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The simulation test for the controlled ecological life support system is planned by Institute for Environmental Sciences (IES) of Japan. The purpose of this test is to confirm that in the closed space, the environmental and life support system is normally carried out. The establishments to perform the simulation test has been constructed at Rokkasho-mura village, Aomori prefecture, in Japan. We have been developed “Oxygen Recovery System” which decompose carbon dioxide (CO2) and regenerate oxygen(O2), for the simulation test. The oxygen recovery system consists of a equipment to reduce CO2 using the Sabatier method and a equipment to regenerate oxygen using water electrolysis method (Refer to Figure 1). And this reaction principle is as follows; The carbon dioxide is produced by the respiration of human, animals and plants. The carbon dioxide is reduced to methane and water using hydrogen in the first reaction.

The simulation test for the closed ecology experiment facility is planned by Institute for Environmental Sciences(IES) of Japan. The purpose of this test is to confirm that in the closed space, how the ecological factors influence the mass circulating system. The environmental and life support system in IES is based on the same principle as on the earth where the carbon dioxide produced by the respiration of human and animals is reduced to oxygen by the photosynthesis of the plants, but as an auxiliary system, artificial carbon dioxide reduction system is planned to be attached. This report describes about the loop test for the reduction of carbon dioxide using the Sabatier method: the reduction of carbon dioxide using hydrogen, the decomposition of produced methane and the water electrolysis. (See Figure 1)

Since the space station operates inside closed environment over long periods of time, it is essential to develop technologies to control trace contaminants produced by the metabolism of the crew and by the materials from which it is made. In order to accomplish this objective, we first of all conducted studies of both the constituents and amounts of all the trace contaminants expected to appear, and then, on the basis of these studies, we discussed the optimum means of controlling them. As a result, we selected a combination of adsorption and catalytic oxidation as the technology to control these trace contaminants. We conducted adsorption experiments, catalytic oxidation experiments, and experiments to determine the effect on the catalyst capabilities of silicon and halogen constituents, which are thought to be catalytic poisons.

As the result of the human metabolism in the space station, the carbon dioxide is discharged into the cabin atmosphere. It is indispensable to remove the carbon dioxide and keep it below the allowable level for the life support in a closed environment. The regenerative carbon dioxide removal system is necessary for the space station to decrease the life-cycle cost. The Solid Amine Water Desorbed (SAWD) system is considered as a competitive option among several candidate systems. In the SAWD process, the carbon dioxide gas is adsorbed by the ion-exchange-type solid amine, which is bedded in the canisters, and desorbed by heating the solid amine with the direct steam flow. The adsorption and desorption stage of the canisters are proceeded alternatively by the automatic control. For the application in the space station, the SAWD system shall embody less resources as well as high performance and reliability.