Test Results on Reuse of Reclaimed Shower Water - A Summary 891443

A microgravity whole body shower and waste water recovery system were evaluated in three separate closed loop tests at NASA/JSC. These tests covered a period from August 1985 to June 1987 in which shower waste water was reclaimed and reused for showering. Test persons showered in a preprototype whole body shower following a protocol similar to that anticipated for the Space Station. Each test was performed by using different water recovery system technologies which included phase change distillation and two separate reverse osmosis processes. These were integrated with post-treatment for the final purification of the reclaimed water. The phase change, a preprototype Thermoelectric Hollow Fiber Membrane Evaporation Subsystem was used for the initial test with chemical pretreatment of the shower waste water input. A reverse osmosis dynamic membrane system was used for the second test and a 2-stage ultrafiltration/reverse osmosis system for the third test. The post-treatment consisted of filtration of all the reclaimed water through granular activated carbon, ion exchange resin beds, and a microbial treatment bed for residual disinfection.

This paper describes the test hardware; controls exercised for whole body showering; types of soaps evaluated; shower person response to showering with reclaimed water; the applicable chemical pretreatment for microbial control; and the procedures established necessary to provide hygiene water for reuse. The reclamation system performance and effectiveness for providing water purity and microbial control are discussed. The chemical analysis and microbial evaluation results are also presented on the quality of water produced by the systems. Reclaimed water was successfully produced for reuse by all three waste water recovery systems.