Browsing by Author "Shull, Sarah"
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Item Cascade Distillation System – A water recovery system for deep space missions(44th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2014-07-13) Patel, Vipul; Au, Henry; Shull, Sarah; Sargusingh, Miriam J.; Callahan, MichaelHoneywell Aerospace has developed a distillation technology to process wastewater streams in microgravity environments for recovering potable water. The wastewater processing Cascade Distillation System (CDS) utilizes an innovative and proven multi-stage thermodynamic process to produce purified water. The Cascade Distiller (CD) is the core component of the CDS technology. The CD is a Centrifugal Vacuum Distiller (CVD) that processes wastewater as a feed source and purifies it to near potable water. Some volatile substances escape to the purified water. With minimum post processing, the water can be restored as potable for human consumption. The CD was tested at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) with a greater than 90% recovery rate during a technology comparison test. The results were compared with two other technologies. All three systems were challenged with two pretreated test solutions, each intended to represent a feasible wastewater generated in a deep space environment. An expert panel assembled by NASA down-selected the CDS as one of the technologies for further development. NASA internally developed the Vapor Compression Distiller (VCD) technology, which has reached Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 9. The VCD has paved the way for future development of wastewater recovery technologies by identifying critical requirements. However, the VCD has limited distillation capacity when compared to the CD. Currently, Honeywell Aerospace has an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with NASA for further development of the CD.Item Closing the Water Loop for Exploration: Status of the Brine Processor Assembly(47th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2017-07-16) Kelsey, Laura; Meyer, Caitlin; Shull, Sarah; Pasadilla, Patrick; Brockbank, Jason; Locke, Barrett; Lopez, Javier; Cognata, Thomas; Orlando, Thomas; Hahn, NormanThe NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Life Support Systems (LSS) project together with Paragon Space Development Corporation are working to develop a brine processor assembly for demonstration on the International Space Station (ISS). The Brine Processor will demonstrate the recovery of water from urine brine produced by the ISS Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). If successful, the Brine Processor will demonstrate water recovery rates greater than the current 75-90% possible using vapor compression distillation. The Brine Processor aims to recover up to 98% of water on ISS by utilizing forced convection of spacecraft cabin air coupled with a robust membrane distillation process to purify water from 22.5 liters of brine within a 26 day cycle. An ionomer-microporous membrane pair will be used to contain the brine while transferring water vapor to the cabin air. The water vapor is collected by the existing spacecraft condensing heat exchanger(s), which recover metabolically produced water vapor as humidity condensate. This paper will discuss progress to-date in the project including many critical technical and ISS integration milestones that the project has to meet in order to successfully deliver the proto-flight unit in August 2018.Item Development of a Water Recovery System Resource Tracking Model(45th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2015-07-12) Chambliss, Joe; Stambaugh, Imelda; Sargusingh, Miriam; Shull, Sarah; Moore, MichaelA simulation model has been developed to track water resources in an exploration vehicle using Regenerative Life Support (RLS) systems. The Resource Tracking Model (RTM) integrates the functions of all the vehicle components that significantly affect the processing and recovery of water during simulated missions. The approach used in developing the RTM enables its use as part of a complete vehicle simulation for real-time mission studies. Performance data for the components in the RTM are focused on water processing. The data provided to the model have been based on the most recent information available regarding the technology of the component. This paper will describe the process of defining the RLS system to be modeled, the way the modeling environment was selected, and how the model has been implemented. Results showing how the RLS components exchange water are provided in a test case.Item Evaluation of Brine Processing Technologies for Spacecraft Wastewater(45th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2015-07-12) Shaw, Hali L.; Flynn, Michael; Wisniewski, Richard; Lee, Jeffery; Jones, Harry; Delzeit, Lance; Shull, Sarah; Sargusingh, Miriam; Beeler, David; Howard, Jeanie; Howard, Kevin; Harris, Linden; Parodi, Jurek; Kawashima, BrianBrine drying systems may be used in spaceflight. There are several advantages to using brine processing technologies for long-duration human missions including a reduction in resupply requirements and achieving high water recovery ratios. The