A Prototype Early Planetary Organic Processor Assembly (OPA) Based on Dual-Stage Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR) for Fecal and Food Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery

Abstract

Long-duration, deep-space exploration and habitation missions demand robust and reliable technologies to ensure crew health, safety, and mission success. Local food production will be essential for crew nutrition and morale. However, at $10,000/lb, the payload costs and mass/volume limitations to transport and provide the necessary resources, including fertilizer, for an anticipated 30-month mission become challenging over time. For mission success and sustainability, the environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) of the near future will need to recover resources from all �waste� sources and be near-closed loop. Organic wastes (e.g., fecal and food) offer a renewable source of C, N, P, water and other trace elements to sustain crop production. However, these high-strength wastes are difficult to treat, due to factors such as heterogeneity, complexity, high water content, and presence of pathogens. To date, there is no flight-ready technology capable of treating mixed organic wastes, creating a technology gap for future space missions. To address this need, a prototype Organic Processor Assembly (OPA) was developed through collaboration between the University of South Florida (USF) and NASA�s Kennedy Space Center (KSC). OPA is based on the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), a hybrid technology coupling high-rate anaerobic digestion with membrane filtration. It was designed for an early planetary base (EPB) scenario to aid in closing the resource recovery loop and decreasing resupply dependence. This presentation discusses initial research pertaining to: 1) design challenges in maximizing hydraulic and organic throughput while minimizing mass and volume of the assembly; 2) capabilities for treating simulated high solids waste under steady and non-steady state conditions; and 3) measured performance parameters such as total organic carbon (TOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nutrients, solids, turbidity, and biogas production. Future research and development pertaining to further optimization on system safety, reliability, and expanded treatment capabilities will also be presented.

Description

Talon Bullard, University of South Florida
Alexandra Smith, University of South Florida
Benjamin Hoque, University of South Florida
Robert Bair, University of South Florida
Manuel Delgado-Navarro, University of South Florida
Paul Long, Forward Designs LLC
Ahmet Uman, University of South Florida
Daniel Yeh, University of South Florida
Melanie Pickett, NASA, Kennedy Space Center
Luke Roberson, NASA, Kennedy Space Center
ICES204: Bioregenerative Life Support
The 50th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held virtually on 12 July 2021 through 14 July 2021.

Keywords

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR), Bioregenerative Life Support, Fecal Waste

Citation