Use of rotary vacuum distillation for water recovery from urine and hygiene water aboard the space station

2020 ◽  
pp. 21-31
Author(s):  
Petr O. ANDREYCHUK ◽  
Dmitry V. ARAKCHEEV ◽  
Leonid S. BOBE ◽  
Aleksandr G ZHELEZNYAKOV ◽  
Aleksey A. KOCHETKOV ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Reverse Osmosis ◽  
Energy Recovery ◽  
Vacuum Distillation ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Type System ◽  
Processing System ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Water Recovery

Due to planning of the Moon and deep space exploration programs, the crew sanitary hygiene support with a closed loop of hygiene water assumes great importance. Currently, Russia and the USA are investigating the hygiene water recovery process using reverse osmosis as the most energy efficient method. In the meantime, the urine water processor (SRV-U-RS) based on vacuum distillation method with thermal energy recovery has been developed in Russia and is being tested aboard the ISS. The processor energy consumption is comparable with the energy consumption in hygiene water recovery through reverse osmosis. Therefore, research and testing of a prototype integrated urine water and hygiene water processor as applied to the space station conditions have been arranged and conducted. The investigations demonstrated the recoverability of the hygiene water, including its mixture with urine by vacuum distillation in science hardware SRV-U-RS-type system. The results obtained ensure development of an integrated urine water and hygiene water processing system. Key words: space station, life support system, water recovery, distillation, hygiene water, urine, energy recovery.

Analysis and calculation of the process of low-pressure reverse osmosis during recycling of hygienic water

2019 ◽  
pp. 28-36
Author(s):  
Leonid S. Bobe ◽  
Nikolay A. Salnikov
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Reverse Osmosis ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Operating Pressure ◽  
Life Support System ◽  
Cleaning Agent ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Pressure Channel

Analysis and calculation have been conducted of the process of low-pressure reverse osmosis in the membrane apparatus of the system for recycling hygiene water for the space station. The paper describes the physics of the reverse osmosis treatment and determines the motive force of the process, which is the difference of effective pressures (operating pressure minus osmotic pressure) in the solution near the surface of the membrane and in the purified water. It is demonstrated that the membrane scrubbing action is accompanied by diffusion outflow of the cleaning agent components away from the membrane. The mass transfer coefficient and the difference of concentrations (and, accordingly, the difference of osmotic pressures) in the boundary layer of the pressure channel can be determined using an extended analogy between mass transfer and heat transfer. A procedure has been proposed and proven in an experiment for calculating the throughput of a reverse osmosis apparatus purifying the hygiene water obtained through the use of a cleaning agent used in sanitation and housekeeping procedures on Earth. Key words: life support system, hygiene water, water processing, low-pressure reverse osmosis, space station.

scholarly journals Parametric study to enhance performance of wastewater treatment process, by reverse osmosis-photovoltaic system

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousra Jbari ◽  
Souad Abderafi
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Reverse Osmosis ◽  
Desirability Function ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Parameters Optimization ◽  
Physical Models ◽  
Photovoltaic System ◽  
Water Recovery ◽  
Battery Capacity

Abstract The presence of certain toxic pollutants in water and wastewater such as chlorophenol must be eliminated, as they have negative effects on human health and the environment. Based on the state of the art, the reverse osmosis (RO) coupled with photovoltaic (PV) was chosen for wastewater treatment. The aim of this article is to evaluate the optimal operating conditions of RO-PV system that maximize chlorophenol rejection with minimal energy consumption. Two complementary approaches were followed combining physical models with statistical ones. The physical model used for the simulation is based on the equations of diffusion and matter balance. After demonstrating the reliability of this model, it was used for parametric sensitivity analysis, performing numerical experiments using a program developed under Python. The data obtained were used for operating parameters optimization, using artificial neural network method coupled with the desirability function. The results showed that the optimal values obtained, relating to feed pressure of 9.713 atm, water recovery rate of 40%, operating flow rate of 10−4 m3/s and temperature of 40 °C could remove 91% of chlorophenol with an energy consumption of 0.8 kWh/m3. This consumption allowed us to deduce that photovoltaic solar panel with a peak power of 280 Wp and a battery capacity of 9.22 kWh is sufficient to produce 1 m3/day.

scholarly journals Comparison of Nanofiltration with Reverse Osmosis in Reclaiming Tertiary Treated Municipal Wastewater for Irrigation Purposes

Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
MhdAmmar Hafiz ◽  
Alaa H. Hawari ◽  
Radwan Alfahel ◽  
Mohammad K. Hassan ◽  
Ali Altaee
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Reverse Osmosis ◽  
Specific Energy ◽  
Recovery Rate ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Applied Pressure ◽  
Specific Energy Consumption ◽  
Water Recovery ◽  
Food And Agriculture

