Abstract: A modular, multi-crew life support system and a method of assembling the system involve a fan to draw in ambient air. The system includes one or more assemblies that produce conditioned air from the ambient air, and a housing to support an oxygen source. The system also includes a port configured as an inlet from the oxygen source to augment the conditioned air, and a duct to disperse a result of augmenting the conditioned air as output air to support two or more occupants of an enclosure.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a method includes flushing a cell stack for a predetermined amount of time as a function of an amount of combustible gas remaining in the cell stack. The method also includes operating a cell stack for a predetermined amount of time, then shutting down the cell stack and ceasing operation of the cell stack for a predetermined amount of time. Flushing occurs after shutting down a cell stack power supply. The method further includes restarting operation of the cell stack after flushing.

Abstract: A passive phase separator includes an input conduit including an inlet through which multi-phase flow enters the input conduit and a gas conduit formed at an angle from the input conduit. A liquid removal chamber is formed in line with the input conduit. The gas conduit is closer to the inlet than the liquid removal chamber. The liquid removal chamber holds liquid from the multi-phase flow, and the gas conduit carries gas from the multi-phase flow.

Abstract: An integrated condensing heat exchanger and water separator includes a microporous graphite plate, one or more water passages defined at a first side of the microporous graphite plate, and one or more air passages defined at a second side of the microporous graphite plate opposite the first side. An air inlet operably is connected to the one or more air passages to direct a flow of air through the one or more air passages at a first pressure, and a water inlet is operably connected to the one or more water passages to direct a flow of water through the one or more water passages at a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The microporous graphite plate is configured such that moisture condenses from the flow of air onto the second side and is wicked through the microporous graphite plate to the one or more water passages.

Abstract: A space habitat includes a water processing assembly including a wastewater tank and a water processing section connected to the wastewater tank. The water processing section includes a pump to urge flow of the wastewater, a mostly liquid separator to separate gas from liquid in the wastewater, a catalytic reactor located downstream of the mostly liquid separator, and one or more sensors located downstream of the catalytic reactor to determine if the wastewater is sufficiently processed. A valve directs the wastewater to a water storage tank if the sensors determine that the wastewater is sufficiently processed, and direct the wastewater to the wastewater tank if the one or more sensors determine that the wastewater is not sufficiently processed. The space habitat further includes one or more of a carbon dioxide removal system, a trace contaminant removal system, a temperature and humidity control system or a waste collection system.

Abstract: A modular, multi-crew life support system and a method of assembling the system involve a fan to draw in ambient air. The system includes one or more assemblies that produce conditioned air from the ambient air, and a housing to support an oxygen source. The system also includes a port configured as an inlet from the oxygen source to augment the conditioned air, and a duct to disperse a result of augmenting the conditioned air as output air to support two or more occupants of an enclosure.

Abstract: A method of manufacture includes an electrochemical cell structure having a first conductive member and a second conductive member. The first conductive member is spaced from the second conductive member. An adhesive is disposed between the first conductive member and the second conductive member. The adhesive has a solid state and a liquid state. The adhesive is liquefied to form a seal between the first conductive member and the second conductive member.

Abstract: A method of manufacture includes an electrochemical cell structure having a first conductive member and a second conductive member. The first conductive member is spaced from the second conductive member. An adhesive is disposed between the first conductive member and the second conductive member. The adhesive has a solid state and a liquid state. The adhesive is liquefied to form a seal between the first conductive member and the second conductive member.

Abstract: An electrolysis cell includes an anode, a cathode and a high-differential-pressure water electrolysis bilayer membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode. The high-differential-pressure bilayer membrane includes a platinum-impregnated ion-exchange membrane layer and an untreated ion-exchange membrane layer. The untreated ion-exchange membrane layer is disposed between the anode and the platinum-impregnated ion-exchange membrane layer.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell has an anode cavity and a cathode cavity. The anode cavity and the cathode cavity sandwich an electrochemically conductive medium. The anode cavity and/or the cathode cavity have electrically conductive plates assembled using a solid bonding material. Each plate has nesting volumes and protrusions provided in the perimeter seal area. The protrusions of one plate fit into the volumes of an adjacent plate to eliminate the offset introduced by the bonding material thickness.

