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Solid oxide electrolysis with embedded Sabatier reactors is being developed to regenerate all the oxygen required by a crew, eliminating any resupply needs. Metabolically produced carbon dioxide and water are electrolyzed at high temperature to produce pure dry oxygen. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen byproducts are converted to methane and water in the embedded Sabatier reactor. As it is embedded in the electrolyzer, the water is further electrolyzed to produce additional oxygen. A demonstration unit has been designed at full scale with a design production rate equivalent to that required to support one third of one person's oxygen requirements. Stack design was configured to enable the electrolyzer and Sabatier stacks to operate at their respective temperatures. Thermal modeling was performed to support internal heater sizing, insulation design, and evaluate touch temperatures. The unit was built and tested. Modeling and initial testing results are presented.

A phase change material (PCM) heat sink using super cooled ice as a non-toxic, non-flammable PCM is being developed for use in a portable life support system (PLSS). The latent heat of fusion for water is approximately 70% larger than most paraffin waxes, which can provide significant mass savings. Further mass reduction is accomplished by super cooling the ice significantly below its freezing temperature for additional sensible heat storage. Expansion and contraction of the water as it freezes and melts is accommodated with the use of flexible bag and foam materials. A demonstrator unit has been designed, built, and tested to demonstrate proof of concept. Both testing and modeling results are presented.