Integrated system for oxygen recovery for deep space mission

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479739-B2
Application number	US-201715586537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

An environmental control system includes a carbon dioxide source; a compressor downstream of the carbon dioxide source; a Sabatier reactor downstream of the compressor, wherein the Sabatier reactor reacts carbon dioxide with hydrogen to produce methane and water; a water separator downstream of the Sabatier reactor, wherein the water separator separates hydrocarbons from water, wherein the hydrocarbons include methane; a pyrolysis assembly downstream of the water separator and upstream of the compressor, wherein the pyrolysis assembly pyrolyzes methane to produce carbon and hydrogen, wherein the pyrolysis assembly includes a pre-form that adheres carbon; and an oxygen generating assembly (OGA) downstream of the water separator and upstream of the compressor, wherein the OGA converts water to hydrogen and oxygen.

First claim

We claim:

1. An environmental control system, comprising:
a carbon dioxide source;
a compressor downstream of the carbon dioxide source;
a Sabatier reactor downstream of the compressor, wherein the Sabatier reactor produces methane and water;
a water separator downstream of the Sabatier reactor, wherein the water separator produces methane and water;
a pyrolysis assembly downstream of the water separator and upstream of the compressor, wherein the pyrolysis assembly includes a pre-form that adheres carbon and has a surface area/volume ratio of at least 20 cm −1 , wherein the pyrolysis assembly produces hydrogen;
an oxygen generating assembly (OGA) directly downstream of the water separator, wherein the OGA produces hydrogen and oxygen; and
wherein hydrogen produced from the OGA mixes with carbon dioxide exiting the compressor and before the exiting carbon dioxide enters the Sabatier reactor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the compressor receives hydrogen from the pyrolysis assembly.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Sabatier reactor receives carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide source and receives hydrogen from the OGA.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolysis assembly receives methane from the water separator.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide source is a Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA).

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is in a gravity free environment.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is in a deep space vehicle.

8. An environmental control system, comprising:
a carbon dioxide source;
a compressor downstream of the carbon dioxide source;
a Sabatier reactor downstream of the compressor, wherein the Sabatier reactor reacts carbon dioxide with hydrogen;
a water separator downstream of the Sabatier reactor, wherein the water separator separates hydrocarbons from water, wherein the hydrocarbons include methane and ethane;
a pyrolysis assembly downstream of the water separator and upstream of the compressor, wherein the pyrolysis assembly includes a pre-form that adheres carbon, wherein the pyrolysis assembly pyrolyzes methane;
an oxygen generating assembly (OGA) directly downstream of the water separator, wherein the OGA electrolyzes water;
wherein hydrogen produced from the OGA mixes with carbon dioxide exiting the compressor and before the exiting carbon dioxide enters the Sabatier reactor.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pre-form comprises carbon fibers.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the carbon fibers are tightly configured into criss-crossed layers.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the carbon fibers are loosely and randomly arranged.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the pre-form includes alternating tight regions and loose regions of carbon fibers.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the Sabatier reactor produces methane and water.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the pyrolysis assembly produces carbon, hydrogen, acetylene, and benzene.

15. An environmental control system, comprising:
a carbon dioxide source;
a compressor downstream of the carbon dioxide source;
a Sabatier reactor downstream of the compressor, wherein the Sabatier reactor reacts carbon dioxide with hydrogen to produce methane and water;
a water separator downstream of the Sabatier reactor, wherein the water separator separates hydrocarbons from water, wherein the hydrocarbons include methane;
a pyrolysis assembly downstream of the water separator and upstream of the compressor, wherein the pyrolysis assembly pyrolyzes methane to produce carbon and hydrogen, wherein the pyrolysis assembly includes a pre-form that adheres carbon;
an oxygen generating assembly (OGA) directly downstream of the water separator, wherein the OGA electrolyzes water to hydrogen and oxygen;
wherein hydrogen produced from the OGA mixes with carbon dioxide exiting the compressor and before the exiting carbon dioxide enters the Sabatier reactor.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the Sabatier reactor operates at 400° C. and 1 atm.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the pyrolysis assembly operates at 1100° C. and 20-100 torr.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the pre-form is removable from the pyrolysis assembly once the pre-form is loaded with carbon.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein oxygen produced by the OGA is routed to an environment for occupants.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Yates Stephen
• Bershitsky Alexander

Classifications

• C01B2203/145

  At least two purification steps in parallel · CPC title

• C07C1/12 Primary

  from carbon dioxide with hydrogen · CPC title

• C01B2203/1241

  Natural gas or methane · CPC title

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C01B3/56

  by contacting with solids; Regeneration of used solids · CPC title