Adsorption of oxygen onto zeolites at pressures up to 10 MPa

Abstract

For NASA applications, high-pressure oxygen is an integral part of portable life support systems (PLSSs) for Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), some fuel cell systems and potential In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) systems. New high-pressure oxygen generation systems will be needed on the International Space Station (to enable EVAs after the Shuttle is retired), on a Lunar Lander (to use lower pressure cryogenic tanks as a source of high pressure oxygen for EVAs) and on a planetary habitat (to generate and store high pressure oxygen for extended periods of time). One of the candidate technologies for producing high-pressure oxygen, temperature swing adsorption (TSA) compression, offers many advantages but has a low technology readiness level. Evaluation of technical feasibility and safety issues, and specification of operating parameters of the compressor require the availability of fundamental equilibrium adsorption data. A cryogenic, high-pressure volumetric equilibrium adsorption apparatus has been developed at NASA Ames Research Center to facilitate collection of the needed data. The apparatus incorporates cryogenic and vacuum surrounds, and a high-pressure oxygen circuit. In this paper, low-temperature equilibrium isotherms of oxygen on various sorbent materials are presented. The data presented will aid the development of a space qualified TSA system. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.