15,738 research outputs found
Preprototype independent air revitalization subsystem
The performance and maturity of a preprototype, three-person capacity, automatically controlled and monitored, self-contained independent air revitalization subsystem were evaluated. The subsystem maintains the cabin partial pressure of oxygen at 22 kPa (3.2 psia) and that of carbon dioxide at 400 Pa (3 mm Hg) over a wide range of cabin air relative humidity conditions. Consumption of water vapor by the water vapor electrolysis module also provides partial humidity control of the cabin environment. During operation, the average carbon dioxide removal efficiency at baseline conditions remained constant throughout the test at 84%. The average electrochemical depolarized concentrator cell voltage at the end of the parametric/endurance test was 0.41 V, representing a very slowly decreasing average cell voltage. The average water vapor electrolysis cell voltage increased only at a rate of 20 mu/h from the initial level of 1.67 V to the final level of 1.69 V at conclusion of the testing
Electrochemical air revitalization system optimization investigation
A program to characterize a Breadboard of an Electrochemical Air Revitalization System (BEARS) was successfully completed. The BEARS is composed of three components: (1) a water vapor electrolysis module (WVEM) for O2 production and partial humidity control, (2) an electrochemical depolarized carbon dioxide concentrator module (EDCM) for CO2 control, and (3) a power-sharing controller, designed to utilize the power produced by the EDCM to partially offset the WVEM power requirements. It is concluded from the results of this work that the concept of electrochemical air revitalization with power-sharing is a viable solution to the problem of providing a localized topping force for O2 generation, CO2 removal and partial humidity control aboard manned spacecraft. Continued development of the EARS concept is recommended, applying the operational experience and limits identified during the BEARS program to testing of a one-man capacity system and toward the development of advanced system controls to optimize EARS operation for given interfaces and requirements. Successful completion of this development will produce timely technology necessary to plan future advanced environmental control and life support system programs and experiments
One-man electrochemical air revitalization system evaluation
A program to evaluate the performance of a one man capacity, self contained electrochemical air revitalization system was successfully completed. The technology readiness of this concept was demonstrated by characterizing the performance of this one man system over wide ranges in cabin atmospheric conditions. The electrochemical air revitalization system consists of a water vapor electrolysis module to generate oxygen from water vapor in the cabin air, and an electrochemical depolarized carbon dioxide concentrator module to remove carbon dioxide from the cabin air. A control/monitor instrumentation package that uses the electrochemical depolarized concentrator module power generated to partially offset the water vapor electrolysis module power requirements and various structural fluid routing components are also part of the system. The system was designed to meet the one man metabolic oxygen generation and carbon dioxide removal requirements, thereby controlling cabin partial pressure of oxygen at 22 kN/sq m and cabin pressure of carbon dioxide at 400 N/sq m over a wide range in cabin air relative humidity conditions
Technology advancement of the electrochemical CO2 concentrating process
Two multicell, liquid-cooled, advanced electrochemical depolarized carbon dioxide concentrator modules were fabricated. The cells utilized advanced, lightweight, plated anode current collectors, internal liquid cooling and lightweight cell frames. Both were designed to meet the carbon dioxide removal requirements of one-person, i.e., 1.0 kg/d (2.2 lb/d)
Electrochemical carbon dioxide concentrator advanced technology tasks
Technology advancement studies are reported on the basic electrochemical CO2 removal process to provide a basis for the design of the next generation cell, module and subsystem hardware. An Advanced Electrochemical Depolarized Concentrator Module (AEDCM) is developed that has the characteristics of low weight, low volume, high CO2, removal, good electrical performance and low process air pressure drop. Component weight and noise reduction for the hardware of a six man capacity CO2 collection subsystem was developed for the air revitalization group of the Space Station Prototype (SSP)
Technology advancement of the electrochemical CO2 concentrating process
The overall objectives of the present program are to: (1) improve the performance of the electrochemical CO2 removal technique by increasing CO2 removal efficiencies at pCO2 levels below 400 Pa, increasing cell power output and broadening the tolerance of electrochemical cells for operation over wide ranges of cabin relative humidity; (2) design, fabricate, and assemble development hardware to continue the evolution of the electrochemical concentrating technique from the existing level to an advanced level able to efficiently meet the CO2 removal needs of a spacecraft air revitalization system (ARS); (3) develop and incorporate into the EDC the components and concepts that allow for the efficient integration of the electrochemical technique with other subsystems to form a spacecraft ARS; (4) combine ARS functions to enable the elimination of subsystem components and interfaces; and (5) demonstrate the integration concepts through actual operation of a functionally integrated ARS
Technology advancement of the electrochemical CO2 concentrating process
A five-cell, liquid-cooled advanced electrochemical depolarized carbon dioxide concentrator module was fabricated. The cells utilized the advanced, lightweight, plated anode current collector concept and internal liquid-cooling. The five cell module was designed to meet the carbon dioxide removal requirements of one man and was assembled using plexiglass endplates. This one-man module was tested as part of an integrated oxygen generation and recovery subsystem
Population synthesis of accreting white dwarfs: II. X-ray and UV emission
Accreting white dwarfs (WDs) with non-degenerate companions are expected to
emit in soft X-rays and the UV, if accreted H-rich material burns stably. They
are an important component of the unresolved emission of elliptical galaxies,
and their combined ionizing luminosity may significantly influence the optical
line emission from warm ISM. In an earlier paper we modeled populations of
accreting WDs, first generating WD with main-sequence, Hertzsprung gap and red
giant companions with the population synthesis code \textsc{BSE}, and then
following their evolution with a grid of evolutionary tracks computed with
\textsc{MESA}. Now we use these results to estimate the soft X-ray
(0.3-0.7keV), H- and He II-ionizing luminosities of nuclear burning WDs and the
number of super-soft X-ray sources for galaxies with different star formation
histories. For the starburst case, these quantities peak at Gyr and
decline by orders of magnitude by the age of 10 Gyr. For stellar
ages of ~10 Gyr, predictions of our model are consistent with soft X-ray
luminosities observed by Chandra in nearby elliptical galaxies and He II
4686 line ratio measured in stacked SDSS spectra of retired
galaxies, the latter characterising the strength and hardness of the UV
radiation field. However, the soft X-ray luminosity and
He~II~4686 ratio are significantly overpredicted for stellar
ages of Gyr. We discuss various possibilities to resolve this
discrepancy and tentatively conclude that it may be resolved by a modification
of the typically used criteria of dynamically unstable mass loss for giant
stars.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, MNRAS accepte
Interstellar H^+_3: possible detection of the 1_(10)→1_(11) transition of H_2D^+
An interstellar line has been detected in emission at the expected submillimeter wavelength of the 1_(10)→1_(11) transition of H_(2)D^+, the deuterated version of the primary ion (H^(+)_(3)) in the favored ion-molecule reaction scheme for interstellar gas phase chemistry. The strength of the line is in approximate agreement with the theoretically anticipated H_(2)D^+ abundance
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