Transcript Pretreatment for Water Recovery System

Urine Pretreatment
for Wastewater Recovery
Space Engineering Institute
Final Presentation
2008-2009
Overview
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Background
Previous Work
Objectives
Task 1: Laboratory Tests
Task 2: Distillation Simulation
Future Tasks: UV Urine Pretreatment
Team Structure
Name
Major
Year
Position
Moriah Thompson
Biomedical Eng.
4
Transitional Team Lead
Julianne Larson
Aerospace Eng.
4
Project Lead
Elizabeth Joachim
Biomedical Eng.
3
Lab Lead
Marco Cienega
Mechanical Eng.
3
UV Lead
David Moore
Civil Eng.
1
Assistant Lab Lead
Sandhya Ramesh
Biomedical Eng.
1
Logistics Lead
Blesson John
Biomedical Eng.
1
Webmaster
Vision for Space Exploration
• Retire shuttle
• Explore the Moon
• Build lunar habitat
• Explore Mars
• Build Martian habitat
• Explore other destinations
Human Habitation Challenges
Source: NASA
Not economical or practical to re-supply
basic life support elements from Earth
What Part Do We Focus On?
Specifically urine pretreatment
Why Urine Pretreatment?
• Protect hardware and plumbing system
form clogging
– Solids precipitation
– Biofilm formation
Current Urine Pretreatment
“String of Pearls”
Oxone is toxic!!
Not good for
astronauts or water
reclamation system
Urine and fecal
collection unit
Problem Statement
The current pretreatment method utilizes
a toxic chemical that may be detrimental
to astronaut and system health.
Previous Work
• Urine Pretreatment for Biological
Reclamation
• Supernatant Characterization from urine
MAP precipitation
Work presented in the 11th International Conference on Engineering,
Science, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments
(2008 Earth & Space Conference)
Urine Pretreatment for Biological
Water Recovery
Objective:
Identify a non-toxic pretreatment
alternative that is compatible with
a biological water reclamation
system.
Test stand for biological water
recovery (JSC)
Urine Pretreatment for Biological
Water Recovery
pH Results
Glycolic
Ammonia Results
Acetic
Sulfuric
Urine Pretreatment for Biological
Water Recovery
Chemicals Tested:
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Sulfuric Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Acetic Acid
Glycolic Acid
Sodium Permanganate
Phosphoric Acid
Test stand for biological water
recovery (JSC)
Supernatant Characterization from
Urine MAP Precipitation
Objectives:
• Determine the composition and
buffer capacity of supernatant
• Identify uses of supernatant
• Determine treatment process
necessary for water recovery
SEM micrograph of MAP
precipitates produced by Zhao
Supernatant Characterization from
Urine MAP Precipitation
TOC Results
Buffer Capacity
Supernatant Characterization from
Urine MAP Precipitation
Conclusions:
• TOC > EPA drinking water limit
• Removal of inorganics is needed
• Buffer at high pH values
• Optimization of precipitation
process is needed
SEM micrograph of MAP
precipitates produced by Zhao
Current Project Objective
Identify a non-toxic pretreatment alternative
that is compatible with a distillation based
water reclamation system.
Proposed Water Reclamation System
Orion Crew Module
Cascade Distillation Subsystem
Project Tasks
• Task 1- Laboratory tests
– Select pretreatment chemicals
• Toxicity data, HMIS, pKa, Volatility
– Test chemicals’ pretreatment ability
• Task 2- Distillation simulation (Aspen)
– Determine simulation operation conditions
– Simulate chemicals tested in Task 1
Task 1-Laboratory Tests
Objective: Compare pretreatment chemicals
to sulfuric acid in stored urine (1g/L)
– Chemical: pH
– Physical: TSS, Turbidity
– Biological: Protein, Ammonia, DO
Chemicals Selected
• Chosen based on
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Solubility
pKa
Toxicity
HMIS
• Considerations
– Delivery system
– Astronaut health
– System health
Sulfuric Acid
Fumaric Acid
Sorbic Acid
Boric Acid
Lactic Acid
Phthalic Acid
Experimental Methods
Urine collected
Samples are taken at
predetermined times
Analytical Lab Methods
pH
Total
Suspended
Solids
Turbidity
Dissolved
Oxygen
Phenate
Method
(Ammonia)
Protein
Assay
Chemical Tests
14
12
12
10
10
8
8
pH
pH
14
6
6
4
4
2
2
0
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
Time (hours)
120
140
160
0
0.5
1
1.5
Time (hours)
2
2.5
Physical Tests
Turbidity
350
6
300
5
NTU/NTU 0
-1
(g-L )/(g-L )0
250
4
3
-1
200
Total Suspended Solids
150
100
2
1
50
0
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
Time (hours)
120
140
160
0
20
40
60
80
100
Time (hours)
120
140
160
Biological Tests
Dissolved Oxygen
Protein Concentration
2
1.2
1.8
-1
(mg-L )/(mg-L )0
0.8
0.6
-1
-1
-1
(mg-L )/(mg-L )0
1
0.4
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.2
0
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0
2.5
0
Time (hours)
Ammonia Concentration
2.5
0.5
1
1.5
Time (hours)
2
2.5
Ammonia Concentration
10
2
-1
(g-L )/(g-L )0
1.5
6
-1
-1
-1
(g-L )/(g-L )0
8
1
0.5
4
2
0
0
0
0.5
1
1.5
Time (hours)
2
2.5
0
20
40
60
80
100
Time (hours)
120
140
160
Task 2- Simulation
Objective: Determine % water recovery at
proposed operating conditions
Simulation Conditions
Feed Conditions
Temperature (°C)
40
Pressure (psi)
14.69
Vapor Fraction
0
Volume Fraction
Chemical
0.04
Water
0.96
Flash Operating
Conditions
Temperature (°C) 25-50
Pressure (psi)
0
One stage flash
(worst case scenario)
VAPOR
FEED
FLASH
LIQUID
Simulation Results
% Water Recovery % Chemical Recovery
Fumaric Acid
98.49
99.59
Sulfuric Acid
96.94
99.98
Boric Acid
99.97
81.97
Summary
• Laboratory tests results:
– Chemicals tested do meet pretreatment requirements for
short term storage
– Chemicals tested do not meet pretreatment requirements
for long term storage
• Distillation results:
– Chemicals are separable from water in the flash operating
range of 25-50°C.
– Preliminary simulations indicate that high % chemical
removal is possible.
– Determine operating conditions to achieve >99%
pretreatment agent removal by volume
– Add ionic strengths to mimic influent urine stream
Future Tasks:
UV Urine Pretreatment
Characteristics of UV Disinfection
• Germicidal or UV-C range: 200 – 280nm
• UV light rearranges DNA
• Thymine dimers formation
• Replication is prevented
Accomplished Tasks
• Developed work plan
• Determined absorbance of untreated urine
1.E+07
Germicidal range
1.E+06
Urine
1.E+05
1.E+04
Day 0
Day 1
Day 6
1.E+03
1.E+02
1.E+01
1.E+00
1
10
100
1000
10000
Water
Future Tasks
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Task 1- Determine preliminary apparatus design
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Housing unit design
Light intensity
 W  sec 
 W 
Dose

