USE OF METHANE IN CLOSED-LOOP LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR SPACE MISSIONS

2021 ◽  
pp. 78-92
Author(s):  
Alexandr G. ZHELEZNYAKOV ◽  
Arkady S. GUZENBERG ◽  
Sergey Yu. ROMANOV ◽  
Alexey V. YURGIN ◽  
Aleksandr M. RYABKIN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Space Missions ◽  
Methanotrophic Bacteria ◽  
Food Protein ◽  
Space Systems ◽  
Sabatier Reaction ◽  
Methane Pyrolysis

The paper discusses the use of methane (generated in the process of oxygen recovery from carbon dioxide released by the crew during its hydrogenation in the Sabatier reaction, with subsequent extraction of 61% of oxygen through electrolysis of the resultant water) in a regenerative life support system for crews on space missions. It demonstrates that the methane resulting from Sabatier reaction can be used both for pyrolysis in order to return the resulting hydrogen into this reaction so as to extract 100% of oxygen from carbon dioxide, and for producing food protein for life support in space. The use of methane pyrolysis was enabled by new technologies which allowed lowering the process temperature down to 500–700°C and obtaining the easy-to-remove carbon. It provides recommendations for designing space systems for methane pyrolysis. The paper makes the case for use of the existing processes for industrial production of protein from methane using methanotrophic bacteria in the production of food protein for space food rations, determines the balance of a closed-loop methanotrophic reaction, provides calculation basis and recommendations for designing space systems for methanotrophic production of food protein. Development of a system for food protein production from methane will enable its use as one of the systems for providing food on the Moon and Mars, as well as a backup system in space transportation missions. Key words: space missions, crew life support, СО2 hydration, methane pyrolysis, methanotrophic bacteria, food protein.

Next Generation Water Recovery for a Sustainable Closed Loop Living _ Faraday Technology Inc.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAN WANG ◽  
Santosh Vijapur ◽  
Tim Hall ◽  
Jennings E. Taylor ◽  
Stephen Snyder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waste Water ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Space Missions ◽  
Living Systems ◽  
Water Recovery ◽  
Water Contaminants ◽  
Recovery System ◽  
The Impact

In order to facilitate human space travel, solutions and innovations are required for supporting the efficient maintenance of water, closed air, and waste systems in spacecraft habitats that operate on planetary environments. As missions are foreseen to be extended with limited earth resupply available there is need to develop durable and sustainable closed loop living systems. Waste water treatment and recovery system that is managed by Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) on board the International space station (ISS) is one such system that has lifetime/durability limitations and would benefit from improvements to increase its lifetime efficiency. Current systems typically recover about 85% of the water with a marked process efficiency decrease throughout the lifetime of the systems use due to incoming process contaminants. Typical water contaminants commonly enter the ECLSS through the waste water from the onboard team members and contain complex molecules that tend to foul and reduce the efficiency of the reverse osmosis (RO) systems. Therefore, in order for manned deep space missions to be practical it is critical to create state of the art durable and efficient processes to reduce the impact of contaminants on the waste water system efficiency. Within this context, Faraday Technology Inc. and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) are working on developing a technology to eliminate many of the contaminants that commonly foul the RO system and produce a more durable closed loop wastewater treatment and water recovery system. At Faraday Technology Inc., we develop a custom bench-scale ammonia electrolyzer with Pt coated electrodes fabricated by the FARADAYIC® Process. The developed catalysts and electrolyzer are used to evaluate ammonia oxidation for wastewater treatment as following reactions: The influent ammonia from waste water can be oxidized in an electrolyzer according to the reaction: 2NH3 + 6OH- → N2 + 6H2O + 6e- (1)while water is simultaneously reduced according to the following reaction: 6H2O + 6e- → 3H2 + 6OH- (2)The developed technology has the potential to be compatible with existing ECLSS systems and be an integral part of the closed loop living systems required for long term life support on NASA’s manned space missions.

