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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

Johnson Space Center's Regenerative Life Support Systems Test Bed

The Regenerative Life Support Systems (RLSS) Test Bed at NASA's Johnson Space Center is an atmospherically closed, controlled environment facility for human testing of regenerative life support systems using higher plants in conjunction with physicochemical life support systems. The facility supports NASA's Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program. The facility is comprised of two large scale plant growth chambers, each with approximately 11 m2 growing area. The root zone in each chamber is configurable for hydroponic or solid media plant culture systems. One of the two chambers, the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber (VPGC), is capable of operating at lower atmospheric pressures to evaluate a range of environments that may be used in a planetary surface habitat; the other chamber, the Ambient Pressure Growth Chamber (APGC) operates at ambient atmospheric pressure. The air lock of the VPGC is currently being outfitted for short duration (1 to 15 day) human habitation at ambient pressures. Testing with and without human subjects will focus on 1) integration of biological and physicochemical air and water revitalization systems; 2) effect of atmospheric pressure on system performance; 3) planetary resource utilization for ALS systems, in which solid substrates (simulated planetary soils or manufactured soils) are used in selected crop growth studies; 4) environmental microbiology and toxicology; 5) monitoring and control strategies; and 6) plant growth systems design. Included are descriptions of the overall design of the test facility, including discussions of the atmospheric conditioning, thermal control, lighting, and nutrient delivery systems.

NASA Discipline Number 61-10↗
NASA NTRS1991

Johnson Space Center's regenerative life support systems test bed

The Regenerative Life Support System (RLSS) Test Bed at NASA's Johnson Space Center is an atmospherically closed, controlled environment facility for the evaluation of regenerative life support systems using higher plants in conjunction with physicochemical life support systems. When completed, the facility will be comprised of two large scale plant growth chambers, each with approximately 10 m(exp 2) growing area. One of the two chambers, the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber (VPGC), will be capable of operating at lower atmospheric pressures to evaluate a range of environments that may be used in Lunar or Martian habitats; the other chamber, the Ambient Pressure Growth Chamber (APGC) will operate at ambient atmospheric pressure. The root zone in each chamber will be configurable for hydroponic or solid state media systems. Research will focus on: (1) in situ resource utilization for CELSS systems, in which simulated lunar soils will be used in selected crop growth studies; (2) integration of biological and physicochemical air and water revitalization systems; (3) effect of atmospheric pressure on system performance; and (4) monitoring and control strategies.

Henninger, Donald L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Sabatier Methanation Reactor for Space Exploration

The Sabatier Methanation Reactor technology is of vital importance to the success of the human and robotic exploration program. In order to achieve an affordable program, the logistics supply to support the mission must be minimized to the fullest extent possible. One area of potential reduction with high return on investment is the closure of life support loops, particularly oxygen and water. The Sabatier system accomplishes this by utilizing hydrogen and carbon dioxide, waste products from the life support system, to produce water and methane. The recovered water is then recycled back into the life support system to provide oxygen; while the methane can be used for propulsion, or can be broken down further to recover the hydrogen. This technology is applicable not only to transit phases of exploration, but surface habitats as well as in-situ propellant production. The Sabatier Reactor system has been developed for ground based demonstration experiments extensively over the past 30 years. Over the past three years, NASA has funded development of the Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) for use on the ISS. Currently this system is at TRL 5 and it is expected that the system will be flown on the ISS as a flight experiment, The purpose of the flight experiment is to integrate the Sabatier CRA into a synchronized system with the oxygen generation system and the carbon dioxide concentrator. The flight experiment will verify the integration of the different systems working together plus it will verify the capability of the system to operate, and effectively separate its products in a micro-gravity environment. Subsequent to design validation, the flight experiment can remain onboard the ISS providing valuable water to offset logistics re-supply requirements. Some of the challenges facing the development of the Sabatier system include handling vibration induced particulates, microgravity phase separation and containment of hazardous gases. Plans for adequately addressing these issues will be presented. The Sabatier carbon dioxide reduction process will greatly benefit any of the extended duration human exploration missions because of the tremendous savings of consumables realized. Any of these mission scenarios, be they transit or surface based, must consider closing the life support loops in order to make the mission achievable, let alone affordable. Carbon dioxide reduction technology will be necessary for future outpost habitats, and the technology needs to be proven viable in a space application. The Sabatier methanation reaction is also a desirable method for producing propellant from the Mars atmosphere. The common system could be designed to accept carbon dioxide from an indoor air revitalization loop concentrator, or from an outdoor atmosphere compressor. Carbon dioxide reduction validation is but one step in the spiral development of the in-situ propellant production system desired for future planetary exploration.

