Air regenerating system in a pressurized capsule
Air regeneration system for sealed capsule occupied by animals during space flights
SPACE BIOLOGY↗
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Results for “Air Purification”
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.
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Carbon dioxide concentration system Interim report no. 1
Electrochemical carbon dioxide concentration system for purifying space cabin atmosphere
LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM↗
Investigation of catalytic combustion of impurities in air Final report, 24 Mar. - 28 Dec. 1966
Catalytic coil to oxidize carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane present as impurities in air
AIR PURIFICATION↗
CO sub 2 removal by pulsed gas chromatography.
Physicochemical techniques for gas separation emphasizing pulsed gas chromatography for carbon dioxide removal in spacecraft
CARBON DIOXIDE REMOVAL↗
GAT-O-SORB -A regenerable sorbent for carbon dioxide control.
Regenerable sorbent /GAT-O-SORB/ in granular form for carbon dioxide removal from air, discussing design and performance tests of laboratory prototype
REGENERATIVE CYCLE↗
Lunar base CELSS: A bioregenerative approach
During the twenty-first century, human habitation of a self-sustaining lunar base could become a reality. To achieve this goal, the occupants will have to have food, water, and an adequate atmosphere within a carefully designed environment. Advanced technology will be employed to support terrestrial life-sustaining processes on the Moon. One approach to a life support system based on food production, waste management and utilization, and product synthesis is outlined. Inputs include an atmosphere, water, plants, biodegradable substrates, and manufacutured materials such as fiberglass containment vessels from lunar resources. Outputs include purification of air and water, food, and hydrogen (H2) generated from methane (CH4). Important criteria are as follows: (1) minimize resupply from Earth; and (2) recycle as efficiently as possible.
Easterwood, G. W.↗
Microbial contamination of spacecraft
Spacecraft and space habitats supporting human exploration contain a diverse population of microorganisms. Microorganisms may threaten human habitation in many ways that directly or indirectly impact the health, safety, or performance of astronauts. The ability to produce and maintain spacecraft and space stations with environments suitable for human habitation has been established over 40 years of human space flight. An extensive database of environmental microbiological parameters has been provided for short-term (< 20 days) space flight by more than 100 missions aboard the Space Shuttle. The NASA Mir Program provided similar data for long-duration missions. Interestingly, the major bacterial and fungal species found in the Space Shuttle are similar to those encountered in the nearly 15-year-old Mir. Lessons learned from both the US and Russian space programs have been incorporated into the habitability plan for the International Space Station. The focus is on preventive measures developed for spacecraft, cargo, and crews. On-orbit regular housekeeping practices complete with visual inspections are essential, along with microbiological monitoring. Risks associated with extended stays on the Moon or a Mars exploration mission will be much greater than previous experiences because of additional unknown variables. The current knowledge base is insufficient for exploration missions, and research is essential to understand the effects of space flight on biological functions and population dynamics of microorganisms in spacecraft. Equally important is a better understanding of the immune response and of human-microorganism-environment interactions during long-term space habitation.
Mir Project↗
Particulate filtration from emissions of a plasma pyrolysis assembly reactor using regenerable porous metal filters
Microwave-based plasma pyrolysis technology is being studied as a means of supporting oxygen recovery in future spacecraft life support systems. The process involves the conversion of methane produced from a Sabatier reactor to acetylene and hydrogen, with a small amount of solid carbon particulates generated as a side product. The particles must be filtered before the acetylene is removed and the hydrogen-rich gas stream is recycled back to the CRA. We discuss developmental work on porous metal media filters for removing the carbon particulate emissions from the PPA exit gas stream and to provide in situ media regeneration capability. Because of the high temperatures involved in oxidizing the deposited carbon during regeneration, there was particular focus in this development on the materials that could be used, the housing design, and heating methods. This paper describes the design and operation of the filter and characterizes their performance from integrated testing at the Environmental Chamber (E-Chamber) at MSFC.
particulates↗
Performance Assessment of the Exploration Water Recovery System
A new water recovery system architecture designed to fulfill the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) Space Exploration Policy has been tested at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). This water recovery system architecture evolved from the current state-of-the-art system developed for the International Space Station (ISS). Through novel integration of proven technologies for air and water purification, this system promises to elevate existing system optimization. The novel aspect of the system is twofold. First, volatile organic compounds (VOC) are removed from the cabin air via catalytic oxidation in the vapor phase, prior to their absorption into the aqueous phase. Second, vapor compression distillation (VCD) technology processes the condensate and hygiene waste streams in addition to the urine waste stream. Oxidation kinetics dictate that removing VOCs from the vapor phase is more efficient. Treating the various waste streams by VCD reduces the load on the expendable ion exchange and adsorption media which follows, as well as the aqueous-phase catalytic oxidation process further downstream. This paper documents the results of testing this new architecture.
