Performance Characterization of a Temperature-Swing Adsorption Compressor for Closed-Loop Air Revitalization Based on Integrated Tests with Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reduction Assemblies

CO₂ removal, recovery and reduction are essential processes for a closed loop air revitalization system in a crewed spacecraft. Typically, a compressor is required to recover the low pressure CO₂ that is being removed from the spacecraft in a swing bed adsorption system. This paper describes integrated tests of a Temperature-Swing Adsorption Compressor (TSAC) with high-fidelity systems for carbon dioxide removal and reduction assemblies (CDRA and Sabatier reactor). It also provides details of the TSAC operation at various CO₂ loadings.

The TSAC is a solid-state compressor that has the capability to remove CO₂ from a low-pressure source, and subsequently store, compress, and deliver it at a higher pressure. TSAC utilizes the principle of temperature-swing adsorption compression and has no rapidly moving parts. Temperature-swing adsorption processors have multiple applications in space exploration where acquisition, separation, purification, transportation or compression of gases are involved. The TSAC was developed and validated at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC). The integrated tests were performed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).