Murdoch, Karen↗
NASA NTRS2013

Low Temperature Catalyst for NH3 Removal

Air revitalization technologies maintain a safe atmosphere inside spacecraft by the removal of C02, ammonia (NH3), and trace contaminants. NH3 onboard the International Space Station (ISS) is produced by crew metabolism, payloads, or during an accidental release of thermal control refrigerant. Currently, the ISS relies on removing NH3 via humidity condensate and the crew wears hooded respirators during emergencies. A different approach to cabin NH3 removal is to use selective catalytic oxidation (SCO), which builds on thermal catalytic oxidation concepts that could be incorporated into the existing TCCS process equipment architecture on ISS. A low temperature platinum-based catalyst (LTP-Catalyst) developed at KSC was used for converting NH3 to H20 and N2 gas by SCO. The challenge of implementing SCO is to reduce formation of undesirable byproducts like NOx (N20 and NO). Gas mixture analysis was conducted using FTIR spectrometry in the Regenerable VOC Control System (RVCS) Testbed. The RVCS was modified by adding a 66 L semi-sealed chamber, and a custom NH3 generator. The effect of temperature on NH3 removal using the LTP-Catalyst was examined. A suitable temperature was found where NH3 removal did not produce toxic NO, (NO, N02) and N20 formation was reduced.

Monje, Oscar↗
NASA NTRS1980

Aboard the Space Shuttle

Livability aboard the space shuttle orbiter makes it possible for men and women scientists and technicians in reasonably good health to join superbly healthy astronauts as space travelers and workers. Features of the flight deck, the mid-deck living quarters, and the subfloor life support and house-keeping equipment are illustrated as well as the provisions for food preparation, eating, sleeping, exercising, and medical care. Operation of the personal hygiene equipment and of the air revitalization system for maintaining sea level atmosphere in space is described. Capabilities of Spacelab, the purpose and use of the remote manipulator arm, and the design of a permanent space operations center assembled on-orbit by shuttle personnel are also depicted.

Steinberg, F. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

An integrated regenerative air revitalization system for spacecraft

Progress towards development of an air revitalization system (ARS) for spacecraft breathable atmosphere regeneration is assessed, and a preliminary design for a one-person ARS is described. The ARS is considered a necessary component of any permanently manned orbital station, and studies have demonstrated that penalties for expendable air supplies justify an ARS for missions longer than 40 days. CO2 must be removed and O2 returned along with N2, which can be extracted from hydrazine, with the H2 component returning to the operation of the CO2 reduction subsystem. An experimental ARS (ARX-1) features a cabin humidity control unit, a CO2 concentrator, an air-cooled CO2 reduction reactor, an oxygen generator (electrolysis), the hydrazine N2 generator, and a water handling unit. A 120-day test demonstrated one-button startup and 480 hr operation in a normal mode.