Carter. D. Layne↗
A Water Recovery System Evolved for Exploration
A new water recovery system designed towards fulfillment of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration is presented. This water recovery system is an evolution of the current state-of-the-art system. Through novel integration of proven technologies for air and water purification, this system promises to elevate existing technology to higher levels of optimization. The novel aspect of the system is twofold: Volatile organic contaminants will be removed from the cabin air via catalytic oxidation in the vapor phase, prior to their absorption into the aqueous phase, and vapor compression distillation technology will be used to process the condensate and hygiene waste streams in addition to the urine waste stream. Oxidation kinetics dictate that removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase is more efficient. Treatment of the various waste streams by VCD will reduce the load on the expendable ion exchange and adsorption media which follow, and on the aqueous-phase volatile removal assembly further downstream. Incorporating these advantages will reduce the weight, volume, and power requirements of the system, as well as resupply.
ORourke, Mary Jane E.↗
Plants for water recycling, oxygen regeneration and food production
During long-duration space missions that require recycling and regeneration of life support materials the major human wastes to be converted to usable forms are CO2, hygiene water, urine and feces. A Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) relies on the air revitalization, water purification and food production capabilities of higher plants to rejuvenate human wastes and replenish the life support materials. The key processes in such a system are photosynthesis, whereby green plants utilize light energy to produce food and oxygen while removing CO2 from the atmosphere, and transpiration, the evaporation of water from the plant. CELSS research has emphasized the food production capacity and efforts to minimize the area/volume of higher plants required to satisfy all human life support needs. Plants are a dynamic system capable of being manipulated to favour the supply of individual products as desired. The size and energy required for a CELSS that provides virtually all human needs are determined by the food production capacity. Growing conditions maximizing food production do not maximize transpiration of water; conditions favoring transpiration and scaling to recycle only water significantly reduces the area, volume, and energy inputs per person. Likewise, system size can be adjusted to satisfy the air regeneration needs. Requirements of a waste management system supplying inputs to maintain maximum plant productivity are clear. The ability of plants to play an active role in waste processing and the consequence in terms of degraded plant performance are not well characterized. Plant-based life support systems represent the only potential for self sufficiency and food production in an extra-terrestrial habitat.
NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗
Potential applications of NASA-developed technology to problems of the environment.
The life-support mission of NASA has the same broad objectives as the national imperatives toward environmental restoration: pure air, clean water, and reuse of resources. The major difference is the vast scale of the environment, compared to the very small scale of spacecraft, even including the largest space stations now projected. For this reason, the devices developed for manned spacecraft life support will be of much less interest than the techniques that have emerged from NASA-sponsored research and development. Several immediate applications in air and water purification can be cited, and several other long-term potential applications may also be considered.
Ross, L. W.↗
Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Oxidation of Atmospheric Trace Contaminants
Heterogeneous photocatalysis involves the use of a light-activated catalyst at room temperature in order to carry out a desired reaction. In the presence of molecular oxygen, illumination of the n-type semiconductor oxide titanium dioxide (TiO2) provides for production of highly active forms of oxygen, such as hydroxyl radicals, which are able to carry out the complete oxidative destruction of simple hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, ethylene, propylene, and carbon monoxide. This broad oxidation potential, coupled with the ability with sufficient residence time to achieve complete oxidation of simple hydrocarbon contaminants to carbon dioxide and water, indicated that heterogeneous photocatalysis should be examined for its potential for purification of spacecraft air. If a successful catalyst and photoreactor could be demonstrated at the laboratory level, such results would allow consideration of photocatalysts as a partial or complete replacement of adsorption systems, thereby allowing for reduction in lift-off weight of a portion of the life support system for the spacecraft, or other related application such as a space station or a conventional commercial aircraft. The present research was undertaken to explore this potential through achievement of the following plan of work: (a) ascertain the intrinsic kinetics of conversion of pollutants of interest in spacecraft, (b) ascertain the expected lifetime of catalysts through examination of most likely routes of catalyst deactivation and regeneration, (c) model and explore experimentally the low pressure drop catalytic monolith, a commercial configuration for automotive exhaust control, and (d) examine the kinetics of multicomponent conversions. In the recent course of this work, we have also discovered how to increase catalyst activity via halide promotion which has allowed us to achieve approximately 100% conversion of an aromatic contaminant (toluene) in a very short residence time of 5-6 milliseconds.