Intensity

 2   Tim esec
2
 cm 
 cm 
Distance
Exposure time
Others
Task 2- Analyze performance of preliminary
design
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Determine changes needed for next design
2008-09 Team Accomplishments
• Publications
– AIAA Regional Conference proceedings
– 2nd Civil Engineering Student Research Symposium proceedings
– TAMU Undergraduate Journal
• Presentations
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AIAA Regional Conference, San Antonio, TX
2nd Civil Engineering Student Research Symposium, TAMU
Student Research Week, TAMU
SEDS Space Vision Conference, TAMU
• Awards
– 2nd place: TAMU Student Research Week
– Only undergraduate presentation at the 2nd CESRS, AceDocs
Past Team Accomplishments
2007-2008
2006-2007
Publications
Presentations
• AIAA Regional Conference proceedings
• ASCE Earth and Space proceedings (1)
• ASCE Earth and Space proceedings (2)
• TAMU Student Research Week
• Prairie View A&M Undergraduate
Research
Presentations
Awards
• AIAA Regional Conference, Houston, TX
• 2008 ASCE Earth and Space Conference,
Long Beach, CA (1)
• 2008 ASCE Earth and Space Conference,
Long Beach, CA (2)
• TAMU Student Research Week
• 2nd Place: TAMU Student Research Week
• 3rd Place: TAMU Student Research Week
2005-2006
Awards
Awards
• 2nd Place: Weirdest Job on Campus
Presentations
• TAMU Student Research Week
• 2nd Place: Weirdest Job on Campus
Acknowledgements
– Dr. Pickering (JSC)
– Dr. Muirhead (JSC)
– Dr. Boulanger (TAMU)
– Dr. Autenreith (TAMU)
– Dr. Miskevich (TAMU-Commerce)
– Ms. Lagoudas (TAMU-SEI)
Questions?