Performance Assessment of ISS Water Processor Assembly Reactor 2004-01-2451

Due to modifications to the ISS waste water composition, the concentration of volatile organic contaminants in the original baseline has significantly increased in the feed to the Water Processor Assembly (WPA). In parallel, the specified ISS oxygen supply pressure to the WPA increased, resulting in a higher flow rate of oxygen to the WPA catalytic oxidation reactor. Preliminary testing at Hamilton Sundstrand indicated that the higher oxygen flow rate would increase the WPA capacity for volatile organics. Following an analysis of the expected waste water composition, personnel at NASA MSFC and Hamilton Sundstrand conducted a test of a flight-like reactor to assess its capacity for the higher organic loads. The results of this test verify the WPA can accommodate the expected organic load in the ISS waste water with margin.