A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE CONVERSION OF CO AND CO2 TO METHANE IN A GRAVITY-FREE ENVIRONMENT

THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF CONVERTINGCO AND CO2, NATURAL BY-PRODUCTS OF MEN AND OTHER "ENGINES" IN SPACE, INTO USABLE FUELS SUCH AS METHANE. A SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED TO IDENTIFY THE SUITABLE REACTIONS FOR THE PROCESS. THE THERMODYNAMICS OF THE CANDIDATE REACTIONS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS CATALYSTS WILL BE STUDIED. THEEFFECT OF A GRAVITY-FREE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE ADDRESSED. A SMALL PARTICLE/GAS MIXTURE WILL BE UTILIZED AS THE WORKING FLUID FOR THE PROPOSED CONVERSION PROCESS. THE HEAT/MASS TRANSFER AND FLOW CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE MIXTURE IN A GRAVITY-FREE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE IDENTIFIED. A PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF A SMALL PARTICLE/GAS CATALYTIC THERMAL REACTOR (SPCTR) FOR METHANE PRODUCTION IN SPACE WILLBE PROPOSED AND ITS GENERAL FEASIBILITY FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION WILL BE EVALUATED.