Noyes, G. P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Status of the US Space Station ECLSS and internal TCS

The U.S. Space Station includes many elements and systems. Responsibility for these have been delegated to four NASA centers via a work packaging concept. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is responsible for work package one (WPOI) which includes the habitation, laboratory modules, the logistic carrier elements, as well as the environmental control and life support system (ECLSS), the internal thermal control system (ITCS), and the internal audio and video systems. Current status of the ECLSS and internal thermal are the subjects of this paper. The ECLSS is composed of six subsystem groups: the temperature humidity control, the atmosphere control and supply, the air revitalization, water reclamation and management, fecal waste management, and the fire detection and suppression subsystems. The internal TCS consists of all WP01 elements of passive and active thermal measures. The ECLSS and ITCS provide services for the permanently orbiting pressurized modules as well as the pressurized and unpressurized logistics carriers. The logistics carriers are used as ground-to-station ferries for both resupply and initial delivery of selected new equipment and later replacement items. Equipment, which cannot be subjected to the rigors of the space environment, will be carried in the pressurized logistic carrier; while an unpressurized carrier is used to resupply other commodities, such as external fluid consumables. The laboratory module houses the equipment for both payloads and subsystem maintenance and repair. The habitation module is dedicated to providing living and sleeping quarters including a galley, sleeping provisions, hygiene facilities, medical services as well as services for exercise and relaxation. The four nodes that join the two modules at their ends also house electronics as well as work stations and outside viewing cupolas. The airlocks, one providing an emergency hyperbaric chamber capability, are also attached. This assembly constitutes the U.S. provided portion of the initial station. Additional international modules and docking provisions for future attached pressurized payload as well as dual logistic module and growth capabilities are also provided. The primary heat rejection mechanism is achieved via a central set of radiators provided by another work package. The interface with the central TCS at the module heat exchangers defines the active control interface boundary of the ITCS with the central TCS. All internal cooling of the permanent orbital elements are provided via internal active fluid loops within the elements utilizing water as the transport media. Cabin and equipment cooling are provided by forced air flow and cold plate heat sinks. A special active cooling loop is provided in the laboratory module to accommodate experiments and other payloads. Coatings and insulation are used in conjunction with the active components to passively limit heat losses/gains. The most challenging ECLSS new technology issues relate to oxygen and water recovery. Closure of the oxygen loop requires the use of new regenerative CO 2 removal and concentration techniques, CO 2 reduction to convert the CO 2 to water with a waste by-product, and the electrolysis of water to produce breathing oxygen for water recovery. For water recovery three separate loops are currently planned. One loop provides potable water by utilizing a combination of recovered condensate and CO 2 reduction water. A second loop purifies hygiene water from waste from the showers, clothes washer, hygiene/hand wash stations and a dishwasher. The third loop provides hygiene water by the reclamation and purification of urine water. This paper outlines the basic services provided by the ECLSS and ITCS and describes the ECLSS functional distribution throughout the pressurized assembly.

R. Humphries↗
NASA NTRS1984

The development status of candidate life support technology for a space station

The establishment of a permanently-manned Space Station has recently been selected as the next major step in the U.S. space program. The requirements of a manned operations base in space appear to be best satisfied by on-board Environmental Control/Life Support Systems (ECLSS) which are free from, or have minimum dependence on, use of expendables and the frequent earth resupply missions which are part of systems using expendables. The present investigation is concerned with the range of regenerative life support system options which NASA is developing to be available for the Space Station designer. An air revitalization system is discussed, taking into account devices concerned with the carbon dioxide concentration, approaches of CO2 reduction, oxygen generation, trace contaminant control, and atmospheric quality monitoring. Attention is also given to an independent air revitalization system, nitrogen generation, a water reclamation system, a waste management system, applications of the technology, and future development requirements.

Samonski, F. H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Ventilation flow: Submerged

The ventilation system on a submarine is discussed. When the submarine is submerged. The ventilation system provides a conditioned atmosphere in the ship with complete isolation from the outside. A conditioned atmosphere includes not only filtration and temperature and humidity control, but also air purification (removal of potentially harmful quantities of impurities and comtaminants) and revitalization (addition of vital life support oxygen). Carbon dioxide removal, the oxygen system, air conditioning, carbon monoxide removal, hydrogen removal, and atmosphere monitoring systems are among the topics discussed.

