CO2 Removal for the International Space Station – 4-Bed Molecular Sieve Material Selection and System Design

Date

2019-07-07

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

49th International Conference on Environmental Systems

Abstract

Efforts over the past three years have focused on the study of candidate sorbent materials for use in a 4BMS molecular sieve system. The accumulation of knowledge has been invaluable for further decisions and for reflecting on the conclusions of past decisions. The goal of the next generation CO2 removal system is continuous, failure-free operation for nearly 20,000 hours, but no complex life support system has yet reached this lofty goal. In addition to reliability, CO2 removal performance improvements have been intensively studied. The achievements toward this end include highly detailed isotherm measurements which drive system simulations as well as testing physical design improvements. Looking back on the successes and failures of past systems, correlating data from long-duration tests, and carefully projecting future results are all needed for the success of the next system. This work intends to reveal the path we have taken and illuminate the steps to come for CO2 removal life support with the 4BCO2 flight demonstration.

Description

Gregory Cmarik, Jacobs Space Exploration Group, NASA/MSFC/ES62, USA
James Knox, Jacobs Space Exploration Group, USA
ICES302: Physio-chemical Life Support- Air Revitalization Systems -Technology and Process Development
The 49th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 07 July 2019 through 11 July 2019.

Keywords

CO2 removal, Carbon Dioxide, 4BMS - 4-bed molecular sieve, CDRA, 4BCO2, sorbent, characterization

Citation