Application of Adsorption Beds to Spacecraft Life Support System

Important parameters in designing regenerable adsorption beds for spacecraft life support systems are defined. Typical applications include synthetic zeolite, which is used for carbon dioxide removal; and silica gel, which dehumidifies the atmospheric gas prior to passing it through the zeolite beds.

Bed performance is evaluated from correlated test data. A linearized solution of the dymanic mass transfer equations is presented, which provides a simplified method of bed design. This method is used to find the optimum design for a typical four bed regenerable, isothermal, carbon dioxide removal system. Results of this simplified analysis are compared with those of a detail digital computer study. This comparison indicates that the simplified method predicts system weight approximately 10% higher than the detailed evaluation.