Low Temperature Trash Gasification Reactor

Converting in-situ resources into propellants, energy storage reactants, or other useful products at the site of exploration, known as in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), instead of transporting these supplies from Earth can significantly reduce the cost and risk of human exploration while at the same time enabling new mission concepts and long term exploration sustainability. NASA needs innovative gasification reactors to convert trash into useful intermediate products such as carbon dioxide and water, which can ultimately be used to make methane and oxygen for propulsion and energy generation applications. Unfortunately, partial oxidation reactors and incinerators that might be used to reduce trash to useful products operate at high temperatures and also create ash, tar and other undesirable by-products. TDA Research has developed a low temperature (< 135 degrees C) ozone oxidation process that efficiently and cleanly converts trash into carbon dioxide and water. These intermediate products can then be delivered to a Sabatier reactor for the production of methane and oxygen. However, our reactor was designed for use on the moon or Mars whereas future spacecraft will need systems able to function in zero-g and micro-g environments. Therefore, TDA proposes to develop a trash gasification reactor that uses our ozone oxidation process and will work in the absence of gravity. In this project we will conduct the analysis and experiments to design the reactor.

This project will develop a trash gasification reactor to generate CO2 and water that can be used for in situ synthesis of propellants. The ability to convert trash to propellants is critical to the success of long term space missions. As yet no technologies have been developed that meet all of the demanding criteria required by such a process, and our low temperature trash gasification reactor is critical to such missions. A successful Phase II project will lead to Phase III support for the development of flightweight hardware.

Agencies and communities other than NASA also need to reuse or recycle trash and sterilize water and medical equipment, which can be accomplished with ozone. The Army needs portable systems to eliminate trash and purify grey water for reuse. Ozone can also effectively remove organic contaminants from surfaces that would have once been cleaned with chlorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons; materials now banned from use. For example, ozone can be used to clean hydrocarbons from semiconductors, magnetic disks, medical devices, flight hardware, etc. which would be damaged by high temperature cleaning processes.

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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.