Search Results

Spacecraft air must be treated to control the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other contaminants while also controlling oxygen concentration, humidity and temperature. These requirements in a low gravity environment currently lead to complex systems requiring substantial volume and mass. A direct liquid contact system can be used to contact recirculation air with small liquid droplets to control humidity and temperature, while managing the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other air impurities. The absorbent liquid concentration and temperature, combined with the recirculation rate can be used to independently control temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentrations. The absorbent liquid is removed from the air stream using a centrifugal separator, and carbon dioxide is vented or chemically pumped to a higher pressure receiver for reuse.

Water recovery from wastewater is essential for the success of long term missions. Honeywell Aerospace and the team comprising Thermodistillation Co. (Kiev, Ukraine) and NASA JSC Crew and Thermal Systems Division are developing an advanced wastewater processing subsystem that is based on centrifugal vacuum distillation that will be tested at the NASA JSC water lab. The wastewater processing cascade distillation subsystem (CDS) utilizes a multi-stage thermodynamic process to efficiently produce purified water, and its rotary centrifugal design provides gas/liquid phase separation and liquid transport (pumping) under microgravity conditions. The objective of the program is to demonstrate potable water recovery from various wastewater streams that is suitable to meet the requirements of present (ISS) and future (Lunar-Mars) human space missions. This paper presents the subsystem design and the cascade distiller operational evaluation.