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The Exploration Water Recovery SystemThe Exploration Water Recovery System is designed towards fulfillment of NASA s Vision for Space Exploration, which will require elevation of existing technologies to higher levels of optimization. This new system, designed for application to the Exploration infrastructure, presents a novel combination of proven air and water purification technologies. The integration of unit operations is modified from that of the current state-of-the-art water recovery system so as to optimize treatment of the various waste water streams, contaminant loads, and flow rates. Optimization is achieved primarily through the removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase prior to their absorption into the liquid phase. In the current state-of-the-art system, the water vapor in the cabin atmosphere is condensed, and the volatile organic contaminants present in that atmosphere are absorbed into the aqueous phase. Removal of contaminants the5 occurs via catalytic oxidation in the liquid phase. Oxidation kinetics, however, dictate that removal of volatile organic contaminants from the vapor phase can inherently be more efficient than their removal from the aqueous phase. Taking advantage of this efficiency reduces the complexity of the water recovery system. This reduction in system complexity is accompanied by reductions in the weight, volume, power, and resupply requirements of the system. Vapor compression distillation technology is used to treat the urine, condensate, and hygiene waste streams. This contributes to the reduction in resupply, as incorporation of vapor compression distillation technology at this point in the process reduces reliance on the expendable ion exchange and adsorption media used in the current state-of-the-art water recovery system. Other proven technologies that are incorporated into the Exploration Water Recovery System include the Trace Contaminant Control System and the Volatile Removal Assembly.
Document ID
20060048223
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
ORourke, Mary Jane E.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Carter, Layne
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Holder, Donald W.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Tomes, Kristin M.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2006
Subject Category
Space Sciences (General)
Meeting Information
Meeting: 36th International Conference on Environmental Systems
Location: Norfolk, VA
Country: United States
Start Date: July 17, 2006
End Date: July 20, 2006
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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