Professional Documents
Culture Documents
559
N9 -l.< O00
R. Rindt,
Center
and
Sumitra
R. Ness
UntverMty of North Dakota Energy and Environmental P.O. Box 8213 University Station Grand Forks ND 58202
The Unit_csity of North Dakota is developing a plasma reaz-tor system for use in close, loop processing that includes biologica_ materials, manufacturing and u_ste lramessing. Direct,-'urrent, higt_frequency, or microwave discharges will be used to prrMuce plasmas for the treatment of materials. The piasma reactors offer several advantages over other systems, including low qoerating temperatures, low operatt'ng pressures, mechanical simplicity, and relaO'z_ely safe operation. Human fecal material, sunflouers, oats, soybeans, andplast_c were oxidized in a batch plasma reactor. Over 98% of the organic material was converted to gaseous lZroducts. The solids u_,re then analyzed and a large amount of u_ter and az'ia_soluble materials were detected These mater_is could possibly be used as nutrients for bioh)gical systems.
INTRODUCTION
50; _ L qod 6os
the
of
the
U.S.
space
station
for
the
"--. t /
Orge_ e_
manned martian
missions bases,
Moon
Mars, develop
is a need
requirements Three
available consum-
which totally
such systems
as oxygen with
closed-
consumables; regarding
(3)partially of
//
be
recycled of the
size
energy
requirements Support
closed-loop as
in that have
r AI ;
subsystems systems
self-contained such
u+
.systems,
as bases, materials
....
MAN.J
A_. T ,j NI_4C;
manufacturing, interaction ing, re_urce The of North plasma processes producing of these and
treatment. manufactur-
between waste
the
materials,
processing) system
processing 1. at the of
(CLP)
I 1
management primary Dakota reactor are objective is to systems those or that no are habitation both
by Fig. program
application
processing. no taw
little systems or
qX/pical in as
applications either remote research The from intent one or of the more project of the and CLP future areas to research another is to pass in which products they will
that
isolated
terrestrially be and
in space. the material could operation and site lunar surface processing be a central of waste will integrate as
systems
serve
as reactants.
biological
BASIC PLASMA
A plasma is a highly of are ions, formed ionized gas and gas or
GENERATION
that neutral molecules from is electrically particles. acquire neutral The and various by
processing, at a remote or
all
composed species
electrons, when
energy radiation.
dLqx)sal
impossible,
at least
difficult
costly.
intermolecular
collisions
electromagnetic
560
There thermal; charges. types.
2nd
Conference
on
Lunar
Bases
and
Space
Activities
are
three
basic
methods
of plasma and
generation: (3)
( 1 ) direct dis[-Direct L
Plasma
Generation
summarizing discussed
L
C ..... Discharge 1
7
I ] I
_
U--ThermsT-G ..... tion I High |
1
Frequen_
pertinent
following
o_.,..oo
paragraphs. Direct-current ions by one or of These termination (2) ion first elastic other (de) and high-frequency of and occur two discharge mechanisms: both produce
( 1 ) molecular
.o Zo2
[
a
.:,oI .,@.o....
I ] j Cap".. ] [ '.,u*,,..
absorption collisions. with photon, of the The a photon molecule such When netic which through tain as the
with
compounds. absorption The form activated products, a photon. electromagmolecules, ions cerPreliminary increase decrease the reacting in system pressure, The result and the rate be of an ion orderly production shutdown will of of techniques.
molecular 1981). to
ions, the
it can of
by
markedly. system.
would
ions, the of
field in
kinetic the
energy production
additional activates in
OXYGEN
PLASMA
WASTE
CONVERSION
collisions.
a particular activation of
(oewc) aesvaaCl
testing for the completed. waste, plasma analysis and of the removal Samples a plastic system. of the Table feasibility of of oats, bag of using from sunflowers, were an HCN oxygen waste plasma material reactor has just systems been fecal oxygen organics freeze-dried reacted (hydrogenreactor. in
molecules,
a muhi-
accomplished. ionization of the is by molecules while ionization collisions the bulk electron-molecular is then inelastic of the increased collisions molecule. per unit and colby lead In gas the
method kinetic
collisions, or the to
human a batch
(Baggie) 1 shows
excitation, case,
at which proportional
occur gas
carbon-nitrogen)
material
remaining
in the
pressure pp.
1967, production
1, 55-59). will promote TABLE 1. Data summary for oxygen plasma waste conversion unit.
mechanism bulk of
that gas
intensity,
molecules
_x, eze_led Human Fecal Sample OPWC % Residue ' % Carbon % Nitrogen % Hydrogen % Conversion: % 6M-HCI-SOlubIe % Water-Soluble Sunflou_r Root, Stalk, and OPWC % Residue HCN Analysis of Residue % Carbon % Nitrogen % Hydrogen % Conversion % Water-Soluble Oat Root, Stalk, and Head OPWC % Residue HCN Analysis of Residue % Carbon % Nitrogen % Hydrogen % Conversion Head Sample
31.00 5.205 + I).145 0.885 + 0.045 1.380 + 0.06 98.39 73.86 32.33
18.52 5.220 + 0.27 0.440 + 0.04 1.655 + 0.095 99.03 82.36 Sample 1 I. i 5 !.810 + 0.06 0.260 + 0.02 1.035 + 0.085 99.8
overall fields.
