Investigation of Condensing Ice Heat Exchangers for MTSA Technology Development

Padilla, Sebastian A.; Powers, Aaron; Ball, Tyler; Iacomini, Christine; Paul, Heather L.

doi:10.4271/2009-01-2387

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 6 publications

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“…The test bed for this effort is largely based on the one used and adapted for much of the previous MTSA testing 5,8,9 as well as the EHF test bed created under a Paragon IR&D effort to upgrade the existing test bed. One driving factor for modifications of the previous bed for this work revolves around the need to simulate lunar vacuum conditions.…”

Section: A Test Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulated Lunar Testing of Metabolic heat regenerated Temperature Swing Adsorption

Padilla

Bower

Iacomini

et al. 2012

42nd International Conference on Environmental Systems

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Metabolic heat regenerated Temperature Swing Adsorption (MTSA) technology is being developed for thermal and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) control for a Portable Life Support System (PLSS), as well as water recycling. An Engineering Development Unit (EDU) of the MTSA Subassembly (MTSAS) was designed and assembled for optimized Martian operations, but also meets requirements for lunar operations. For lunar operations the MTSA sorption cycle is driven via a vacuum swing between suit ventilation loop pressure and lunar vacuum. The focus of this effort was testing in a simulated lunar environment. This environment was simulated in Paragon's ECLSS Human-rating Facility (EHF) chamber. The objective of the testing was to evaluate the full cycle performance of the MTSAS EDU, and to assess CO 2 loading and pressure drop of the wash coated aluminum reticulated foam sorbent bed. Lunar environment testing proved out the feasibility of pure vacuum swing operation, making MTSA a technology that can be tested and used on the Moon prior to going to Mars. Testing demonstrated better than expected CO 2 loading on the sorbent and nearly replicates the equilibrium data from the sorbent manufacturer. This exceeded any of the previous sorbent loading tests performed by Paragon. Subsequently, the increased performance of the sorbent bed design indicates future designs will require less mass and volume than the current EDU rendering MTSA as very competitive for Martian PLSS applications. Nomenclature

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Section: A Test Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%