Ollis, David F.↗
Heterogeneous Photocatalytic Oxidation of Atmospheric Trace Contaminants
Heterogeneous photocatalysis involves the use of a light-activated catalyst at room temperature in order to carry out a desired reaction. In the presence of molecular oxygen, illumination of the n-type semiconductor oxide titanium dioxide (TiO2) provides for production of highly active forms of oxygen, such as hydroxyl radicals, which are able to carry out the complete oxidative destruction of simple hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, ethylene, propylene, and carbon monoxide. This broad oxidation potential, coupled with the ability with sufficient residence time to achieve complete oxidation of simple hydrocarbon contaminants to carbon dioxide and water, indicated that heterogeneous photocatalysis should be examined for its potential for purification of spacecraft air. If a successful catalyst and photoreactor could be demonstrated at the laboratory level, such results would allow consideration of photocatalysts as a partial or complete replacement of adsorption systems, thereby allowing for reduction in lift-off weight of a portion of the life support system for the spacecraft, or other related application such as a space station or a conventional commercial aircraft. The present research was undertaken to explore this potential through achievement of the following plan of work: (a) ascertain the intrinsic kinetics of conversion of pollutants of interest in spacecraft, (b) ascertain the expected lifetime of catalysts through examination of most likely routes of catalyst deactivation and regeneration (c) model and explore experimentally the low pressure drop catalytic monolith, a commercial configuration for automotive exhaust control (d) examine the kinetics of multicomponent conversions. In the recent course of this work, we have also discovered how to increase catalyst activity via halide promotion which has allowed us to achieve approximately 100% conversion of an aromatic contaminant (toluene) in a very short residence time of 5-6 milliseconds.
Ollis, David F.↗
The Exploration Water Recovery System
The Exploration Water Recovery System is designed towards fulfillment of NASA s Vision for Space Exploration, which will require elevation of existing technologies to higher levels of optimization. This new system, designed for application to the Exploration infrastructure, presents a novel combination of proven air and water purification technologies. The integration of unit operations is modified from that of the current state-of-the-art water recovery system so as to optimize treatment of the various waste water streams, contaminant loads, and flow rates. Optimization is achieved primarily through the removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase prior to their absorption into the liquid phase. In the current state-of-the-art system, the water vapor in the cabin atmosphere is condensed, and the volatile organic contaminants present in that atmosphere are absorbed into the aqueous phase. Removal of contaminants the5 occurs via catalytic oxidation in the liquid phase. Oxidation kinetics, however, dictate that removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase can inherently be more efficient than their removal from the aqueous phase. Taking advantage of this efficiency reduces the complexity of the water recovery system. This reduction in system complexity is accompanied by reductions in the weight, volume, power, and resupply requirements of the system. Vapor compression distillation technology is used to treat the urine, condensate, and hygiene waste streams. This contributes to the reduction in resupply, as incorporation of vapor compression distillation technology at this point in the process reduces reliance on the expendable ion exchange and adsorption media used in the current state-of-the-art water recovery system. Other proven technologies that are incorporated into the Exploration Water Recovery System include the Trace Contaminant Control System and the Volatile Removal Assembly.
ORourke, Mary Jane E.↗
Plant Research
This video presentation addresses Stennis research on the use of plants for the purification of water and air for living in space and on Earth.
Source record↗
The BioHome: A spinoff of space technology
The discussion of the BioHome is prefaced with some information about the work done at the environmental lab over the past 15 years concerning environmental issues related to biological life support such as the use of water hyacinths for wastewater purification, artificial marshes, indoor polluted air revitalization, and the reduction of organic contaminants using a biological system comprised of plants and microorganisms. One of the main concerns, especially with respect to a closed environment, is whether or not these systems are expelling microorganisms into the air. Analyses are being conducted to determine the numbers and types of microbes that are emitted. The BioHome is a 650 sq ft habitat that will enable the evaluation of the efficiency of bioregenerative technology in a closed system. This BioHome system is described and its functions discussed.
Johnson, Anne↗
Effect of chlorine purification on oxidation resistance of some mechanical carbons
Oxidation experiments were conducted with some experimental and commercial mechanical carbons at 650 C in dry air flowing at 28 cc/sec (STP). In general, purification of these carbon-graphites with chlorine at 2800 C improved oxidation resistance. Additional improvements in oxidation resistance were obtained from purification followed by an antioxidant (zinc phosphate) treatment. For the commercial materials, purification alone gave greater oxidation resistance than the antioxidant treatment alone. The reverse, however, was the case for the experimental materials.
Wisander, D. W.↗