SBIR/STTR Award attributes
The Bifunctional Regenerative Electrochemical Air Transformation for Human Environments (BREATHE) for life support and habitation is part of the atmosphere revitalization equipment necessary to provide and maintain a livable environment within the pressurized cabin of crewed spacecraft. nbsp;BREATHE is a low-power electrodialysis-based concept for regenerating a liquid carbon dioxide scrubbing material while simultaneously separating and compressing CO2.nbsp; During the Phase I program, Skyre successfully demonstrated the BREATHE concept in a 3-chamber cell configuration that is based on our solid-state, high-pressure electrochemical cell architecture that is routinely operated as high as 4500 psi and demonstrated to 12,500 psi.nbsp; Initial performance data collected from this effort allowed preliminary system-level trades to be made against a mechanical compressor and a temperature swing adsorption compressor with favorable results.nbsp; The primary objectives for the Phase II activity are to improve the overall electrical efficiency of the regeneration/compression step of the BREATHE concept by targeted design improvements to the cell electrodes and flow fields, and to study further integration with a liquid-based CO2 scrubbing system designed for microgravity operation.nbsp; Improvements in cell performance will result in reduced power, system volume and weight in a system that is already quiet and inherently reliable with no moving parts ndash; critical features for any long-duration manned space mission.nbsp;
