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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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806 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2024

Base Support Building Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 014 PlumeStop Injection Pilot Study Work Plan

This document is a Pilot Study Work Plan (PSWP) for a PlumeStop® permeable reactive barrier (PRB) at the Base Support Building (BSB; the Site) located at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. The Site has been designated as Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 014 under KSC’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action program. This document was prepared by AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contract 80KSC019D0010, Task Order 80KSC021F0096. This PSWP details the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) being installed at the BSB to decrease concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in downgradient groundwater using PlumeStop®. PlumeStop® is a colloidal activated carbon that PFAS compounds readily adsorb to. This PSWP outlines the design criteria, injection plan, and performance monitoring schedule for the proposed PlumeStop® PRB study that will guide the possible selection for use and future design of future full-scale PlumeStop® PRBs at KSC.

PFAS↗
NASA NTRS2024

Xplo-SA9T: Optimization of Sorbent Technology With Existing and New Amine Variants for Carbon Dioxide Removal and Humidity Control

Scrubbing of the spacesuit air stream to control humidity and regulate carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) relies on amine-loaded resins, colloquially known as sorbents. The efficacy of Rapid Cycle Amine technology relies on the propensity of nitrogens toward adsorption of CO 2 while simultaneously offering regenerative properties under vacuum or positive pressure. The commonly utilized sorbent, SA9T, was recreated and evaluated further to increase stability and serve as a benchmark comparison for newly synthesized amine sorbent technologies. Ongoing storage studies with eight different environments will allow the development of applicable storage protocols and provide insight into possible ammonia generation pathways. Attempts to alleviate the known issues with SA9T included the alteration of the primary amine (tetraethylenepentamine), the choice of resin, and the particle size distribution. In-house CO 2 breakthrough experiments were conducted using a specialized apparatus that can simulate spacesuit conditions, offering high-quality triplicate capacity analysis affording direct comparison to known adsorbents in the literature. Thermo-Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry studies on the synthesized materials revealed any reagent or solvent offgassing while Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy tracked the stability of the bound amine. Scanning Electron Microscope images of sieved materials provided a more accurate size interpretation facilitating synthetic design and pressure drop elimination. All efficient sorbents were synthesized to a commercial batch scale subsequent to evaluation including Xplo-SA9T.

John R Tidwell↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Bench Scale Heat Pipe and Vapor Chamber Testing for Space Applications

NASA’s space missions demand better and more efficient carbon dioxide removal systems. wo challenges present themselves in improving the state of the art pellet adsorption beds: power minimization and uniform heating for carbon dioxide desorption. Titanium heat pipes and vapor chambers were found to be excellent candidates in solving these problems because of their passive heating nature, tolerance to high temperatures, and capability of direct implementation into these adsorbent beds.This research work compares these different titanium heat pipes (HPs) and vapor chambers (VPs).

MultiSORB↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hot Water, Cold Reality: Experimental Analysis of Sorption Constraints in Iodine Filtration Media Under Heated-Water Conditions

Iodine has been widely employed as a residual biocide in potable water applications during crewed missions. Unlike other biocides, it is essential to remove iodine from drinking water prior to consumption, as its biocidal concentration raises health concerns. Consequently, effectively removing iodine species from water is a critical step in potable water processing. Although the non-biocided heated leg has not violated microbial specifications on the International Space Station, any wetted volume lacking biocide presents potential risks for long‑duration exploration missions and for systems that are sensitive to microbial growth/contamination. Recent assessments indicate, however, that iodine‑removal performance may degrade under elevated temperature conditions, such as those required for dispensing hot water for food preparation. This reduction in efficacy appears to stem from both the potential physical degradation of filtration media and the temperature‑dependent behavior of adsorption processes. To investigate the influence of water temperature on the efficacy of filtration media for iodine removal, a series of adsorption capacity tests were conducted at both room temperature and elevated temperatures (90 °C). These experiments aimed to benchmark the performance of the adsorbents that constitute the ACTEX filter in the ISS’s potable water dispenser. The findings of this study provide critical insights into the iodine filtration process, verify the potential performance shortfall under elevated temperature conditions, and establish the basis for defining new absorbent requirements to ensure reliable iodine removal in future mission architectures.

iodine↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hot Water, Cold Reality: Experimental Analysis of Sorption Constraints in Iodine Filtration Media Under Heated-Water Conditions