objective of this project was to evaluate four technologies for the drying of spacecraft water recycling system brine byproducts. The technologies tested were NASA’s Forward Osmosis Brine Drying (FOBD), Paragon’s Ionomer Water Processor (IWP), NASA’s Brine Evaporation Bag (BEB) System, and UMPQUA’s Ultrasonic Brine Dewatering System (UBDS). The purpose of this work was to evaluate the hardware using feed streams composed of brines similar to those generated on board the International Space Station (ISS) and future exploration missions. The brine formulations used for testing were the ISS Alternate Pretreatment and Solution 2 (Alt Pretreat). The brines were generated using the Wiped-film Rotating-disk (WFRD) evaporator, which is a vapor compression distillation system that is used to simulate the function of the ISS Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). Each system was evaluated based on the results from testing and Equivalent System Mass (ESM) calculations. A Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrix was also developed as a method to compare the different technologies based on customer and engineering requirements.Item Investigations into the Performance of Membrane-Aerated Biological Reactors Treating a Space Based Waste Stream(46th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2016-07-10) Sevanthi, Ritesh; Christenson, Dylan; Jackson, William; Morse, Audra; Meyer, Caitlin; Vega, Leticia; Shull, SarahTwo demonstration size membrane aerated biological reactors (MABR) CoMANDR 1.0 and CoMANDR 2.0 have previously demonstrated their ability to stabilize an early planetary base (EPB) waste stream over operating periods of ~1 year. Biological stabilization includes oxidation (>90%) of dissolved organic matter to CO2, partial conversion of organic N to NOx-, and reduced pH. Biological stabilization has a number of advantages including: 1) elimination of hazardous pre-treat chemicals; 2) production of N2(gas); 3) production of metabolic water; 3) a low pH effluent that facilitates membrane and distillation processes; and 4) a effluent that produces a better quality and less hazardous brine for water recovery. Preliminary analysis suggests that water recovery systems that integrated biological treatment may trade favorably compared to all physical/chemical systems. However, previous systems have incorporated reactor geometries and membrane specific surface areas which are not flight compatible. The R-CoMANDR (rectangular Counter-diffusion Membrane Aerated Nitrifying Denitrifying Reactor) system was developed to evaluate the ability of the smaller footprint reactor treat the range of possible waste streams (e.g. ISS to EPB) as well as the potential to operate without a feed tank. Individual waste streams (e.g. urine, hygiene, laundry, humidity condensate) are directly fed to the reactor on production. We will present performance data and evaluate the new flight like system design compared to previous systems.Item NASA Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Technology Development and Maturation for Exploration: 2015 to 2016 Overview(46th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2016-07-10) Schneider, Walter; Gatens, Robyn; Anderson, Molly; Broyan, James; Macatangay, Ariel; Shull, Sarah; Perry, Jay; Toomarian, NikzadOver the last year, NASA has continued to refine the understanding and prioritization of technology gaps that must be closed in order to achieve Evolvable Mars Campaign objectives. These efforts are reflected in updates to the technical area roadmaps released by NASA in 2015 and have guided technology development and maturation tasks that have been sponsored by various programs. This paper provides an overview of the refined Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) strategic planning, as well as a synopsis of key technology and maturation project tasks that occurred in 2015 and early 2016 to support the strategic needs. Plans for the remainder of 2015 and subsequent years will also be described.Item National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Technology Development and Maturation for Exploration: 2013 to 2014 Overview(44th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2014-07-13) Gatens, Robyn L.; Broyan, James L.; Macatangay, Ariel V.; Metcalf, Jordan L.; Shull, Sarah; Bagdigian, Robert M.; Stephan, RyanThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Strategic Space Technology Investment Plan (SSTIP) was released in December 2012. This plan, crafted from a series of draft Space Technology Roadmaps that were reviewed and critiqued by the National Research Council with input from public and key stakeholders, provides guidance for NASA’s space technology investment over the next four years to support a 20-year space exploration horizon. Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) is among the eight (8) core technology investment areas that the SSTIP specifically identifies as indispensable for NASA’s present and planned future missions. Improving reliability, reducing logistics burdens, and increasing loop closure are identified as key challenges to lowering overall mission life cycle costs and enabling a wider range of mission opportunities. To meet these challenges, the NASA ECLS community identified key technology gaps that need to be filled in order to enable and enhance representative classes of exploration missions. Over the last year, the effort to identify and prioritize technology gaps has evolved to include implementation planning through the efforts of newly-established NASA System Maturation Teams. An important component of this planning has been to assist senior agency leaders and program managers to understand ECLS investment needs and to organize a coherent, integrated investment strategy that leverages contributions across multiple directorates and programs. The integrated strategy also served as a guide for project and task managers as they worked to tailor individual technology development and maturation projects and task plans for 2013-14 to better and more cost-effectively meet the agency’s strategic needs. This paper provides an overview of the refined ECLS strategic planning, as well as a synopsis of key technology and maturation project tasks that occurred in 2013 and early 2014 to support the strategic needs. Plans for the remainder of 2014 and subsequent years are also described.Item Optimization of the Distiller Calcium Limiter (DCaL) System for Calcium Removal in Spacecraft Wastewater(44th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2014-07-13) Shaw, Hali; Flynn, Michael; Wisniewski, Richard; Delzeit, Lance; Shull, Sarah; Sargusingh, Miriam; Beeler, David; Howard, Jeanie; Howard, Kevin; Kawashima, Brian; Hayden, AnnaThe Distiller Calcium Limiter (DCaL) system removes calcium scale precursors from spacecraft wastewater. Previous research has indicated that the DCaL system successfully removes calcium, preventing the formation of calcium scale on heat transfer surfaces. The objective of this study was to optimize the DCaL system; this includes completing a mass balance, determining the optimum ion exchange membranes (anion and cation), and determining the effectiveness of electrodialysis reversal. Three membrane pairs were tested: Astom Neosepta® AMX/CMX (anion/cation), Astom AHA/CMB, and proprietary research membranes AEM/CEM. Tests were conducted using three individual test stands with different cell stacks that contained the membranes. The feed used for testing consisted of CaCl2 (20 g/L) and NaCl (25 g/L). The results from the testing were used to determine which membrane was the most efficient at removing calcium. A chemical compatibility test was then conducted by completing permselectivity tests, which were used to compare new membranes versus membranes that were previously soaked in brine (a concentrated urine mixture containing chromic acid) for 99 days. SEM images were also taken of the membranes soaked in brine to view any physical changes that may have occurred. The effect of electrodialysis reversal was determined by completing tests using ISS simulated wastewater (US/Russian chromic acid ISS pretreatment) and the DCaL-WFRD system. Three material balance tests were conducted to distinguish the ion transfer rates and water transfer rates. A vacuum test was completed to determine whether the electrodialysis stack could hold vacuum. Based on testing, the results showed that the Astom Neosepta® AMX and CMX membranes provided the highest performance in terms of calcium removal and chemical compatibility. The results also showed that electrodialysis reversal improves calcium removal and prevents fouling of the membranes. The material balance confirmed that the DCaL system removes calcium; however, additional tests are necessary to obtain data with better resolution and to determine the effect of more complex feed mixtures.Item Results of the Alternative Water Processor Test, A Novel Technology for Exploration Wastewater Remediation(46th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2016-07-10) Vega, Leticia; Meyer, Caitlin; Shull, Sarah; Pensinger, Stuart; Jackson, William; Christenson, Dylan; Adam, Niklas; Lange, KevinBiologically-based water recovery systems are a regenerative, low energy alternative to physiochemical processes to reclaim water from wastewater. This report summarizes the results of the Alternative Water Processor (AWP) Integrated Test, conducted from June 2013 until April 2014. The system was comprised of four (4) membrane aerated bioreactors (MABRs) to remove carbon and nitrogen from an exploration mission wastewater and a coupled forward and reverse osmosis system to remove large organic and inorganic salts from the biological system effluent. The system exceeded the overall objectives of the test by recovering 90% of the influent wastewater processed into a near potable state and a 64% reduction of consumables from the current state of the art water recovery system on the International Space Station (ISS). However, the biological system fell short of its test goals, failing to remove 75% and 90% of the influent ammonium and organic carbon, respectively. Despite not meeting its test goals, the BWP demonstrated the feasibility of an attached-growth biological system for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification, an innovative, volume- and consumable-saving design that does not require toxic pretreatment.