Water Walls Overview
- Paper number
IAC-19,A1,7,7,x52328
- Author
Dr. Marc M. Cohen, United States, Space Cooperative Inc.
- Coauthor
Dr. Rocco Mancinelli, United States, SETI Institute
- Coauthor
Mr. Jurek Parodi, United States, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Ames Research Center
- Year
2019
- Abstract
This overview describes the several systems that comprise the Water Walls approach to creating a Life Support system using a simple membrane technology to supplement and in some functions, to replace the complex and too failure-prone existing life support systems. The primary innovation is to try to achieve reliability through the massive redundancy of inexpensive, passive forward osmosis membrane placed within simple but sturdy polyethylene bags. A key element is the calculation that photosynthesis by algae is about an order of magnitude more power-efficient at scrubbing CO2 and generating O2 than the Sabatier Reactor. This overview describes the Functional Flow concept and for the relationship among the Water Walls subsystems. It explains the Process Block approach and how it was ultimately consolidated to achieve more clarity and simplicity at the at the higher system level while developing refinement and component characterizations at the subsystem level. Finally, it illustrates the application of Water Walls to a representative space crew habitat module.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-19,A1,7,7,x52328.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.