Subsystem Design Considerations for an Experimental Atmosphere Regeneration System for the Manned Orbital Laboratory
Abstract
This report describes the in-house investigation undertaken by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory during Pre-Phase 1 of the USAF manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) Secondary Experiment Program. The investigation was conducted with the objective of defining the type and general configuration of an atmosphere regeneration system and subsystems to serve as an on-orbit experiment in the MOL. Incuded in the discussion of the report is a comparison of techniques which can function as subsystems in an atmosphere regeneration system. The vehicle environmental and mission constraints used were taken from the present requirements and characteristics programmed for the MOL. The experimental atmosphere regeneration system general configuration which resulted from this investigation consists of regenerable carbon dioxide absorbers, a catalytic reduction reactor for reducing carbon dioxide to methane and water, and a water electrolysis cell cell for oxygen production. The comparative evaluation of various methods for each of these processes assumed reasonable factors for process efficiencies. The resulting system configuration is believed best for the MOL mission. This report may be used as a guide to determine an MOL atmosphere regeneration system configuration by referring to the subsystem comparison summaries and the general conclusions. The report will also be used by the Space Systems Division as a means of determining the interface considerations between the experiment and the MOL.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- ADA954969
Entities
People
- E. B. Thompson Jr
Organizations
- Flight Dynamics Laboratory