Electrochemical Reactor for Producing Oxygen From Carbon Dioxide

An electrochemical reactor is proposed by MicroCell Technologies, LLC to electrochemically reduce carbon dioxide to oxygen. In support of NASA's advanced life support processes and human exploration missions, recovering oxygen from carbon dioxide is important since oxygen resupply is not a viable option. The proposed process is based on using a low temperature molten salt to selectively adsorb carbon dioxide from the ambient and reducing it to an oxide ion and carbon monoxide. The oxide ion is subsequently oxidized to oxygen. This carbon dioxide removal and oxygen generator may be used by NASA to provide oxygen for cabin crew life support or for propellant generation on Mars as a part of the In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) process. During the Phase I project, we will demonstrate the electrochemical reactor using pure carbon dioxide and using low concentrations of carbon dioxide in air.