Iodine has been widely employed as a residual biocide in potable water applications during crewed missions. Unlike other biocides, it is essential to remove iodine from drinking water prior to consumption, as its biocidal concentration raises health concerns. Consequently, effectively removing iodine species from water is a critical step in potable water processing. Although the non-biocided heated leg has not violated microbial specifications on the International Space Station, any wetted volume lacking biocide presents potential risks for long‑duration exploration missions and for systems that are sensitive to microbial growth/contamination. Recent assessments indicate, however, that iodine‑removal performance may degrade under elevated temperature conditions, such as those required for dispensing hot water for food preparation. This reduction in efficacy appears to stem from both the potential physical degradation of filtration media and the temperature‑dependent behavior of adsorption processes. To investigate the influence of water temperature on the efficacy of filtration media for iodine removal, a series of adsorption capacity tests were conducted at both room temperature and elevated temperatures (90 °C). These experiments aimed to benchmark the performance of the adsorbents that constitute the ACTEX filter in the ISS’s potable water dispenser. The findings of this study provide critical insights into the iodine filtration process, verify the potential performance shortfall under elevated temperature conditions, and establish the basis for defining new absorbent requirements to ensure reliable iodine removal in future mission architectures.

drinking water↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Performance of the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber ISS Technology Demonstration

The Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber technology demonstration is presently operating onboard the International Space Station after being launched in August of 2021and activated in October. This work describes the ground and flight performance of the 4BCO2 and the methods used to determine performance on the ISS where limited sensor data is available.

Life Support↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Status of the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber ISS Technology Demonstration

The Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber flight demonstration is presently operating onboard the International Space Station. After being launched in August and activated in September 2021, the system has been removing metabolic CO2 from the cabin as a supplement and replacement for other CO2 removal systems, specifically the two Carbon Dioxide Removal Assemblies. This paper describes on-orbit operations and changes (including installation of the Calnetix blower) during 2022 and early 2023. Performance of the system especially as affected by changes in the on-orbit configuration will be described. System reliability, software changes, and ongoing efforts will be summarized.

Life Support↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Engineering Development Unit Cabin Air Inlet Testing

This paper reviews a test series conducted on the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Engineering Development Unit, a ground test analog for the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Technology Demonstration currently operating on the International Space Station. For this test series conducted in mid-2022, an alternate FBCO2 inlet air location (direct from the cabin) was evaluated. This paper presents test results, rationale for observed performance changes, and possible ramifications for the flight FBCO2 Scrubber.

Life Support↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Engineering Development Unit Cabin Air Inlet Testing

This paper reviews a test series conducted on the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Engineering Development Unit, a ground test analog for the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Technology Demonstration currently operating on the International Space Station. For this test series conducted in mid-2022, an alternate FBCO2 inlet air location (direct from the cabin) was evaluated. This paper presents test results, rationale for observed performance changes, and possible ramifications for the flight FBCO2 Scrubber.

Life Support↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Status of the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber ISS Technology Demonstration 2022-2023

The Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber flight demonstration is presently operating onboard the International Space Station. After being launched in August and activated in September 2021, the system has been removing metabolic CO2 from the cabin as a supplement and replacement for other CO2 removal systems, specifically the two Carbon Dioxide Removal Assemblies. This paper describes on-orbit operations and changes (including installation of the Calnetix blower) during 2022 and early 2023. Performance of the system especially as affected by changes in the on-orbit configuration will be described. System reliability, software changes, and ongoing efforts will be summarized.

Life Support↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Graphene-Based Filtration Media for Spacecraft Potable Water Systems: An Early Investigation

Graphene-based materials have allowed fundamental advances in fields such as energy storage, electronics development, material science, optics, medicine, and water processing due to their unique two-dimensional structure, mechanical robustness, large surface, and high conductivity. However, little to no effort has been devoted to exploiting and studying these materials to develop new water technologies suited for spacecraft applications. One such application is the potential use of graphene-based materials as filtration media for reclaimed water. Therefore, studying the adsorptive performance of these new materials becomes crucial in identifying the opportunity to replace/upgrade state-of-the-art filtration media currently used in space vehicles with water recovery capability; especially if consumable requirements can be lessened as a result of extended filtration capacity. This early Life-Support-Systems investigation pioneers in graphene research by testing a number of graphene-based materials in comparative adsorption and antimicrobial experiments where contaminant removal efficiency, maximum adsorption capacity, and bacterial reduction are probed. This preliminary investigation informs on the practicality of using graphene-based materials as filtration media and provides a discussion on the scaling-up and optimization of this prospective filtration technology for spacecraft potable water systems.

graphene↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Status of the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber ISS Technology Demonstration 2023-2024

The Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber (FBCO2) flight demonstration is presently operating as a primary CO 2 removal system onboard the International Space Station (ISS). After activation in October 2021, FBCO2 has been removing metabolic CO 2 from the ISS cabin where it is supplementing or fully replacing the heritage systems. This paper describes the past year’s accomplishments and forward outlook. The performance of the new blower, efforts toward closed-loop operation, and further on-orbit modifications will also be detailed. System reliability, software changes, and ongoing efforts will be summarized.

Life Support↗