Unique Metal Monolith Catalytic Reactor for Destruction of Airborne Trace Contaminants

The Trace Contaminant Control Subassembly (TCCS) to be used onboard the International Space Station (ISS) uses expendable adsorption beds and a conventional high temperature catalytic oxidizer to control trace chemical contaminants in the cabin air. Although effective, the current design has a high life cycle operating cost associated with maintaining the expendable beds and heating the catalytic oxidizer. In order to improve the TCCS's process economics, a retrofit to its primary design is being studied which utilizes an advanced technology lightweight, long-life Microlith™ catalytic converter (MCC). Development and testing of MCC prototypes for application to the TCCS have been conducted on a bench scale. Results from these studies are presented that show the converter's destruction performance for representative trace chemical contaminants found in a spacecraft cabin atmosphere.