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Completed TRL 4 (started at 2, targeting 4)
Plasma is an energetic source that has thermal and non-thermal chemistry applications. For this work, we pursued the investigation of plasma as a non-consumable based method of treating spacecraft volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in order to mitigate or eliminate potential hazards. This work focused on select compounds but also applied the technology to program-funded trash-to-gas (TtG) effluent gas.
The use of plasma to decompose gaseous compounds into simpler ones allows for potential treatment and handling of spacecraft VOCs. This work has also branched into waste management technologies, with continued work expected to mitigate the produced concentrations from TtG effluents into allowable concentrations or simpler compounds that can be vented safely.
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