Development of the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Removal System Final Report

The United States, along with other countries around the world, is preparing to return humankind to the Lunar surface. This endeavor will require the development of new technologies if a human presence beyond the Earth’s sphere of influence is to be maintained. Indeed, during the space race of the 20th century, a mere twelve astronauts traveled to the Moon and returned to Earth. Now, in the 21st century as we prepare to travel back to the Moon and on to Mars a more substantial effort will be needed to develop how astronauts can sustain themselves for long duration. Among the technologies that need further development are CO2 and removal along with the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Long-term human exploration necessitates
CO2 and VOC removal systems which require little to no maintenance, i.e., no sorbent materials. Currently, NASA AMES is developing a CO2 Deposition System (CDep) which does not rely on sorbent materials. Rather, by chilling the incoming air the system is able to “freeze-out” the CO2 while allowing oxygen and nitrogen to pass through the system. However, this system in its current configuration is unable to filter out all VOCs. Therefore, it is necessary to further develop this system with the addition of a VOC removal element to provide a complete solution to the long-term problem of air revitalization in a safe and reliable manner.