Browsing by Author "Joyce, Connor J."
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Item Adapting Humidity Control Technologies for Trace Contaminant Removal in Crewed Spacecraft(2024 International Conference on Environmnetal Systems, 2024-07-21) Aaron III, Robert; Thibault, Joel; Kuenzi, Linda; Joyce, Connor J.Sorbent-based systems have been the backbone of trace contaminant removal methodology for decades. They are highly effective at accomplishing their mission, but simplicity at the cost of consumable mass represents a mission duration trade over the higher power, higher launch mass high-temperature catalytic oxidizers. Therefore, if other regenerable or non-consumable ECLS systems can be adapted to share the load, consumable lifetime may be extended, which directly corresponds to increased mass allocations for other deep space essentials like food or fuel. The result is increased mission duration and overall feasibility of using sorbent-based contaminant removal systems on modern missions. To enable realization of these opportunities, Paragon Space Development Corporation is investigating the use of patented Ionomer-membrane Water Processing (IWP) humidity removal technologies as part of a trace contaminant removal architecture for next-generation habitation modules. Contaminants which are challenging to remove with typical activated carbon adsorbents represent the most immediate opportunities for exploring complimentary technologies. Low molecular weight alcohols and ketones, including methanol, ethanol, and acetone are all difficult to remove from a cabin atmosphere using sorbent-based architectures and are likely to pass through IWP membranes where they can be expelled with excess water vapor. Therefore, IWP technology is likely to be a candidate for augmenting sorbent-based trace contaminant control. To quantify this statement, IWP membranes will be tested with varying specie concentrations and water content in the process flow and normalized results will be discussed.Item Envelope Analysis and Extension of Cold Trap Technology for Capture and Purification of Lunar Water(2024 International Conference on Environmnetal Systems, 2024-07-21) Holquist, Jordan B.; Joyce, Connor J.In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) has been proposed for processing water-ice on the Moon and Mars to provide fresh water, breathable oxygen, and rocket propellant for future exploration missions. On the Moon, evidence of water-ice has been detected in permanently shadowed regions (PSR) concurrently with other non-water volatile (NWV) species. On Mars, water-ice or brines have been detected at or below the surface in mid and high latitudes. Paragon Space Development Corporation has been developing the ISRU Collector of Ice in a Cold Lunar Environment (ICICLE) technology to specifically target the simultaneous capture and coarse purification of lunar water via deposition from an upstream sublimation-driven extraction process. The development of this technology has included model development for expected NWV retention with collected water, proof of concept experimentation for the �freeze distillation� of water, model development of the water deposition process, and TRL 4 demonstration of a sub-scale prototype collecting water at internally relevant process conditions. In this paper, we revisit the initial model for lunar NWV retention with collected water in order to study the effect of envelope conditions under which lunar water extraction and collection may occur. Whereas the initial model was focused on a single operating point as a case study, the present work describes all viable operating points for the ICICLE technology and the implications for downstream water purification and electrolysis systems.