Technical Paper
Development of Immobilized Cell Bioreactor Technology for Water Reclamation in a Regenerative Life Support System
1991-07-01
911503
Immobilized microbial cell bioreactor technology is being investigated under a company-funded program to evaluate its applicability as a primary water processor for treatment of wastewater streams in a regenerative life support system. Incorporating biological wastewater treatment methods, as either a primary processor or a trace contaminant polisher, may offer several advantages over use of physicochemical processing methods alone, for long-duration space missions. Most contaminants found in a life support wastewater stream can be biologically converted to simple molecules. This occurs at near ambient temperature and pressure, requiring very little energy. In addition, bioreactor configurations are relatively simple, compared to physicochemical processes. One of the major benefits of using an immobilized cell bioreactor as a primary processor in a regenerative life support system is that such a unit could process several, and possibly all, of the wastewater streams.