SBIR 95-1 SOLICITATION

PROJECT SUMMARY

Proposal Number:

12.06-7770

Project Title:

MICROWAVE REGENERABLE AIR PURIFICATION DEVICE

Technical Abstract:

A more compact and thermally efficient technology is proposed for the removal of CO2, H2O, and trace organic contaminants from air during Extravehicular Activity (EVA). Currently, expendable cartridges containing activated carbon and lithium hydroxide are used for the removal of trace contaminants, CO2, and water vapor inside the suit during EVA. Systems anticipated for deployment during assembly of the future International Space Station Alpha (ISSA) will use metal oxide CO2 sorbents in conjunction with other thermally regenerable media. Regeneration of these devices will utilize conventional resistive heating elements and will rely on conduction and convection of heat to the thermally regenerable media. Significant improvements in size, weight, power consumption, regeneration efficiency, and regeneration times can be gained using dielectric heating. Conventional techniques heat the system and then transfer heat to the media. In the proposed innovation regenerable media with suitable dielectric loss properties are heated directly through microwave irradiation. This maximizes the efficiency of energy transfer and minimizes conductive, convective, and radiative losses as well as thermal mass.

Potential Commercial Applications:

The primary commercial application of the proposed technology will be as flight hardware required by NASA to support future long duration EVAs. It is anticipated that the proposed technology will be integrated as a subcomponent into the design of advanced Extravehicular Mobility Units.

Name and Address of Offeror:

Umpqua Research Company
P.O. Box 609
Myrtle Creek, OR 97457