ORGANIC SOLID WASTE TO METHANE FUEL GENERATION FOR SPACECRAFT

Abstract

A system includes an oxidative combustion reactor configured to receive solid organic waste and O2, and to output a combined stream of H2O and CO2. A separator is configured to receive the combined stream of H2O and CO2 from the combustion reactor and to separately output a stream of CO2 and a stream of H2O. A Sabatier reactor is operatively connected to receive CO2 from the separator and to receive H2 from an H2 source, and to output gaseous CH4.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a combustion reactor configured to receive solid organic waste and O.sub.2, and to output a combined stream of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2; a separator configured to receive the combined gaseous stream of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 from the oxidative combustion reactor and to separately output a stream of CO.sub.2 and a stream of H.sub.2O; and a Sabatier reactor operatively connected to receive CO.sub.2 from the separator and to receive H.sub.2 from an H.sub.2 source, and to output CH.sub.4.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: an O.sub.2/air mixer operatively connected to receive a portion of the O.sub.2 diverted from a supply line supplying the O.sub.2 to the oxidative combustion reactor, and to receive metabolic CO.sub.2 scrubbed air, and to output a mixture of the diverted O.sub.2 and the metabolic CO.sub.2 scrubbed air.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a water electrolyzer operatively connected to receive H.sub.2O from the separator through a water supply line; output the H.sub.2 to the Sabatier Reactor through an H.sub.2 supply line; and output the O.sub.2 to the supply line supplying the O.sub.2 to the combustion reactor and to the mixer, for oxidizing the solid organic waste with pure O.sub.2 in the combustion reactor.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, further comprising: a thermal amine scrubber (TAS) configured to receive cabin air that includes metabolic CO.sub.2 and to output the metabolic CO.sub.2 scrubbed air to the mixer in a scrubbed air line.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, further comprising: a CO.sub.2 accumulator connected to a first CO.sub.2 line to receive CO.sub.2 from the TAS, wherein the CO.sub.2 accumulator is connected to a second CO.sub.2 line to receive CO.sub.2 from the separator, and wherein the CO.sub.2 accumulator is connected to a third CO.sub.2 line to supply CO.sub.2 from the CO.sub.2 accumulator to the Sabatier reactor.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, further comprising: a spacecraft including: a thruster operatively connected to receive CH.sub.4 from the Sabatier reactor for combustion to generate thrust to propel the spacecraft; and a cabin configured to receive O.sub.2 enriched air from the mixer and to supply CO.sub.2 to the TAS for scrubbing.

7. A method of producing fuel comprising: combining the metabolic CO.sub.2 from a spacecraft crew cabin and from solid organic waste, and supplying the CO.sub.2 to a Sabatier reactor to produce gaseous CH.sub.4 fuel; and generating H.sub.2 and supplying it to the Sabatier reactor for use in generating the gaseous CH.sub.4 fuel, wherein generating H.sub.2 includes producing O.sub.2, at least some of which is supplied to the spacecraft crew cabin for life support.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising mixing metabolic CO.sub.2 scrubbed air with the O.sub.2 which is supplied to the crew cabin for life support.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the CO.sub.2 from solid organic waste is produced by reacting the solid organic waste with O.sub.2.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein reacting the solid organic waste with O.sub.2 includes combusting the organic waste and O.sub.2 into combustion products including CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising separating CO.sub.2 from the combustion products for use as a feedstock in the Sabatier Reactor and separating H.sub.2O from the combustion products.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising electrolyzing the H.sub.2O from the combustion products into O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 and supplying the H.sub.2 as a feedstock to the Sabatier reactor.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising recycling H.sub.2O from the Sabatier reactor to be electrolyzed.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising scrubbing metabolic CO.sub.2 from the spacecraft crew cabin for use in the Sabatier reactor.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising combusting the gaseous CH.sub.4 in a thruster of the spacecraft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain FIGURES, wherein:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a system constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing system components used to produce fuel from solid organic waste.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of a system in accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. The systems and methods described herein can be used to produce gaseous fuel from solid organic waste, such as leftover food from the crew members and other sources of solid organic matter, for use to propel the spacecraft during deep space missions.

