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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Mars Atmospheric Capture and Gas Separation

The Mars atmospheric capture and gas separation project is selecting, developing, and demonstrating techniques to capture and purify Martian atmospheric gases for their utilization for the production of hydrocarbons, oxygen, and water in ISRU systems. Trace gases will be required to be separated from Martian atmospheric gases to provide pure C02 to processing elements. In addition, other Martian gases, such as nitrogen and argon, occur in concentrations high enough to be useful as buffer gas and should be captured as welL To achieve these goals, highly efficient gas separation processes will be required. These gas separation techniques are also required across various areas within the ISRU project to support various consumable production processes. The development of innovative gas separation techniques will evaluate the current state-of-the-art for the gas separation required, with the objective to demonstrate and develop light-weight, low-power methods for gas separation. Gas separation requirements include, but are not limited to the selective separation of: (1) methane and water from un-reacted carbon oxides (C02- CO) and hydrogen typical of a Sabatier-type process, (2) carbon oxides and water from unreacted hydrogen from a Reverse Water-Gas Shift process, (3) carbon oxides from oxygen from a trash/waste processing reaction, and (4) helium from hydrogen or oxygen from a propellant scavenging process. Potential technologies for the separations include freezers, selective membranes, selective solvents, polymeric sorbents, zeolites, and new technologies. This paper and presentation will summarize the results of an extensive literature review and laboratory evaluations of candidate technologies for the capture and separation of C02 and other relevant gases.

Muscatello, Anthony↗
NASA NTRS2011

Evaluation of Mars CO2 Capture and Gas Separation Technologies

Recent national policy statements have established that the ultimate destination of NASA's human exploration program is Mars. In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is a key technology required to ,enable such missions and it is appropriate to review progress in this area and continue to advance the systems required to produce rocket propellant, oxygen, and other consumables on Mars using the carbon dioxide atmosphere and other potential resources. The Mars Atmospheric Capture and Gas separation project is selecting, developing, and demonstrating techniques to capture and purify Martian atmospheric gases for their utilization for the production of hydrocarbons, oxygen, and water in ISRU systems. Trace gases will be required to be separated from Martian atmospheric gases to provide pure CO2 to processing elements. In addition, other Martian gases, such as nitrogen and argon, occur in concentrations high enough to be useful as buffer gas and should be captured as well. To achieve these goals, highly efficient gas separation processes will be required. These gas separation techniques are also required across various areas within the ISRU project to support various consumable production processes. The development of innovative gas separation techniques will evaluate the current state-of-the-art for the gas separation required, with the objective to demonstrate and develop light-weight, low-power methods for gas separation. Gas separation requirements include, but are not limited to the selective separation of: (1) methane and water from unreacted carbon oxides (C02-CO) and hydrogen typical of a Sabatier-type process, (2) carbon oxides and water from unreacted hydrogen from a Reverse Water-Gas Shift process, (3)/carbon oxides from oxygen from a trash/waste processing reaction, and (4) helium from hydrogen or oxygen from a propellant scavenging process. Potential technologies for the separations include' freezers, selective membranes, selective solvents, polymeric sorbents, zeolites, and new technologies. This paper summarizes the results of an extensive literature review of candidate technologies for the capture and separation of CO2 and other relevant gases. This information will be used to prioritize the technologies to be developed further during this and other ISRU projects.

Muscatello, Anthony C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development of thermostable carbonic anhydrases using structure-guided recombination for use in CO2 removal systems on spacecraft

Carbon capture and storage has been a research area of great interest in recent years asa method for mitigation of CO2emissions, due to the effects of climate change. The development of technologies for the efficient capture of CO2are also of great interest for human spaceflight applications. One of the most promising technologies in this area is CO2 scrubbing using liquid amines, unfortunately, liquid amines with low heats of desorption tend to have slow CO2binding kinetics. One potential solution to this problem is to use the enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA) to enhance the kinetics of CO2binding to liquid amines, allowing the overall process to be more energy efficient. Interest in using carbonic anhydrase as a biocatalyst has led to a number of efforts to improve the thermostability and solvent tolerance of several distinct carbonic anhydrase enzymes. In the work described here, we screened through a diverse set of natural carbonic anhydrases to identify candidates for protein engineering aimed at increased stability and activity in various liquid amines. We then used SCHEMA structure-guided recombination to develop a set of chimeric carbonic anhydrases with high thermostability and activity. These chimeras were used as the starting points for further protein engineering work targeting activity in liquid amine systems. Our ultimate goal is to test the engineered enzymes in a liquid amine system for cabin air revitalization on ISS or other spacecraft.

Life Support↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development of Thermostable Carbonic Anhydrases Using Structure-Guided Recombination for Use in CO2 Removal Systems on Spacecraft

Carbon capture and storage has been a research area of great interest in recent years as a method for mitigation of CO2 emissions, due to the effects of climate change. The development of technologies for the efficient capture of CO2 are also of great interest for human spaceflight applications. One of the most promising technologies in this area is CO2 scrubbing using liquid amines, unfortunately, liquid amines with low heats of desorption tend to have slow CO2 binding kinetics. One potential solution to this problem is to use the enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA) to enhance the kinetics of CO2 binding to liquid amines, allowing the overall process to be more energy efficient. Interest in using carbonic anhydrase as a biocatalyst has led to a number of efforts to improve the thermostability and solvent tolerance of several distinct carbonic anhydrase enzymes. In the work described here, we screened through a diverse set of natural carbonic anhydrases to identify candidates for protein engineering aimed at increased stability and activity in various liquid amines. We then used SCHEMA structure-guided recombination to develop a set of chimeric carbonic anhydrases with high thermostability and activity. These chimeras were used as the starting points for further protein engineering work targeting activity in liquid amine systems. Our ultimate goal is to test the engineered enzymes in a liquid amine system for cabin air revitalization on ISS or other spacecraft.

Life Support, Carbon dioxide, Carbonic anhydrase, ↗
NASA NTRS1993

Removal of carbonaceous contaminants from silica aerogel

Capture of micrometeorite material from low Earth orbit or dust grains around active comets for return to terrestrial laboratories, capable of practicing the most up to date techniques of chemical isotopic and mineralogical analysis, will greatly enhance our knowledge of primitive material in the solar system. The next generation of space launched cosmic dust collectors will undoubtedly include extremely low density target materials such as silica aerogel as the decelerating and arresting medium. This material has been found to be clean from the point of view of inorganic elements and is thus acceptable for the purpose of harvesting grains to be studied by, for example PIXE, INAA, or SXRF. However, the process used in making aerogel leaves substantial carbon and hydrogen containing residues which would negate their suitability for collection and subsequent investigation of the very important CHON particles. Attempts to precondition aerogel by solvent extraction or heating at 500 C and 750 C in air for 24 hours or under a vacuum of 2(7)(exp -7) torr at 260 C were largely ineffective except that pyrolysis did reduce volatile species. In this investigation we have examined the use of supercritical fluids for the purpose of extracting organic residues. The logic of the new approach is that beyond the supercritical point a substance has the solvating properties of a liquid but the viscosity characteristics of a gas. For example carbon dioxide becomes supercritical at a pressure of 73 atmospheres and a temperature of 31 C; in consequence it can transform to a very powerful and ultraclean solvent. It can dissolve organic matter from low molecular weight up to molecules containing 90 carbon atoms. On release of pressure the fluid reverts to a gas which can easily be pumped away and removed from the substrate being extracted.

Huang, Hui-Ping↗