Water recovery in space.
In the absence of recycling, water represents over 90% of the life-support consumables for a manned spacecraft. In addition, over 90% of the waste water generated can be classified as moderately or slightly contaminated (e.g. shower water, condensate from the air-conditioning system, etc.). The ability to recover potable water from moderately contaminated waste water hence enables significant savings to be made in resupply costs. A development model of such a water-recovery system, based on membrane technology has been produced and tested using "real waste water" based on used shower water Results indicate some 95% recovery of potable water meeting ESA standards, with total elimination of microbial contaminants such as bacteria, spores and viruses.
Tamponnet
C
C
Thermal Control and Life Support Division, ESA Directorate for Technical and Operational Support, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
Savage
C J
CJ
Amblard
P
P
Lasserre
J C
JC
Personne
J C
JC
Germain
J C
JC
D018504:Ecological Systems, Closed; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D007390:International Agencies / Q000592:standards; D008021:Life Support Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018505:Waste Management / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014871:Water Microbiology; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards; D014893:Weightlessness
D008567:Membranes, Artificial