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In support of Space Station Freedom Phase C/D Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) regenerative systems development, comparative testing was performed on predevelopment hardware of competing technologies for each regenerative function. This testing was conducted by The Boeing Aerospace and Electronics Company (BAE) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) from late 1989 through early 1990. The purpose of the test program was to collect data on latest generation hardware in order to make final technology selections for each subassembly in the oxygen recovery and water reclamation strings. This paper discusses the testing performed, test results, and evaluation of these results relative to subsystem selections for CO2 reduction, O2 generation, potable water processing, hygiene water processing, and urine processing.

Comparative tests were performed by Boeing, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) or Boeing subcontractors to select the optimum technology for waste water processing on Space Station Freedom (SSF). A Thermoelectric Integrated Membrane Evaporation Subsystem (TIMES) and a Vapor Compression Distillation Subsystem (VCDS) were built and tested to compare urine processing capability. A portion of the distillate recovered from pretreated urine; ie, the water which originates in the resupply food, is the basis for closed loop life support on SSF. Several other waste water “Challenge Solutions”, representing laboratory experiment waste water, were also comparatively processed with these two technologies. Performance, water quality and specific energy were compared for conceptual designs intended to function as part of the Water Recovery and Management (WRM) system.