HIGH SOLIDS, PACKED-BED, PLUG-FLOW MICROBIAL SOLID WASTE PROCESSING MODULE FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS

FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS, SUCH AS SPACE STATION FREEDOM (SSF), THE LUNAR BASE, AND MISSION TO MARS, WILL INVOLVE PROLONGED LIFE IN SPACE, PLACING NEW DEMANDS ON CLOSED LOOP ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM (ECLSS) TECHNOLOGY. REGENERATIVE SYSTEMS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED FOR AIR AND WATER MANAGEMENT BECAUSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF RESUPPLY REQUIREMENTS, WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT. IN PARTICULAR, BIO-REGENERATIVESYSTEMS BECOME ATTRACTIVE AS MISSION DURATION INCREASES AND AS RESUPPLY DISTANCES INCREASE. AN INNOVATIVE BIOREACTOR ISPROPOSED, INCORPORATING A HIGH SOLIDS, PACKED-BED, PLUG-FLOWDESIGN, OPERATING IN MICRO OR PARTIAL GRAVITY ENVIRONMENTS. THE SYSTEM PROVIDES HIGH LEVELS OF BIOLOGICAL STABILIZATION OF ORGANIC WASTES, WHILE MINIMIZING REACTOR VOLUME, RESIDUAL SOLIDS STORAGE AND ENERGY INPUT REQUIREMENTS. THISUNIQUE BIOREACTOR DESIGN CONCEPT, SPECIFICALLY ADAPTED FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS, OVERCOMES EQUIPMENT SIZE AND MASS TRANSFER LIMITATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS IN SPACE.