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The Regenerable Carbon Dioxide Removal System (RCRS) has been flying on Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) versions of Shuttle since 1992. Life characteristics of an enhanced sorbent were evaluated after five years of service life on two Orbiter vehicles. Performance data is presented showing excellent carbon dioxide removal. Limited data forces a range of life predictions for the useful life of the sorbent.

This paper presents two quite different solid amine carbon dioxide removal systems that have progressed to manned chamber testing status. The first is a carbon dioxide concentrator that was tested as part of a NASA sponsored 90 Day Manned Test in 1970. It provided a 99+% carbon dioxide stream for further processing. The second system is the Regenerable Carbon Dioxide Removal System (RCRS) currently flying on the extended mission duration version of the Shuttle Orbiter. This system uses an amine that is tailored for overboard venting. It was chamber tested as part of its Certification process. Both chamber test series are discussed and performance data presented.

The Water Reclamation and Management System (WRM) for the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) has changed dramatically since Space Station Freedom (SSF) Restructure. What was two separate processors: the Potable Water Processor (PWP) and the Hygiene Water Processor (HWP), is now one combined system called the Water Processor (WP). This combined system is required to process the waste hygiene, handwash, and laundry waters, the Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) condensate, Shuttle fuel cell water, and the urine distillate, to produce potable quality water. The WP is composed of four major functions: waste water collection and storage, processed water storage and delivery, contaminant removal, and microbial separation between the waste and processed water. The two water storage and delivery functions are accomplished using vented bellows tanks and pumps.

The Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Subsystem on Space Station Freedom is part of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). The WRM provides water to the crew for drinking, food preparation, washing, and bathing. Water is also provided for equipment use such as electrolysis in order to generate crew metabolic oxygen. In addition, any excess water is made available for experiment uses. The primary function of the WRM is to collect waste water, process it to remove contaminants, store the recovered water for reuse, and finally, to distribute it to users within the habitable modules of the Space Station. The WRM is divided into two separate collection/distribution loops: one is used to recover condensate to potable standards for crew consumption, and the other is used to recover waste hygiene water back to hygiene standards for crew bathing and equipment use.

Space Station preliminary design studies examined the role of advanced automation and artificial intelligence to facilitate ECLSS control and diagnostics. Advanced automation techniques using independent embedded controllers were selected for the initial station, especially for centralized processes such as water recovery, air revitalization, and waste management. This paper examines the role that advanced computer capabilities can play to enhance advanced missions such as growth station, Moon and Mars exploration. The benefits of artificial intelligence are presented from both the expert system and learned system perspective.

Four regenerative ECLSS assemblies, built by Hamilton Standard, have been undergoing testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) during the past year. This paper describes each pre-prototype assembly and presents test objectives and data accumulated over the period of July 1987 through June 1988. The primary test activity was NASA's Integrated Systems Metabolic Control Test conducted in MSFC's Core Module Integration Facility (CMIF). This paper describes the operation and performance of the TIMES urine reclamation assembly and the Sabatier CO2 reduction assembly in that test. The other two technologies covered are the bench testing of the SAWD CO2 removal assembly and the integrated propulsion testing of the Static Feed SPE® O2 generation assembly.

Both Centralized and Distributed approaches are being evaluated for the installation of Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) equipment in the Space Station. In the Centralized facility concept, integrated processing equipment is located in two modules with plumbing used to circulate ECLS services throughout the Station. The Distributed approach locates the ECLS subsystems in every module of the Space Station with each subsystem designed to meet its own module needs. This paper defines the two approaches and how the advantages and disadvantages of each are tied to the choice of Space Station architecture. Other considerations and evaluations include: crew movement, Station evolution and the ducting impact needed to circulate ECLS services from centrally located processing equipment.

A regenerable solid amine CO2 control system, which employs water vapor for desorption, is being developed for potential use on long duration space missions. During cyclic operation, CO2 is first absorbed from the cabin atmosphere onto the granular amine. Steam is then used to heat the solid amine bed and desorb the CO2. This paper describes the solid amine system operation and application to the Shuttle Orbiter, Manned Space Platform (MSP) and Space Operations Center (SOC). The importance and interplay of system performance parameters are presented together with supporting data and design characteristics.