Abstract: An ultra bright, low wattage inductively coupled electrodeless aperture lamp is powered by a solid state RF source in the range of several tens to several hundreds of watts at various frequencies in the range of 400 to 900 MHz. Numerous novel lamp circuits and components are disclosed including a wedding ring shaped coil having one axial and one radial lead, a high accuracy capacitor stack, a high thermal conductivity aperture cup and various other aperture bulb configurations, a coaxial capacitor arrangement, and an integrated coil and capacitor assembly. Numerous novel RF circuits are also disclosed including a high power oscillator circuit with reduced complexity resonant pole configuration, parallel RF power FET transistors with soft gate switching, a continuously variable frequency tuning circuit, a six port directional coupler, an impedance switching RF source, and an RF source with controlled frequency-load characteristics.

Abstract: An ultra bright, low wattage inductively coupled electrodeless aperture lamp is powered by a solid state RF source in the range of several tens to several hundreds of watts at various frequencies in the range of 400 to 900 MHz. Numerous novel lamp circuits and components are disclosed including a wedding ring shaped coil having one axial and one radial lead, a high accuracy capacitor stack, a high thermal conductivity aperture cup and various other aperture bulb configurations, a coaxial capacitor arrangement, and an integrated coil and capacitor assembly. Numerous novel RF circuits are also disclosed including a high power oscillator circuit with reduced complexity resonant pole configuration, parallel RF power FET transistors with soft gate switching, a continuously variable frequency tuning circuit, a six port directional coupler, an impedance switching RF source, and an RF source with controlled frequency-load characteristics.

Abstract: A jacketed lamp bulb envelope includes a ceramic cup having an open end and a partially closed end, the partially closed end defining an aperture, a lamp bulb positioned inside the ceramic cup abutting the aperture, and a reflective ceramic material at least partially covering a portion of the bulb not abutting the aperture. The reflective ceramic material may substantially fill an interior volume of the ceramic cup not occupied by the bulb. The ceramic cup may include a structural feature for aiding in alignment of the jacketed lamp bulb envelope in a lamp. The ceramic cup may include an external flange about a periphery thereof. One example of a jacketed lamp bulb envelope includes a ceramic cup having an open end and a closed end, a ceramic washer covering the open end of the ceramic cup, the washer defining an aperture therethrough, a lamp bulb positioned inside the ceramic cup abutting the aperture, and a reflective ceramic material filling an interior volume of the ceramic cup not occupied by the bulb.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell electrode plate structure, a high-pressure electrochemical cell device, and a method for preparing such devices, are provided. The inventive electrode plate structure comprises a laminar assembly of slotted plate-shaped components that provides more uniform openings or flow passages across the active areas thereof. The inventive high-pressure electrochemical cell device comprises at least one cell made up of both slotted and unslotted plate-shaped components that are free of material deformations typically resulting from the high compressive force employed during final cell assembly. The inventive method for preparing such devices basically involves preparing at least one laminated sub-assembly comprising unslotted component layers for the purpose of consolidating such weaker layers into stronger sub-assemblies prior to a final lamination step.

Abstract: An electrically non-conductive plate structure, for use in high pressure electrochemical cells employing ion-exchange membranes that creep or flow under pressure, is provided. Such plate structures are provided with a means for impeding membrane creep or flow when the cells are subjected to high axial loadings. When two such structures are positioned on either side of an ion-exchange membrane, so as to forcibly contact the surfaces thereof, such structures serve to contain, and thereby form a fluid tight seal with, the membrane while maintaining the electrical integrity of the cell.

Abstract: A graded metal hardware component for an electrochemical cell is shown for mechanically supporting electrochemical cell structures and defining fluid cavities and fluid passages in a cell employing a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The graded metal hardware component includes a substrate such as stainless steel, a surface layer made of a precious metal such as gold, and a graded boundary layer adjacent to and between the substrate and surface layer, wherein the graded boundary layer is an interdiffusion of the substrate and surface layer so that the graded boundary layer is between 0.5 wt. %-5.0 wt. % of the material making up the substrate, and between 99.5 wt. %-95.0 wt. % of the material making up the surface layer, and the graded boundary layer has a thickness of between 10%-90% of a shortest distance between the substrate and an exterior surface of the surface layer.