A Novel Membrane-Based Water-Reclamation Posttreatment Unit

This paper describes the development of an advanced membrane/sorption-bed hybrid subsystem to posttreat humidity condensate and phase-change distillate generated during space missions. Discussed are 1) the design and construction of a breadboard hybrid subsystem, and 2) data showing the performance of this subsystem operating for more than 90 days.

Conventional posttreatment subsystems developed by NASA rely on a multifiltration technique that uses expendable sorption beds, which work well. The purpose of this program was to reduce the number of sorption beds required by this subsystem by using membranes to concentrate the contaminants.

Tests show that a breadboard hybrid subsystem developed by Bend Research, Inc. (BRI), and Umpqua Research Co. (URC) uses 50% fewer sorption beds than a stand-alone multifiltration process.