NASA SBIR 2012 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Reactive Innovations, LLC
2 Park Drive, Unit 4
Westford, MA 01886 - 3525
(978) 692-4664

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Michael C. Kimble
mkimble@reactive-innovations.com
2 Park Drive, Unit 4
Westford, MA 01886 - 3525
(978) 692-4664

CORPORATE/BUSINESS OFFICIAL (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Michael C. Kimble
mkimble@reactive-innovations.com
2 Park Drive, Unit 4
Westford, MA 01886 - 3525
(978) 692-4664

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 2
End: 4

Technology Available (TAV) Subtopics
Crew Accommodations and Water Recovery for Long Duration Missions is a Technology Available (TAV) subtopic that includes NASA Intellectual Property (IP). Do you plan to use the NASA IP under the award?
No

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
U.S. space exploration missions have long considered returning to the Moon and exploration of Mars that challenge life support systems. For these long duration missions, NASA is interested in replacing the iodine water treatment system with ionic silver. Although iodine treated water has been used successfully with the International Space Station, its use requires that the iodine be removed before being consumed by astronauts due to its adverse effects on the thyroid. For long duration exploration missions, minimal mass systems are desired that lessen logistical supply requirements for storing and distributing potable water. In particular, it is imperative that an effective biocide is used that prevents microbial growth, biofilm formation, and microbially induced corrosion in the water storage and distribution systems. To address these needs, Reactive Innovations, LLC proposes to develop an electrochemical silver ion generator that produces an effective biocide concentration throughout the water storage and distribution system. The generator and system control will also minimize spurious deposition of silver on the wetted components of the water system maintaining a viable biocide activity to prevent biofilm growth. Materials compatibility testing will be examined with the generator to assess long duration operation.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
A potable water treatment process is needed to prevent microbial growth and biofilm formation in the water storage and distribution system for long duration missions. Silver ions have been proven by NASA to be effective for such microbial control, however, there remain significant challenges with the biocide delivery system and materials of construction that are compatible with silver. Our proposed process produces an effective delivery system with a control system that prevents silver deposition on the wetted materials of construction. This offers expanded degrees of freedom for designing the water system.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
Silver ion water treatment systems have been used in commercial systems for treating potable water. The proposed technology produces a better distribution of silver ions in the water system that minimizes gradients that affect primary current distributions that deposit silver elsewhere in the water flow system. Low energy and inexpensive materials help drive the technology toward commercial viability.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING (NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.)

Biomass Growth Coatings/Surface Treatments Essential Life Resources (Oxygen, Water, Nutrients) Fluids Metallics Polymers Process Monitoring & Control Remediation/Purification Waste Storage/Treatment