Water Collection, Recovery, and Bag Containment Analysis of Trash Models of the Trash Compaction and Processing System (TCPS)
The Trash Compaction and Processing System (TCPS) aims to reduce volume, biologically safen, physically stabilize, manage effluents, and recover resources from astronaut trash in the International Space Station (ISS). The Heat Melt Compactor (HMC) at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) serves as a test system that supports TCPS development by conducting risk reduction activities associated with an ISS flight demonstration. One of the resources desired to be recovered is water from the trash. The HMC Gen 3 has undergone several tests of different trash models and cases in which a containment bag is used or not. This paper will analyze the water collected and recovered from these tests and analyze the effect of specific trash containment bags.