This study compares the performance of nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) for the reclamation of ultrafiltered municipal wastewater for irrigation of food crops. RO and NF technologies were evaluated at different applied pressures; the performance of each technology was evaluated in terms of water flux, recovery rate, specific energy consumption and quality of permeate. It was found that the permeate from the reverse osmosis (RO) process complied with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) standards at pressures applied between 10 and 18 bar. At an applied pressure of 20 bar, the permeate quality did not comply with irrigation water standards in terms of chloride, sodium and calcium concentration. It was found that nanofiltration process was not suitable for the reclamation of wastewater as the concentration of chloride, sodium and calcium exceeded the allowable limits at all applied pressures. In the reverse osmosis process, the highest recovery rate was 36%, which was achieved at a pressure of 16 bar. The specific energy consumption at this applied pressure was 0.56 kWh/m3. The lowest specific energy of 0.46 kWh/m3 was achieved at an applied pressure of 12 bar with a water recovery rate of 32.7%.

scholarly journals A techno-economic analysis of membrane-based advanced treatment processes for the reuse of municipal wastewater

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Kehrein ◽  
Morez Jafari ◽  
Marc Slagt ◽  
Emile Cornelissen ◽  
Patricia Osseweijer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Reverse Osmosis ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Advanced Treatment ◽  
Water Recovery ◽  
Treatment Processes ◽  
Reclamation Process

Abstract The objective of this paper is to compare, under Dutch market conditions, the energy consumption and net costs of membrane-based advanced treatment processes for three water reuse types (i.e. potable, industrial, agricultural reuse). The water source is municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent. Results indicate that the application of reverse osmosis is needed to reclaim high quality water for industrial and potable reuse but not for irrigation water which offers significant energy savings but may not lead automatically to lower net costs. While a reclamation process for industrial reuse is economically most promising, irrigation water reclamation processes are not cost effective due to low water prices. Moreover, process operational expenditures may exceed capital expenditures which is important for tender procedures. A significant cost factor is waste management that may exceed energy costs. Water recovery rates could be significantly enhanced through the integration of a softener/biostabilizer unit prior to reverse osmosis. Moreover, the energy consumption of wastewater reclamation processes could be supplied on-site with solar energy. The possibility of designing a ‘fit for multi-purpose’ reclamation process is discussed briefly. This comparative analysis allows for better informed decision making about which reuse type is preferably targeted in a municipal wastewater reuse project from a process design perspective.

scholarly journals Design suggestions on modified self-sustainable space toilet

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shreyash A. Sakhare ◽  
Sourabh M. Pendkar ◽  
Nand Jee Kanu ◽  
Eva Gupta ◽  
Umesh Kumar Vates ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Support ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Artificial Gravity ◽  
List Type ◽  
Water Recovery ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Waste Storage ◽  
Interplanetary Missions

Abstract The present research investigates the design of compact and lightweight waste collection system (WCS) for interplanetary missions such as Mars, and the Moon as well as the space with the required features of NASA’s lunar loo challenge (released date: 25th June, 2020). Existing space toilets’ WCS store waste in small plastic bags and these bags are thrown in the space which increases the space junk. If these WCS are used on planets, they could pollute the planets. The newly designed—unisex and self-sustainable space toilet meets its objective of intimacy and warmth for the astronauts as it is equipped with all essential features such as (a) the basin for vomit collection, (b) the rotating waste storage based on the mechanism of artificial gravity, and (c) the noiseless bellow pump for air flow flushing system (AFFS). The WCS is designed for the storage of urine, faeces, vomit, diarrhoea, and menses. In the first half of the research article, the focus is kept on improving self-sustainability of the present WCS. In the second half of the present investigation analyses are done for multiphase flows of the CFD analysis in ANSYS fluent to simulate the flow of air through the nozzle provided with (a) the seat, (b) the urine funnel, and (c) the basin for air flow flushing system (AFFS). The design of the present self-sustainable space toilet proposed herewith is justified suitable for different gravitational conditions such as (a) Mars (3.721 m/s2), (b) the Moon (1.62 m/s2), and (c) the zero—or microgravity i.e., the space gravity. The proposed solar-operated WCS could be integrated to function with (a) water recovery and management (WRM) system, (b) the inbuilt composting unit, and (c) the bioregenerative life support system (BLSS). Furthermore, the assessment of the required electrical energy derived from the solar energy (harnessed using efficient solar photovoltaic (PV) modules) is conceptualized for the effective functioning of the present self-sustainable WCS. Article highlights The present investigation explores into the design of lightweight and compact WCS for interplanetary missions such as Mars and the Moon, as well as space missions with the functionality listed by NASA's lunar toilet competition (released date: 25th June, 2020). The actual space toilets, which are used on the International Space Station (ISS), are not designed to withstand varying gravity circumstances. The new advanced—unisex and self-sustaining space toilet achieves its goal of intimacy and warmth for astronauts by including all necessary features such as (a) a vomit collection basin, (b) rotating waste storage based on artificial gravity mechanism, and (c) a noiseless bellow pump for air flow flushing system (AFFS).

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