You are here

Non Thermal Plasma Assisted Catalytic Reactor for CO2 Methanation

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX13CM06P
Agency Tracking Number: 124487
Amount: $125,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: H1.01
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2012
Award Year: 2013
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2013-05-23
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2013-11-23
Small Business Information
TX
College Station, TX 77845-6023
United States
DUNS: 184758308
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Mahesh Waje
 Scientist II
 (979) 764-2200
 mahesh.waje@lynntech.com
Business Contact
 G. Hisaw
Title: Sr. Contracts Administrator
Phone: (979) 764-2218
Email: renee.hisaw@lynntech.com
Research Institution
 Stub
Abstract

In situ production of methane as propellant and oxygen as life support consumables from the atmospheric CO2 and water on Mars is a key enabling technology required for sustainable and affordable human exploration of Mars. Sabatier reaction for catalytic methanation of CO2 with H2 is a commercially well known process achieving conversions in excess of 99% at temperature of ~350?C. However, application of this technology for Mars missions requires significant improvements in terms of mass and durability of the Sabatier reactor. Conventional catalytic approaches are insufficient to address the catalyst durability issues and its tolerance to impurities such as H2S and halogenated compounds, which may be present in small quantities in Martian CO2. Lynntech proposes a novel low power, low temperature, impurity tolerant non thermal plasma assisted catalysis for the methanation of CO2. Lynntech will develop a multi-channel reactor design based on parametric study in Phase I. The Phase II of the project will build a full scale Sabatier reactor for NASA application.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government