Some of the knowledge gained from space research has been commercialized into a variety of industrial products, from process analyzers and chemical sensors to high-temperature performance plastics and microfilters for wastewater treatment. Regenerative cryocoolers, which can provide the extreme vacuum and low-temperatures required for processing superconducting electronic components (9 - 20 K) and certain biological compounds, are also used to simulate environmental conditions in space. As a Pb replacement in heat-transfer chambers, researchers are developing erbium-based alloys. Er is a metal that have a heat capacity greater than Pb in the 10 - 80 K temperatur range. Alloying Er with praseodymium (Pr) can reduce the magnetic-ordering phase transitions that can otherwise impede cooling. These space-age metals are distinctively better than Pb in other respects, too: No toxicity, lower thermal conductivity, and better tensile strength and reasonableductility. Also in the field of cryogenics, a failsafe freezer that cools strictly by conduction, with nitrogen as the cooling medium, has potential application for longterm storage of foods, pharmaceuticals and other products. Indoor air quality is poised to top the list of global environmental issues for the 21st century. Technologies developed for the breathing comfort of residents aboard the International Space Station (ISS) may someday be used to optimize atmospheric conditions in industrial plants, homes and office buildings. To make the temporary sleep station (TeSS) inside the ISS safe and comfortable, the designers and researchers had to create optimal conditions for sleeping in relation to temperature, humidity and CO2. For this goal, alternative paths in ventilation were studied. For Mars exploration, onboard capabilities for recycling air and water will be required. The ultimate replenishment for water and oxygen is the food supply, however, water is more restraining than oxygen. Another path that consumes CO2 by putting plants in a biomass production chamber, where the CO2 produces O2 and food. Modern wastewater treatment also uses results from space engineering. To clean up human urine to receive back potable water at microgravity and low power consumption, researchers described a water-treatment system that combines a multistage thermoelectric heat pump with a cascaded five-stage rotary distiller. This system operates at a temperature of about 35 deg C, with pressure of 0.4 psia.


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    Title :

    Stocking the explorer's craft. Technologies developed for space travel have earthly application in the CPI


    Additional title:

    Anwendung von Raumfahrt-Technologien in der chemischen Verfahrenstechnik


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2001


    Size :

    3 Seiten, 2 Bilder



    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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