Clean Catalysts for Water Recovery Systems in Long-Duration Missions

Oxidation catalysts based on innovative, physically-robust activated carbon materials containing dispersed noble metals are essential in process optimization for production of high-quality potable water in long-duration manned space missions. An innovative catalyst technology is proposed for development to a full-scale advanced life support and space station system size and configuration. The innovative support material is Porous Solid Carbon (PSC) monolith, which has been highly successful at small scale operation under previous programs, but has not been fully developed for spacecraft use to date. This material represents the state-of-the-art in advanced catalyst supports being developed for industrial applications. A catalytic oxidation process based on the PSC catalysts and operated at or below pasteurization temperatures is expected to meet NASA objectives at the minimum power/mass/consumables penalty. The key benefit of the PSC catalyst technology is that it has unsurpassed potential to exhibit the combination of physical stability and high catalytic activity over multi-year operational lives. The Phase I material development program will lay the foundation for an operational pilot system to be fabricated and delivered during the Phase II program.

Advanced commercial space exploration missions requiring catalytic post-processing sub-systems for both water and air can benefit from this technology. Regardless of whether a physical/chemical or a biological water processor is used for ALS applications, a reliable catalytic oxidation post-processor is likely to be necessary and desirable to produce the high-quality effluent necessary. A monolithic configuration for the catalysts is projected to be the most attractive for NASA applications.

The proposed technology has extensive commercial CleanTech applications in the chemical processing industries. ELS has ongoing relationships and active cooperative agreements with several key industrial process technology suppliers, who have identified strategic applications in several Industries of the Future, including A) Conversion of Natural Gas-to-Liquid Fuels & Chemical Feedstocks, B) Renewable Biobased Chemicals & Biofuels Production and C) Clean Manufacturing Technology for Polymer Production. Conservative estimates are in excess of $2B addressable market for this NASA-sponsored technology.

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