Hutchinson, D.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Modeling Separate and Combined Atmospheres in BIO-Plex

We modeled BIO-Plex designs with separate or combined atmospheres and then simulated controlling the atmosphere composition. The BIO-Plex is the Bioregenerative Planetary Life Support Systems Test Complex, a large regenerative life support test facility under development at NASA Johnson Space Center. Although plants grow better at above-normal carbon dioxide levels, humans can tolerate even higher carbon dioxide levels. Incinerator exhaust has very high levels of carbon dioxide. An elaborate BIO-Plex design would maintain different atmospheres in the crew and plant chambers and isolate the incinerator exhaust in the airlock. This design easily controls the crew and plant carbon dioxide levels but it uses many gas processors, buffers, and controllers. If all the crew's food is grown inside BIO-Plex, all the carbon dioxide required by the plants is supplied by crew respiration and the incineration of plant and food waste. Because the oxygen mass flow must balance in a closed loop, the plants supply all the oxygen required by the crew and the incinerator. Using plants for air revitalization allows using fewer gas processors, buffers, and controllers. In the simplest design, a single combined atmosphere was used for the crew, the plant chamber, and the incinerator. All gas processors, buffers, and controllers were eliminated. The carbon dioxide levels were necessarily similar for the crew and plants. If most of the food is grown, carbon dioxide can be controlled at the desired level by scheduling incineration. An intermediate design uses one atmosphere for the crew and incinerator chambers and a second for the plant chamber. This allows different carbon dioxide levels for the crew and plants. Better control of the atmosphere is obtained by varying the incineration rate. Less gas processing storage and control is needed if more food is grown.

Jones, Harry↗
NASA NTRS2000

Modeling Separate and Combined Atmospheres in BIO-Plex

We modeled BIO-Plex designs with separate or combined atmospheres and then simulated controlling the atmosphere composition. The BIO-Plex is the Bioregenerative Planetary Life Support Systems Test Complex, a large regenerative life support test facility under development at NASA Johnson Space Center. Although plants grow better at above-normal carbon dioxide levels, humans can tolerate even higher carbon dioxide levels. incinerator exhaust has very high levels of carbon dioxide. An elaborate BIO-Plex design would maintain different atmospheres in the crew and plant chambers and isolate the incinerator exhaust in the airlock. This design easily controls the crew and plant carbon dioxide levels but it uses many gas processors, buffers, and controllers. If all the crew's food is grown inside BIO-Plex, all the carbon dioxide required by the plants is supplied by crew respiration and the incineration of plant and food waste. Because the oxygen mass flow must balance in a closed loop, the plants supply all the oxygen required by the crew and the incinerator. Using plants for air revitalization allows using fewer gas processors, buffers, and controllers. In the simplest design, a single combined atmosphere was used for the crew, the plant chamber, and the incinerator. All gas processors, buffers, and controllers were eliminated. The carbon dioxide levels were necessarily similar for the crew and plants. If most of the food is grown, carbon dioxide can be controlled at the desired level by scheduling incineration. An intermediate design uses one atmosphere for the crew and incinerator chambers and a second for the plant chamber. This allows different carbon dioxide levels for the crew and plants. Better control of the atmosphere is obtained by varying the incineration rate. Less gas processing, storage, and control is needed if more food is grown.

Jones, Harry↗
NASA NTRS1993

Integrated oxygen recovery system

Life Systems has conceptualized an innovative Integrated Oxygen Recovery System (IORS) applicable to advanced mission air revitalization. The IORS provides the capability to electrochemically generate metabolic oxygen (O2) and recover O2 from the space habitat atmosphere via a carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction process within a single assembly. To achieve this capability, the IORS utilizes a Solid Metal Cathode (SMC) water electrolysis unit that simultaneously serves as the Sabatier CO2 reduction reactor. The IORS enables two major life support systems currently baselined in closed loop air revitalization systems to be combined into one smaller, less complex system. This concept reduces fluidic and electrical interface requirements and eliminates a hydrogen (H2) interface. Life Systems is performing an evaluation of the IORS process directed at demonstrating performance and quantifying key physical characteristics including power, weight, and volume. Technical progress achieved during the first two months of the program is summarized.

