ORBITEC Water Capture Device (WCD) Parabolic Flight Test

The ORBITEC Water Capture Device (WCD) is an innovative concept that uses unique microgravity-specific phenomena in a novel way to create an efficient (lower mass, lower power consumption, higher reliability) means of capturing, transporting, and collecting sparse airborne liquid droplets. This technology can be used for a variety of human spaceflight ECLSS subsystem applications, such as humidity removal, integrated temperature and humidity control, condensate and wastewater recycling, food production, and hybrid life support. The flight aboard Zero Gravity Corporation’s ZERO-G Weightless Lab will test the WCD’s functionality in a microgravity environment similar to that in an operational spacecraft. Problem Statement There are a variety of requirements to collect and manage liquids in human spaceflight life support systems including condensate from dehumidification systems, wastewater management, and other fluid systems applications that require separation of the gas and liquid phases in a common flow field. The ORBITEC Water Capture Device (WCD) is a passive, unpowered device that separates liquid and gas phases of a flow with NO moving parts. This passive device for liquid collection and management provides a higher long-duration reliability, lower-power, and lower-mass option for future crewed spacecraft applications. This will be especially important for future long-duration missions where water recycling is most valuable.
Currently the WCD is at TRL-6. Several low/medium fidelity system/component breadboards and a full-scale model have been built and tested in 1-g on benchtop, in low-gravity drop tower experiments, and a first series of parabolic flight tests in February 2016.

Water capture devices can be used in a multitude of systems (humidity removal, wastewater recycling, food production, etc.) and will benefit future NASA human spaceflight missions. Future Customers The WCD, as a component of ORBITEC’s Humidity Removal System and other ECLSS subsystems, will have a variety of applications to long-duration spacecraft and habitats for humidity removal, integrated temperature and humidity control, condensate and wastewater recycling, food production, and hybrid life support; ORBITEC has immediate applications for a bioregenerative food production system and temperature and humidity control system for space habitats.

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