Influence of oxygenated compounds on reaction products in a microwave plasma methane pyrolysis assembly for post-processing of sabatier methane
Open accessAbstract
The state-of-the-art Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA) was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) in April 2010. The system is designed to accept carbon dioxide from the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly and hydrogen from the Oxygen Generation Assembly. The two gases are reacted in the CRA in a Sabatier reactor to produce water and methane. Venting of methane results in an oxygen resupply requirement of about 378 lbs per crew member per year. If the oxygen is supplied as water, the total weight for resupply is about 476 lb per crew member per year. For long-term missions beyond low Earth orbit, during which resupply capabilities will be further limited, recovery of hydrogen from methane is highly desirable. For this purpose, NASA is pursuing development of a Plasma Pyrolysis Assembly (PPA) capable of recovering hydrogen from methane. Under certain conditions, water vapor and carbon dioxide (nominally intended to be separated from the CRA outlet stream) may be present in the PPA feed stream. Thus, testing was conducted in 2010 to determine the effect of these "oxygenated" compounds on PPA performance, particularly the effect of inlet carbon dioxide and water variations on the PPA product stream. This paper discusses the test set-up, analysis, and results of this testing
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The hydrogen imbalance must be compensated by hydrogen resupply or by removing excess CO2 with absorbents that end up as trash.
“Either it must be compensated by hydrogen resupply or excess CO2 has to be removed by absorption to materials that end up as trash.”
From Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration (2021) · cites this paper as Mansell et al., 2011
The Introduction states that hydrogen lost when methane is vented must be replaced for the Sabatier process to continue. The Conclusion mentions a CO2 and water sorbent bed, but the paper does not describe removing excess CO2 as the alternative to hydrogen resupply or say that absorbent materials end up as trash. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredOn the ISS, CDRA, OGA, and CRA maintain a suitable gas balance using regenerable absorbent materials, water electrolysis, and the Sabatier reaction to remove CO2 and produce potable water.
“On the ISS, a Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA), an Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) and a Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly (CRA), are currently used to maintain a suitable gas balance. These systems use regenerable absorbent materials (in CDRA), water electrolysis (Eq. 1) (in OGA) and the Sabatier reaction (Eq. 2) (in CRA) to remove CO2 and produce potable water (H2Opotable) (Mansell et al.”
From Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration (2021) · cites this paper as Mansell et al., 2011
The opening passage says the ISS CRA receives CO2 from the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly and hydrogen from the Oxygen Generation Assembly, then uses a Sabatier reactor to produce water and methane. The Introduction says recovered water can be electrolyzed to produce oxygen and hydrogen. Neither passage specifies regenerable absorbents in the CDRA or says the water produced is potable; page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredAs a consequence of the hydrogen imbalance, substantial amounts of carbon and other elements are lost over time.
“As a consequence, substantial amounts of carbon and other elements are lost over time (Mansell et al., 2011; Knox and Stanley, 2015).”
From Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration (2021) · cites this paper as Mansell et al., 2011
The Introduction (page unavailable) says methane is vented from the ISS system, its bound hydrogen must be replaced, and overall mass recovery is incomplete. This supports ongoing material loss, including carbon in the vented methane, but it does not say that a hydrogen imbalance causes the loss of carbon and other elements. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe stoichiometric equations for ISS air revitalization show a global hydrogen imbalance.
“This means that the stoichiometric eqs. (1, 2) show that there is a global hydrogen imbalance.”
From Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration (2021) · cites this paper as Mansell et al., 2011
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Perry's chemical engineers' handbook
Green, D. W., & Perry, R. H. (2008) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.45-4393 · Cited by 10,131 · see citing works
Atwater, J. E., Wheeler, R. R., Hadley, N. M., et al. (2009) · SAE technical papers on CD-ROM/SAE technical paper series · doi:10.4271/2009-01-2467 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Abney, M. B., Miller, L., & Williams, T. (2010) · International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES) · doi:10.2514/6.2010-6274 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
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- [3]3. Fridman, A., "Plasma Chemistry," Cambridge University Press, New York, New York, 2008.
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Use of Photobioreactors in Regenerative Life Support Systems for Human Space Exploration
Fahrion, J., Mastroleo, F., Dussap, C.-G., & Leys, N. (2021) · Frontiers in Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.699525 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
- Authors
- Mansell, J. M., Abney, M., & Miller, L.
- Affiliations
- Marshall Space Flight Center (US)
- ECLS Technologies, LLC
- ORCID
- Mansell, J. Matthew
- Venue
- 41st International Conference on Environmental Systems
- Published
- 2011-07-17
- OpenAlex
- W2096668153
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 5.92
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Locations
- International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES) (publishedVersion)
- NASA STI Repository (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Catalysis › Catalysts for Methane Reforming
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Plasma Diagnostics and Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Plasma Applications and Diagnostics
- Keywords
- methane decomposition, microwave plasma, CO2 methanation, oxygenated compounds, International Space Station, long-duration spaceflight
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