Spacesuit contaminant removal using liquid sorbent

#The present disclosure relates to systems and techniques for removing contaminants from a spacesuit using contaminant removal systems.

#A primary life support system (PLSS) of a spacesuit may provide basic life support functions for an astronaut including spacesuit pressure regulation; oxygen supply, cooling, and recirculation; contaminant removal; cooling water recirculation; and communications and telemetry. An amount of extravehicular activity (EVA) of the astronaut may be limited by an ability of the contaminant removal system to remove carbon dioxide emitted by the astronaut from a recirculated air stream. To remove carbon dioxide from the recirculated air stream, a contaminant control cartridge containing lithium hydroxide may react with the carbon dioxide to form lithium carbonate and water. However, these contaminant control cartridges are non-regenerable, such that extravehicular activity may be limited to ten hours or less. Alternatives to the contaminant control cartridge may use regenerable sorbents for absorbing and desorbing contaminants. However, these alternatives may not sufficiently separate the astronaut from a space vacuum, such that catastrophic failure of a component separating the astronaut from the space vacuum may be fatal.

#As one example, a rapid cycle amine (RCA) system may include a swing-bed, vacuum regenerated process that uses a solid amine sorbent. A first bed may absorb carbon dioxide and humidity from an air stream, while a second bed may desorb the carbon dioxide and humidity into space vacuum. The two beds may alternate these absorption and desorption functions through a system of valves. However, this system of valves may pose a safety risk to the astronaut, as failure of a valve may expose the astronaut to space vacuum.

#The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example extra-vehicular activity (EVA) system that includes a contaminant removal system for removing contaminants from a ventilation system of a spacesuit using a liquid sorbent and discharging the contaminants from the spacesuit.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example contaminant removal system for removing contaminants from a spacesuit ventilation system using a liquid sorbent with a membrane scrubber-separator and a membrane stripper-separator.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example extra-vehicular activity (EVA) system 100. EVA system 100 includes a spacesuit 102, such as may be worn by an individual, such as an astronaut, for EVA tasks external to a space vehicle/station 122. Spacesuit 102 may be configured to protect the individual in a vacuum environment, such as a space vacuum environment (e.g., less than about 2.5×10−4 torr). Spacesuit 102 includes a primary life support system (PLSS) 104 and a liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) 106. LCVG 106 may be worn over skin of the astronaut, while PLSS 104 may be worn over LCVG 106 and on a back and/or shoulders of the astronaut.

#LCVG 106 may be configured to remove heat and/or waste fluid from the astronaut. LCVG 106 is illustrated as including a water collection system 114 and a liquid cooling system 116; however, LCVG may include other systems that perform heat and/or waste fluid removal functions. Water collection system 114 may be configured to remove sweat from the astronaut and store the sweat or supply the sweat to other systems. Liquid cooling system 116 may be configured to receive cooling fluid from PLSS 104, such as from a thermal management system 112, remove heat from the astronaut using the cooling fluid, and discharge the warmed cooling fluid back to PLSS 104.

#PLSS 104 may be configured to provide life support to the astronaut. PLSS 104 may provide functions that include, but are not limited to: regulating pressure of spacesuit 102; supplying, cooling, and recirculating oxygen to the astronaut; cooling and recirculating air and water to LCVG 106; removing contaminants from recirculated oxygen and discharging the contaminants as a contaminant stream 118; and providing telecommunications and telemetry from spacesuit 102. Spacesuit 102 is illustrated as including ventilation system 108, contaminant removal system 110, and thermal management system 112; however, PLSS 104 may include other systems that perform life support functions. Ventilation system 108 may be configured to supply oxygen to the astronaut and recirculate air from the astronaut to contaminant removal system 110. For example, ventilation system 108 may discharge spent air to contaminant removal system 110 and receive clean air from contaminant removal system 110. Thermal management system 112 may be configured to cool and recirculate oxygen, water, and/or cooling fluid to and from LCVG 106 to maintain a temperature of the astronaut within a desired range. For example, thermal management system 112 may include one or more pumps, heat exchangers, and/or other equipment for cooling and/or circulating oxygen, water, and/or cooling fluid. In some examples, such as may be described further in FIG. 3, PLSS 104 may exchange sorbent with a liquid sorbent system 124 of vehicle/station 122.