operating safety of
the
usefulness
SJ>eciflctty. source
The to
of energy gas
transfer
from
of the radiation. Therefore, particular molecules will occur. can be With used the for ability
to vary of
plasma
a variety
reactions,
providing 2.
versatile Rate to
system. Control Because the field consequently, rate of ion generation the reaction concenrate
strength, the
Soybean Root, Stalk, and Head Sample OPWC % Residue HCN Analysis of Residue % Carbon % Nitrogen % Hydrogen % Conversion
activated easily
controlled. and the "ion of or leak Reaction generator" reacting into the Shutdown. is inversely molecules generator in will The proportional the result system. in an ion
nast_ (BaggY)Sample
OPWC % Residue % Conversion
(Weight * Standard of trsidue HCN residue on out of OPWC)/( Equipment weight of sample in O PWC unit. sample weight - honor,game weight). ).
Reactor rate in
1.40 98.60
production to the
concentration a hole
a Control - nonorgamc
Corporation
Therefore,
: I-(OPWC
weight)/(OPWC
Ness
et al... Plasma
reactor
waste
management
systems
561
Conversion was divided content Equipment exhibited respectively. Figure ment sample weighed, to place version remove rapidly defined by was
was as the
on minus
the the
in
the
and
inorganic by
conversions
98.4%
and
'(
3 shows
the using
of
a simple matter.
time two in
experithe
_i _
completed w'a.s
fecal
hours
stirred, any up
Stirring
approximately
then
declines. of the waste materials Figure including residue, of The of the 0.OO12 (HCI) the and included 4 summarizes the mass of two steps: the dehydra-
conversion. .sample
composition material The two figure steps step 0.27 ]b Sample Fig. 3. Percent combustor
a typical
fecal
water,
water-soluble
insoluble of and
residue. the
carbon
conversion.
percentage
material organic
conversion
inorganic tests
was
evaluated
by and
of
Fecal
Material
0 00e*
ib
analysis. 2 shows
solubility These
test
materials
X-ray above
diffraction 5% of the
analysis did total mass. The The which 32% of X-ray only
not
results is
the soluble
solubility in water
test
results. is P2Os,
solubility soluble,
approximately fluorescence acid P2Os, (83%) solubility SO3, and Further this residue. of the CaO, the X-
31.7%
material Magnesium
A1203, test
soluble.
The indicate
tests
potential
end
reduction the
99.56% of if
material material. plasma conversion process ments, information The not CO2; contained
conversion
Fig.
4.
Fecal sample
composition.
achieved,
products
determine from
gas
unit
was were
90
analyzed. however,
80 % Acid 70 Sol.
stream compounds.
from
probably
some
chlorine TABLE 2.
6O
Energy-dispersive RESULTS
X-ray analysis.
t_ 50
o
Oxide % Std. Dev.
40 % H20 Sol.
Std. Dev.
37.340 3.319 (I.279 1.330 13.840 1.809 27.800 6.917 0.471 0.279 92.(ff_)
30
20
10
0 Fecal Fecal
Fig.
5.
Combustor
residue
solubilit3'.
562
2nd
Conference
on
Lunar
Bases
and
Space
Activities
APPLICATIONS SPACE
A process process processes relatively biological environments, roles. treatment types could ments, of This waste have high flow
OF PLASMA ENGINEERING
REACTORS SYSTEMS
TO
and
reducing
to
Fe, water
and then
oxygen. of on
system will
as
shown
in
Fig. 6, or
could lunar
be base.
used Similar
to
requires require
a space for as
lunar be
use, with
but those
of
presents technical
advantages questions
process
severity,
many
to be addressed.
than be either
could or in
a system. because
could
provide size,
operating weight,
electrical high
residence
conversion
all organic
feed
conditiotls complexity; (6)electrical materials; (10) safety. system based low used on operating to process and
(3)equipment requirements; (8) Due may the location to the have of many
_91 water Watel +
]o,LI
_ave Waste Materials
oper-
and
gases;
(5)relatively
operation;
(6)ease
t uO'C' I
V
Ash
io,
CO, { ReOum_on Bosch
Gas
oxidize leaving
or
reduce the
specific of
t
Waste Gases
in one
management
process
flow
diagram.
fraction
of plants, fraction
plastics The
while
inorganic
materials
directly
REFERENCES
Tmunins KS. (1967) The Application of Technology, pp. 132-133. of Plasmas to
relatively temperatures
do of be step.
for
chemical
reactions. drying
by using the
a microwave ,,_/stem offer does be very of the the soils are use operates an not
conditions, high-temperature
the
Processing. Massachusetts Beiser A. (1981) Concepts of Modern New York. Control Center, Gibson Equipment upon Box 8213, M. A. and Corporation request University (date
heating this
or
cooling
Available
and
Grand Lunar
so reactions efficiency
controlled;
contributes
701-777-5000). Knudsen C. XYL (1985) in ilmenite. In Lunar Bases and Space (W.W. Mcndell, ed.), pp. 543-558. Houston. Activities of the 21st Century Lunar and Planetary Institute,
applications of researchers
plasma the
could of hydrogen
be oxygen.
reduction
Presently,
thermally
to