Automated Carbon Formation Reactor

In this SBIR project, pH Matter, LLC is developing an automated carbon formation reactor (CFR) for the continuous formation of carbon from crewCO2. The teams approach will allow the CFR to operate continuously in an automated manner without the need for human intervention or the need for large and heavy replacement catalyst inserts. The system to be demonstrated will include an automated catalyst delivery and carbon removal system. A four crew member prototype will be built and delivered to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Future NASA missions have a critical need for improved process technologies for life support loop closure to enable extended manned exploration missions beyond Earth’s atmosphere. A critical component in life support loop closure is removing CO2 produced by the crew from the cabin atmosphere and chemically reducing it to recover the O2. Efficient removal of CO2 from the crew cabin is an issue for missions of long duration.  The bottom line for equipment on NASA missions is typically launch weight.  On the International Space Station, CO2 is converted to methane in a Sabatier reactor, and vented overboard.   This results in a loss of hydrogen (33 kg per person per year), requiring the station supply to constantly be replenished.pH Matter’s technology demonstrated in Phase I solves the issues with previous designs.  The competitive advantage of pH Matter’s novel CFR reactor is that it allows for a smaller footprint with only small replacement catalyst mass, and the system can be completely automated.  The average parasitic power is expected to be similar to a Sabatier reactor. Determine the expected packaging constraints and interface requirements for the CFR in a Series Bosch system, and perform a trade study to optimize the equivalent system mass considering mass, volume, power, and resupply trade-offs. Automate vacuum removal of carbon from the CFR to allow carbon to be extracted from the CFR within a contained system without human intervention. Demonstrate that the catalyst delivery, CFR operation, and carbon removal automation work independently of orientation with respect to gravity. Fabricate a four crew-member (CM) CFR based on the optimized design and features required for automated operation independent of orientation. Deliver the prototype to NASA MSFC for testing in a breadboard system to achieve TRL 6.

NASA has a need for improved process technologies for life support loop closure to enable extended manned exploration missions beyond earth’s atmosphere.  The automated carbon formation reactor is necessary to efficiently recover oxygen for manned missions to deep space, Mars, lunar missions, and for reducing supply requirements to the International Space Station (ISS).  A critical component in life support loop closure is the removal of metabolic carbon dioxide (produced by the crew) from the cabin atmosphere. The CFR reactor demonstrated on this project could be used by other aerospace companies interested in manned space exploration including, Lockheed Martin, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.  The reactor technology developed on this program could be used to continuously grow carbon materials which could be used in a wide range of applications including electro-active carbons for fuel cells and batteries.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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