Utilization of Space Waste to Manufacture Sorbents for Trace-Contaminant Removal

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses the feasibility of producing regenerable sorbents for trace-contaminant control (mainly for on-board waste incineration systems) using a by-product (char) of an on-board waste pyrolysis process. The overall objective is to develop a gas clean-up system based on regenerable, waste-derived sorbents. The emphasis will be on the optimization of sorbent performance (break-through curves, sorption kinetics, sorbent regeneration, etc.), and on the integration of sorbent-preparation techniques with life-support operations. The objective of the Phase I study is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of using space waste materials to prepare effective SO2 and NO sorbents. This will be accomplished in three tasks: (1) Sorbent Preparation and Characterization (to prepare a number of trace-contaminant sorbents from space-waste materials and to characterize their properties in terms of specific surface area, pore volume, and pore-size distribution); (2) NO and SO2 Control Testing (to determine sorbent performance in terms of pollutant retention and sorbent regeneration); and (3) Process Assessment (to evaluate the concept in terms of sorbent performance, expected process compatibility with the space infrastructure and environment, system footprint, weight, and utilities demand (power, oxygen, etc.)).