Test and Evaluation of the Next Generation Blower for FBCO2 Scrubber

The four-bed carbon dioxide (FBCO2) scrubber was deployed on the ISS in late 2021 as a technology demonstration. The system was launched with a Honeywell blower that, while performing well, is no longer supported by the manufacturer with no available spares. Thus, NASA contracted with Calnetix Technologies to develop a next-generation, magnetic-bearing blower to meet FBCO2 demands and deliver the flowrates required for effective CO2 scrubbing. The first flight blower assembly was tested by Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in the summer of 2022 and installed in FBCO2 in February 2023. This paper presents the blower performance ground testing results, with details on the test plan and test setup provided. The performance data is used not only to qualify the blower for use in FBCO2, but also to create a model for use in predictions of on-orbit performance based on available telemetry data. The paper concludes with discussions on test limitations and early FBCO2 performance data with the new blower installed.