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CO2 removal, recovery and reduction are essential processes for a closed loop air revitalization system in a crewed spacecraft. Typically, a compressor is required to recover the low pressure CO2 that is being removed from the spacecraft in a swing bed adsorption system. This paper describes integrated tests of a Temperature-Swing Adsorption Compressor (TSAC) with high-fidelity systems for carbon dioxide removal and reduction assemblies (CDRA and Sabatier reactor). It also provides details of the TSAC operation at various CO2 loadings. The TSAC is a solid-state compressor that has the capability to remove CO2 from a low-pressure source, and subsequently store, compress, and deliver it at a higher pressure. TSAC utilizes the principle of temperature-swing adsorption compression and has no rapidly moving parts.

This paper describes the results of an ongoing long-duration testing of a temperature-swing adsorption compressor (TSAC) that has application in closing the air revitalization loop of the International Space Station (ISS) and future spacecraft. The TSAC is a solid-state compressor that has the capability to remove CO2 from a low-pressure source, and subsequently store, compress, and deliver it at a higher pressure as required by a processor. The TSAC described in this paper was designed to function as an interface device for the CO2 removal and reduction units of the International Space Station (ISS). The air revitalization system of the ISS operates in an open loop mode and relies on the resupply of oxygen and other consumables from Earth for the life support of astronauts. A compressor is required for recovering the CO2 from the carbon dioxide removal assembly (CDRA) and delivering to a CO2 reduction unit of an oxygen recovery system and thereby closing the air-loop.