Russia develops system to turn breath into water
A new system created by Russian researchers can convert CO2 in a space station or spacecraft into methane and water.
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The Vozdukh system is being used to remove CO2 on the International Space Station. Photo:Twitter. |
The National Research and Design Institute of Chemical Technology (NIIKhimMash), Russia's leading research unit on space life support equipment, confirmed plans to develop a CO conversion system.2water, according toSputnik News. The institute is developing a water recycling system along with other projects, including baths, saunas, sinks, washing machines, domestic and drinking water systems.
In a closed space, the amount of CO2from the breath of astronauts should not exceed 0.5% of the air volume (on the ground this figure is 0.03%). Too much CO2will lead to discomfort, physical weakness, headaches and reduced ability to concentrate. CO concentration213% will be fatal to humans.
“Humans can work when CO concentration is2below a certain limit,” explains Margarita Levinskh, an expert at the institute. “Beyond that threshold, when the body stores CO2excess and unable to work, hypercapnia occurs. Breathing, circulation and brain function will be disrupted”.
Currently, the CO removal system2on the International Space Station is Vozdukh, a design by NIIKhimMash. The system uses special zeolites to absorb and remove CO2. The director of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Alexander Suvorov, believes that the new system will be built on stricter standards for CO2allowed. He gave the example of American astronauts finding their eyesight impaired under current conditions.
"The reason may be high CO2 concentration, which affects blood vessels and leads to problems with cerebral circulation, which in turn leads to impaired vision," Suvorov explained. "In the space of Russian cosmonauts on the ISS, the old standards are still maintained. But these standards are likely to be revised. CO2 limits2The desired rate is 0.3 percent or less,” the researcher added.
Some of the other systems created by NIIKhimMash operating on the ISS are the SRV-K2M multi-stage purifier, the SRV-UM urine water recovery system, the Electron-VM oxygen electrolysis system, and the SOA-MP system, which filters the air in the ISS from microscopic particles.