developed inlet orifice configuration was found to be an effective design for providing fecal separation and transport. Simulated urine tests and female user tests in zero gravity established air flow rates between 0.08 and 0.25 cu sm/min (3 and 9 scfm) as satisfactory for entrapment, containment and transport of urine using an urinal. The investigation of air drying of fecal material as a substitute for vacuum drying in a WCS breadboard system showed that using baseline conditions anticipated for the shuttle cabin ambient atmosphere, flow rates of 0.14 cu sm/min (5 cfm) were adequate for drying and maintaining biological stability of the fecal material.
This paper discusses the computer simulation of the Integrated Waste Management-Water System Using Radioisotopes for Thermal Energy (RITE) and applications of the simulation. Variations in the system temperature and flows due to particular operating conditions and variations in equipment heating loads imposed on the system were investigated with the computer program. The results were assessed from the standpoint of the computed dynamic characteristics of the system and the potential applications of the simulation to system development and vehicle integration.
The feasibility of using immobilized urease for urea removal from waste water for space system applications is considered, specifically the elimination of the urea toxicity problem in a 30-day Orbiting Frog Otolith (OFO) flight experiment. Because urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide, control of their concentrations within nontoxic limits was also determined. The results of this study led to the use of free urease in lieu of the immobilized urease for controlling urea concentrations. An ion exchange resin was used which reduced the NH3 level by 94% while reducing the sodium ion concentration only 10%.
A nuclear fission energy system, capable of eliminating a significant amount of its radioactive wastes by burning them, is described. A theoretical investigation of this system conducted by computer analysis, is based on use of gaseous fuel nuclear reactors. Gaseous core reactors using a uranium plasma fuel are studied along with development for space propulsion.
It is shown that space transportation is a feasible method of removal of radioactive wastes from the biosphere. The high decay heat of the isotopes powers a thermionic generator which provides electrical power for ion thrust engines. The massive shields (used to protect ground and flight personnel) are removed in orbit for subsequent reuse; the metallic fuel provides a shield for the avionics that guides the orbital stage to solar system escape. Performance calculations indicate that 4000 kg. of actinides may be removed per Shuttle flight. Subsidiary problems - such as cooling during ascent - are discussed.
Addition of quaternary ammonium compound and activated charcoal to pulp and mill wastes precipitates lignins in sludge mixture. Methanol dissolves lignins for separation from resulting slurry. Mineral acid reprecipitates lignins in filtered solution. Quaternary ammonium compound, activated charcoal, as well as water may be recovered and recycled from this process.
The author has identified the following significant results. An inexpensive, integrated drogue-aircraft-satellite approach was developed which is based on the Lagrangian technique and employs remotely tracked drogues and dyes together with satellite observation of natural tracers, such as suspended sediment. Results include current circulation studies in Delaware Bay in support of an oil slick movement model; investigations of the dispersion and movement of acid wastes dumped 40 miles off the Delaware coast; and coastal current circulation. In each case, the integrated drogue-aircraft-satellite approach compares favorably with other techniques on the basis of accuracy, cost effectiveness, and performance under severe weather conditions.
Experiments carried out at the NASA National Space Technology Laboratories indicate that water hyacinths can absorb organic chemicals, heavy metals, nutrients, and other materials from waste water while producing large quantities of biomass, which can be used to produce a gas containing 60-80% methane. When grown in sewage free of toxic materials, the biomass can be used as a potential source of fertilizer or animal feed supplements. The use of hot water from nuclear power plants to grow water hyacinths during the winter months is particularly attractive, since the hyacinths could act as an added safety filtration system for the removal of radioactive elements.
Gas from waste is used as fuel supplement for diesel engines. Gases supplement diesel-fuel consumption by as much as twenty percent without adversely affecting engine performance or engine parts.
The N2O content of waters in the Potomac and Merrimack Rivers was measured on a number of occasions over the period April to July 1977. The concentrations of dissolved N2O exceeded those which would apply in equilibrium with air by factors ranging from about 46 in the Potomac to 1.2 in the Merrimack. Highest concentrations of dissolved N2O were associated with sewage discharges from the vicinity of Washington, D. C., and analysis indicates a relatively high yield, 1.3 to 11%, for prompt conversion of waste nitrogen to N2O. Measurements of dissolved N2O in fresh water ponds near Boston demonstrated that aquatic systems provide both strong sources and sinks for atmospheric N2O.
Prototypes of two types of modularized, deployable radiator systems with a high degree of configuration and component commonality to minimize design, development and fabrication costs are currently under development for Shuttle payloads with high waste heat: a rigid radiator system which utilizes aluminum honeycomb panels that are deployed by a scissors mechanism; and two 'flexible' radiator systems which use panels constructed from flexible metal/dielectric composite materials that are deployed by 'unrolling' or 'extending' in orbit. Detail descriptions of these deployable radiator systems along with design and performance features are presented.
An estimate is obtained of the yearly supply of organic material for conversion to fuels, the energy potential is evaluated, and the fermentation and pyrolysis conversion processes are discussed. An investigation is conducted of the estimated cost of fuel from organics and the conclusions of an overall evaluation are presented. It is found that climate, land availability and economics of agricultural production and marketing, food demand, fertilizer shortage, and water availability combine to cast doubts on the feasibility of producing grown organic matter for fuel, in competition with food, feed, or fiber. Less controversial is the utilization of agricultural, industrial, and domestic waste as a conversion feedstock. The evaluation of a demonstration size system is recommended.