Continuous Brine Evaporation Cartridge

A microgravity-compatible Continuous Brine Evaporation Cartridge (CBEC) is proposed for greater than 95% water recovery from highly contaminated wastewater without concern for precipitation of organic and inorganic solids. The CBEC utilizes a small, counter flow evaporation chamber and heat exchange technologies, which reduce Equivalent System Mass (ESM) for water recovery via an evaporation system. A gas phase catalytic oxidizer converts organic contaminants in the moist air stream to carbon dioxide and water. The CBEC system dramatically lowers consumables and reduces long-term waste storage requirements compared to a traditional wick evaporation system. Highly contaminated wastewater streams such as urine, hygiene water, and RO brines are major wastewater streams for the CBEC. The Phase I project will focus on development of the counter flow wick evaporation cartridge and the catalytic oxidizer. The Phase II will incorporate thermal efficiency and mechanical durability to improve ESM of the CBEC system and result in delivery of 2 prototype systems, one large scale and the other for testing in microgravity. These efforts will be the foundation for the design and construction of a flight ready prototype for use on the International Space Station. The CBEC process will exceed the goal of 95% water recovery by 2022 set forth by NASA in the space technology roadmap.