A Trade Study on Sabatier Co2 Reduction Subsystem for Advanced Missions

 

We have introduced you to Nobel Prize-winner Paul Sabatier and his technology for recycling Carbon Dioxide into the building blocks of hydrocarbon fuels and water. And, we have reported that his CO2 recycling technology is being used on the International Space Station to sustain Earth's astronauts.

 

Herein is more information on how Carbon Dioxide - arising from our use of coal for power generation, metal refining, and the synthesis of needed liquid fuels and chemicals - can help sustain all of us on our "advanced", extended mission aboard Space Ship Earth.

 

As follows: 

"A Trade Study on Sabatier Co2 Reduction Subsystem for Advanced Missions

Document Number: 2001-01-2293

Date Published: July 2001

Author(s):
Frank F. Jeng - Lockheed Martin Space Opeations

Chin H. Lin - NASA Johnson Space Center

Abstract:
An analysis on O2 usage, water contents in food, CO2 and H2 availability, water generation capability of CO2 reduction subsystems, water balance, etc., was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of integrating a CO2 reduction subsystem into an air revitalization system.

The effects of CO2 reduction subsystem operating parameters on water recovery efficiencies and water generation capabilities were analyzed. Water mass balances for advanced missions were conducted for advanced missions. Equivalent system mass method was used to calculate payoff time for integrating the CO2 reduction subsystem into an air revitalization system. Decision criteria based on payoff time for integrating a CRS for advanced missions were developed."

Please note that the term "reduction", as used herein, has a dual meaning. The amount of Carbon Dioxide is physically reduced by, in the technical sense, chemically "reducing" it, i.e., "de-oxidizing" it, into it's basic components, Carbon and Oxygen. 

And, with some extrapolation, we infer that the technology exists to, by recycling a much-demonized coal use by-product, effect the "revitalization" of our planetary "air".