Lee, M. Gene↗
NASA NTRS1993

Integrated oxygen recovery system

Life Systems has conceptualized an innovative Integrated Oxygen Recovery System (IORS) applicable to advanced mission air revitalization. The IORS provides the capability to electrochemically generate metabolic oxygen (O2) and recover O2 from the space habitat atmosphere via a carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction process within a single assembly. To achieve this capability, the IORS utilizes a Solid Metal Cathode (SMC) water electrolysis unit that simultaneously serves as the Sabatier CO2 reduction reactor. The IORS enables two major life support systems currently baselined in closed loop air revitalization systems to be combined into one smaller, less complex system. This concept reduces fluidic and electrical interface requirements and eliminates a hydrogen (H2) interface. Life Systems is performing an evaluation of the IORS process directed at demonstrating performance and quantifying key physical characteristics including power, weight, and volume. The results of the checkout, shakedown, and initial parametric tests are summarized.

Lee, M. Gene↗
NASA NTRS2001

Performance of Sweetpotato for Bioregenerative Life Support

Sweetpotato was successfully grown to harvest maturity in a large-scale atmospherically-closed controlled environment chamber. Yield of edible biomass and capacity for contributing to air revitalization and water recovery were documented. Yield was slightly less than that found in smaller-scale studies, but this is not unusual (Wheeler 1999). Continued work is suggested to improve control of storage root initiation, bulking and vine growth.

Barta, Daniel J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

4BCO2 Model Validation and Comparisons Between Simulation and Ground and ISS Telemetry Data

The 4-bed CO2Scrubber (4BCO2), used to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere of the International Space Station(ISS), was built to improve upon its predecessors to meet the air revitalization needs of future missions. During this internship session, a Matlab wrapper of COMSOL models used to simulate the operation of the 4BCO2 unit was improved upon and validated against both ground test data and flight test data from the currently operating 4BCO2 unit. This presentation details the results of the activities and exercises performed during this internship session, such as the discussion on the plots generated from least squares minimization of the simulation linear driving force and sorbent bed dispersion correction factor multiplier. Plots derived from the collection and processing of telemetry data from the 4BCO2 unit aboard the ISS are discussed in relation to the work processing work performed, and comparisons between real-time CO2 removal rates and simulation removal rates are also discussed.

Larissa Lagria↗
NASA NTRS2003

Human Support Technology Research to Enable Exploration

Contents include the following: Advanced life support. System integration, modeling, and analysis. Progressive capabilities. Water processing. Air revitalization systems. Why advanced CO2 removal technology? Solid waste resource recovery systems: lyophilization. ISRU technologies for Mars life support. Atmospheric resources of Mars. N2 consumable/make-up for Mars life. Integrated test beds. Monitoring and controlling the environment. Ground-based commercial technology. Optimizing size vs capability. Water recovery systems. Flight verification topics.

Joshi, Jitendra↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Development of Models for Carbon Dioxide Reduction Technologies for Spacecraft Air Revitalization

Through the respiration process, humans consume oxygen (O2) while producing carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) as byproducts. For long term space exploration, CO2 concentration in the atmosphere must be managed to prevent hypercapnia. Moreover, CO2 can be used as a source of oxygen through chemical reduction serving to minimize the amount of oxygen required at launch. Reduction can be achieved through a number of techniques. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is currently exploring the Sabatier reaction, the Bosch reaction, and co-electrolysis of CO2 and H2O for this process. Proof-of-concept experiments and prototype units for all three processes have proven capable of returning useful commodities for space exploration. While all three techniques have demonstrated the capacity to reduce CO2 in the laboratory, there is interest in understanding how all three techniques would perform at a system-level within a spacecraft. Consequently, there is an impetus to develop predictive models for these processes that can be readily re-scaled and integrated into larger system models. Such analysis tools provide the ability to evaluate each technique on a comparable basis with respect to processing rates. This manuscript describes the current models for the carbon dioxide reduction processes under parallel developmental e orts. Comparison to experimental data is provided were available for veri cation purposes.

Swickrath, Michael J.↗