Extraction of Atmospheric Water on Mars for the Mars Reference Mission

Computer Science – Performance

Scientific paper

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Adsorption, Electrolysis, Life Support Systems, Mars Atmosphere, Water, Water Vapor, Zeolites, Manned Mars Missions, Microwaves, Liquid Hydrogen, Fans, Pressure Drop

Scientific paper

The University of Washington has designed an in situ resource utilization system to provide water to a life support system in the laboratory module of the NASA Reference Mission to Mars. This system, the Water Vapor Adsorption Reactor (WAVAR), extracts water vapor from the Martian atmosphere by adsorption in a bed of type 3A zeolite molecular sieve. The zeolite 3A adsorbs the water vapor until nearly saturated and is then heated within a sealed chamber by microwave radiation to drive off the water for collection. The water vapor flows to a condenser where it freezes and is later liquefied for use in the life support system. In the NASA Reference Mission, water, methane, and oxygen are produced for life support and propulsion via the Sabatier/Electrolysis process from seed hydrogen brought from Earth and Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide. In order for the WAVAR system to be compatible with the NASA Reference Mission, its mass must be less than that of the seed hydrogen and cryogenic tanks apportioned for life support in the Sabatier/Electrolysis process. The WAVAR system is designed for atmospheric conditions observed by the Viking missions, which measured an average global atmospheric water vapor concentration of approx. 2 x 10-6kg/cubic meter. WAVAR performance is analyzed taking into consideration hourly and daily fluctuations in Martian ambient temperature and the corresponding effects on zeolite performance.

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