Жизнеобеспечение экипажа пилотируемого космического объекта, проблемы управления

2019 ◽  
pp. 109-120
Author(s):  
Boris F. ZARETSKIY ◽  
Arkadiy S. GUZENBERG ◽  
Igor A. SHANGIN
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Space Missions ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Deep Space ◽  
Automated Control ◽  
Life Support Systems ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Space Life Support

Life support for first manned spaceflights was based on supplies of consumables. Crew life support systems based on supplies of water and oxygen, in spite of their simplicity, are extremely inefficient in orbital space missions and are unfeasible in deep space missions because of mass and volume constraints. Therefore, there are currently developed and are to be used on space stations the life support systems that are based on chemical and physical regeneration of water and oxygen extracted from human waste. In view of further advances in long-duration orbital stations, and the prospects of establishment of planetary outposts and deep space exploration, the problem of constructing an automated system for controlling a suite of regenerative LSS becomes urgent. The complexity of solving the problem of constructing an efficient control system in this case owes to the existence of a large number of effectiveness criteria. The paper proposes a system of consolidated global efficiency criteria, which allows to break up this problem into a series of sub-problems of optimization in order to solve this problem. The proposed criteria are longevity, cost, comfort. The paper presents a series of specific examples of using the proposed principles with necessary generalizations. Key words: space life support systems, atmosphere revitalization equipment, automated control system, global generalized efficiency criteria, longevity, cost, comfort.

Space Station Environmental, Thermal Control and Life Support (ETCLS): “Meeting the Evolutionary Growth Challenge”

1984 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-291
Author(s):  
H. F. Brose
Keyword(s):  
Closed Loop ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Thermal Control ◽  
Development Effort ◽  
Program Cost ◽  
Preparedness Plan ◽  
Evolutionary Growth

Renewed interest and planning for a Space Station, probably NASA’s next major space activity, poses a new challenge for ETCLS technology not previously emphasized. Over the past two decades, regenerative life support technology development for Space Station has been underway. This development effort was always aimed at regenerative (closed loop) life support for a full capability Space Station. The level of priority for manned space presence and current budgetary pressures dictate the need for a low cost profile program with an evolutionary growth Space Station. The initial capability may be a small station with a crew of 2 or 3. This station could grow in size and capability by the addition of modules to a station with a crew of 8 to 12 with the possibility of multiple stations in orbit. Depending upon the selected missions, the early station may be best served by an open or only partially closed loop ETCLS whereas the final station may need a completely closed loop ETCLS. The challenge would be to grow in-orbit the ETCLS system capability in a “no-throw-away” fashion in order to minimize annual and total program cost. This paper discusses a possible ETCLS system evolutionary growth scenario, the Space Station architecture variations influencing the ETCLS system design, and a technology preparedness plan for Space Station ETCLS.

scholarly journals THE USE OF HYBRID VEHICLES AS A PROPOSAL FOR REDUCING CO2 EMISSIONS AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 07
Author(s):  
C. A. R. De Carvalho ◽  
W. Q. Lamas
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Hybrid Vehicles ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Global Concern

The problems related to energy consumption and pollutant emissions for thetransport sector represent a major global concern regarding climate changes caused by greenhouse gases, directly related to the increased level of gas emissions from fossil fuels , the main one being carbon dioxide. One way tominimize this problem is through the introduction of new technologies. Hybrid cars are one of the new technology options that has the main advantage of reducing fuel consumption and therefore reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This paper gives an introduction to hybrid vehicles, with the aim of presenting their main advantages and evaluate their impact on emissions of CO2 in the Brazilian fleet, compared to conventional vehicles.

Conceivable Ecodisasters and the Reykjavik Imperative

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Polunin
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Support System ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Life Support System ◽  
Wide Perspective ◽  
Loss Of Genetic Diversity ◽  
Biotic Invasion

An ecodisaster is here characterized as ‘any major and widespread misfortune to, or seriously detrimental change operating through, Man's or Nature's habitat—whether or not it is engendered by Man himself, and whether or not it affects him directly’.From this wide perspective but leaving aside such ‘old favourites’ as world famine and nuclear holocaust, and not yet dealing with population swarming and biotic invasion, are selected the following half-dozen items as being particularly pertinent: (1) Build-up of atmospheric carbon dioxide; (2) Disappearance of more and more of the life-support system; (3) Water shortage and salt build-up with continuing irrigation; (4) Loss of genetic diversity; (5) Increasing complexity of human existence and health-hazards; and (6) The Beirut syndrome of human slaughter.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document