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TBD

Acute challenges are faced by the designers of fluid transport systems for spacecraft because of the persistently unfamiliar and unforgiving low-g environment. However, with modern design tools capillarity can used to passively perform critical life support functions, increasing reliability, while enabling new device functionality. Such systems are directly tied to critical life support systems: i ...

Sierra Engineering Inc. and Purdue University propose to develop a non-intrusive plume instrument capable of detecting and diagnosing combustion instability. This Stability Diagnostic System (SDS) will be designed, assembled, and tested during this effort. The SDS will include a high-speed video camera and multiple photodiode detectors for observing the plume. It will also include a software pa ...

Diffraction gratings are powerful tools for the spectral analysis of electromagnetic radiation. Properties of gratings are determined by available fabrication means – which have not changed substantially in 50 years. Modern photolithography, now approaching nanometer resolution, may revolutionize the way many gratings are made and, through greater design flexibility, how gratings function. Over ...

Development of an innovative microwave-based continuous flow sterilization system for the energy efficient gravitationally independent production of Medical Grade Water (MGW) is proposed. During the Phase I, microwaves were very efficiently coupled to a single-phase flowing water stream using an antenna based microwave sterilization chamber that rapidly heated water to temperatures well above nor ...

Development of a microgravity and hypogravity compatible microwave plasma methane pyrolysis reactor is proposed to recover hydrogen which is lost as methane in the conversion of carbon dioxide to water via the Sabatier process. This will close the hydrogen loop which currently requires 50% resupply. Efficient production of hydrogen from methane was conclusively demonstrated during Phase I using m ...

A Microwave Powered Solid Waste Stabilization and Water Recovery system is proposed as the primary step in the treatment of solid waste materials generated during extended manned space missions. The system will recover water initially contained within wastes and stabilize the residue with respect to microbial growth. Dry waste may then be safely stored or passed to the next waste treatment proces ...

Advanced development of mesoporous catalysts for ambient temperature oxidation of dissolved organic contaminants is proposed. Mesoporous materials consist of highly ordered three-dimensional structures with precisely controlled pore size distributions, relatively high surface areas, and surface affinities which promote the adsorption of aqueous organic contaminants. When used as a catalyst suppor ...

Leveraging the successful Phase I SBIR program, a 24-month effort is proposed to optimize and demonstrate a high thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit (ZT) nanocrystal quantum dot (NQD) thermoelectric (TE) material, which will have thermal efficiency properties far better than traditional bulk thermoelectric materials. In the proposed work, a series of TE devices will be fabricated from solidified NQD f ...