Project number
16105
Organization
Paragon Space Development Corp.
Academic year
2016-2017
The wastewater-purification system on the International Space Station recovers about 75 percent of the contaminated water on board. Increasing this recovery rate decreases the need for resupply missions.
The design team’s goal is to design a water-purification system that can increase the life expectancy of the overall system. The designed trace contaminant control system uses an activated-charcoal bed followed by an alumina bed to remove large contaminants such as siloxanes. After the beds, the stream passes through a photocatalytic oxidizer that uses ultraviolet light and titanium dioxide to create radicals and remove volatile organic compounds.
Finally, the Microlith sorbent bed removes contaminants such as ammonia and carbon dioxide. A heat-exchanger network has been developed using space as the condenser. The designed system is scheduled to be implemented in the late 2020s.
The design team’s goal is to design a water-purification system that can increase the life expectancy of the overall system. The designed trace contaminant control system uses an activated-charcoal bed followed by an alumina bed to remove large contaminants such as siloxanes. After the beds, the stream passes through a photocatalytic oxidizer that uses ultraviolet light and titanium dioxide to create radicals and remove volatile organic compounds.
Finally, the Microlith sorbent bed removes contaminants such as ammonia and carbon dioxide. A heat-exchanger network has been developed using space as the condenser. The designed system is scheduled to be implemented in the late 2020s.