[0016] The system 100 can include or be incorporated in a crewed spacecraft 102. The system includes an oxidative combustion reactor 104 configured to receive solid organic waste and O.sub.2, and to output a combined stream of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2, as indicated by the arrows pointing into and out of the reactor 104 in FIG. 1. A separator 106 is configured to receive the combined stream of H.sub.2O and CO.sub.2 from the combustion reactor 104 and to separately output a stream of CO.sub.2 and a stream of H.sub.2O, as indicated by the arrows into and out of the separator 106 in FIG. 1. A Sabatier reactor 108 is operatively connected to receive CO.sub.2 from the separator 106 and to receive H.sub.2 from an H.sub.2 source, e.g. the water electrolyzer described below, and to output gaseous CH.sub.4, as indicated by the arrows into and out of the reactor 108 in FIG. 1.

[0017] A mixer 110 is operatively connected to receive a portion of the O.sub.2 diverted from a supply line 112 supplying the O.sub.2 to the combustion reactor 104, and to receive metabolic CO.sub.2 scrubbed air, e.g. from the thermal amine scrubbers (TAS) described below, and to output a mixture of the diverted O.sub.2 and the metabolic CO.sub.2 scrubbed air, e.g. to the crewed cabin 114 for breathing air for the spacecraft crew members.

[0018] A water electrolyzer 116 is operatively connected to receive H.sub.2O from the separator 106 through a water supply line 118, to output the H.sub.2 gas to the Sabatier Reactor 108 through an H.sub.2 supply line 120, and to output the O.sub.2 to the supply line 112 supplying the O.sub.2 to the oxidative combustion reactor 104 and to the mixer 110, e.g., for oxidizing the solid organic waste with pure O.sub.2 in the oxidative combustion reactor. A thermal amine scrubber (TAS) 122 is configured to receive cabin air that includes metabolic CO.sub.2 and to output the CO.sub.2 scrubbed air to the O.sub.2/air mixer 110 in a scrubbed air line 124.

[0019] A CO.sub.2 accumulator 126 is connected to a first CO.sub.2 line 128 to receive CO.sub.2 from the TAS 122. The CO.sub.2 accumulator 126 is connected to a second CO.sub.2 line 130 to receive CO.sub.2 from the separator 106. The CO.sub.2 accumulator 126 is connected to a third CO.sub.2 line 132 to supply CO.sub.2 from the CO.sub.2 accumulator 126 to the Sabatier reactor 108.

[0020] The spacecraft 102 includes a thruster 134 operatively connected to receive CH.sub.4 from the Sabatier reactor 108, as indicated by the arrow out of the Sabatier reactor 108 in FIG. 1, for combustion to generate thrust. The thruster 134 can be a propulsion thruster, a maneuvering jet, or the like. The spacecraft 102 includes a cabin 114 configured to receive O.sub.2 enriched air from the O.sub.2/air mixer 110 and to supply CO.sub.2 to the TAS 122 for scrubbing.

[0021] A method of producing fuel includes combining CO.sub.2 from a spacecraft crew cabin, e.g. cabin 114, and from solid organic waste, and supplying the CO.sub.2 to a Sabatier reactor, e.g. Sabatier reactor 108, to produce CH.sub.4 fuel. The method includes generating H.sub.2 and supplying it to the Sabatier reactor for use in generating the gaseous CH.sub.4 fuel, wherein generating H.sub.2 includes producing O.sub.2, at least some of which is supplied to the spacecraft crew cabin for life support.

[0022] The method includes mixing metabolic CO.sub.2 scrubbed air with the O.sub.2 which is supplied to the cabin for life support. The CO.sub.2 from solid organic waste oxidative combustion is produced by reacting the organic waste with O.sub.2, e.g. in the reactor 104. Reacting the organic waste with O.sub.2 includes combusting the organic waste and O.sub.2 into combustion products including gaseous CO.sub.2 and water vapor H.sub.2O.

[0023] The method includes separating CO.sub.2 from the oxidative combustion products for use in the Sabatier Reactor and separating H.sub.2O from the combustion products, e.g., in a separator 106. The method includes electrolyzing the H.sub.2O from the combustion products into O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 and supplying the H.sub.2 to the Sabatier reactor, e.g. using an electrolyzer 116. The method includes recycling H.sub.2O from the Sabatier reactor to be electrolyzed, e.g. using the water recycle line 136 feeding into line 118. The method includes scrubbing CO.sub.2 from the spacecraft crew cabin for use in the Sabatier reactor, e.g. using the TAS 122. The method includes combusting the CH.sub.4 in a thruster, e.g., thruster 134, of the spacecraft. Some of the O.sub.2 generated from the water electrolyzer 116 can be used to combust CH.sub.4 in the thruster to propel the spacecraft 102.

[0024] The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for production of fuel from solid organic waste such as for use during deep space missions. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.