INTEGRATED HUMIDITY, CARBON DIOXIDE AND THERMAL CONTROL IN AN EMU GAS STREAM

AN ADVANCED ABSORBENT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR SIMULTANEOUSLYREMOVING CARBON DIOXIDE, HUMIDITY, AND HEAT FROM THE GAS STREAM IN AN EXTRAVEHICULAR MOBILITY UNIT (EMU). THIS ABSORBENT ELIMINATES SEVERAL EMU COMPONENTS, REDUCES THE SIZE OF OTHERS, AND MINIMIZES THE MASS AND VOLUME OF THE EMU. IT WILL NOT VAPORIZE AND IS NOT TOXIC. THE SYSTEM STUDIED IS COMPLETELY CLOSED AND REGENERABLE. NO GASES ARE VENTED DURING OR AFTER THE EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY (EVA). THE SYSTEM PRODUCES WATER AND CO2 AT 1.0 ATMOSPHERE IN SEPARATE STREAMS. THE HEAT SINK CAPACITY CAN BE EASILY RECHARGED. BASED ON PREVIOUS APPLICATION OF THE ABSORBENT, THE CHEMICALS AND EQUIPMENT HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPERATE SEVERAL YEARS WITHOUT MAJOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. BASED ON PRACTICAL COMPONENT EFFICIENCIES, THE ADVANCED ABSORBENT REQUIRES ON-THIRD THE POWER FOR REGENERATION OF OTHER ADVANCED CO2 CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING SILVER OXIDE. THE ABSORBENT ALSO PROVIDES COOLING TO THE EMU GAS STREAM DURING EVA. THE COOLING CAPACITY IS RESTORED BY CONNECTION TO A SPACECRAFT COOLING LOOP THAT OPERATES AT 4 DEGREES CENTIGRADE (40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT). NO ADDITIONAL ACTIVE REFRIGERATION UNIT IS NEEDED TO RESTORE THE HEAT-ABSORPTION CAPACITY. AN ADVANCED ABSORBENT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR SIMULTANEOUSLYREMOVING CARBON DIOXIDE, HUMIDITY, AND HEAT FROM THE GAS STREAM IN AN EXTRAVEHICULAR MOBILITY UNIT (EMU). THIS ABSORBENT ELIMINATES SEVERAL EMU COMPONENTS, REDUCES THE SIZE OF OTHERS, AND MINIMIZES THE MASS AND VOLUME OF THE EMU. IT WILL NOT VAPORIZE AND IS NOT TOXIC. THE SYSTEM STUDIED IS COMPLETELY CLOSED AND REGENERABLE. NO GASES ARE VENTED DURING OR AFTER THE EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY (EVA). THE SYSTEM PRODUCES WATER AND CO2 AT 1.0 ATMOSPHERE IN SEPARATE STREAMS. THE HEAT SINK CAPACITY CAN BE EASILY RECHARGED. BASED ON PREVIOUS APPLICATION OF THE ABSORBENT, THE CHEMICALS AND EQUIPMENT HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPERATE SEVERAL YEARS WITHOUT MAJOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. BASED ON PRACTICAL COMPONENT EFFICIENCIES, THE ADVANCED ABSORBENT REQUIRES ON-THIRD THE POWER FOR REGENERATION OF OTHER ADVANCED CO2 CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING SILVER OXIDE. THE ABSORBENT ALSO PROVIDES COOLING TO THE EMU GAS STREAM DURING EVA. THE COOLING CAPACITY IS RESTORED BY CONNECTION TO A SPACECRAFT COOLING LOOP THAT OPERATES AT 4 DEGREES CENTIGRADE (40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT). NO ADDITIONAL ACTIVE REFRIGERATION UNIT IS NEEDED TO RESTORE THE HEAT-ABSORPTION CAPACITY.