Plasma Processing of Water and Inedible Biomass for pH Control and Nutrient Recycling

NASA's system was developed for smaller-scale, space-based applications. However, the technology is scalable for larger industrial and municipal water treatment applications. Implementation of the Ammonia Recovery System could significantly reduce nitrogen content from water treatment processes, meaningfully improving the quality of water. This system offers a novel way to reduce nitrogen water pollutants, while allowing for the nitrogen to be collected and reused- reducing environmental and public health risks and providing an environmentally friendly fertilizer option. NASAs environmental solutions work to sustain life on earth through space based technology The adaptable nature of this system gives it potentially broad applications in a wide variety of industries; it is particularly ideal for on-site remediation of wastewater in places like condo complexes, hotels and water parks. Current methods of ammonia recovery could not meet NASAs mission requirements, so a new process was devised to optimize for high ammonia selectivity, simplicity, low volume , low power usage and zero contaminants in the effluent. To do this, NASA designed a novel regenerable struvite-formation system for the capture of ammonia. This system has three primary functions: 1) Removal of ammonia from wastewater using a media that is highly selective for ammonia 2) Capture of the ammonia for later use (e.g., as a fertilizer) 3) Regeneration of the capture media for reuse in the system

PONDS was developed as a water/nutrient delivery system for the Vegetable Production System, called VEGGIE, on the International Space Station (ISS). PONDS uses an innovative wicking material to passively link a water/nutrient reservoir to a plant cylinder. The system enables higher germination rates and improved growth conditions compared to the VEGGIE water/nutrient delivery system currently used on the ISS. PONDs consists of two primary components: a water/nutrient reservoir (Figure 1), and a detachable plant cylinder containing growth substrate and wicking material (Figure 2). The reservoir includes a viewing window that allows the user to observe and record water-use data. The plant cylinder, which screws into the reservoir system, is made from commercial-off-the-shelf materials and fittings. Both the reservoir and plant cylinder include oxygen-permeable windows to enhance aeration to the root zone. Water is delivered from the reservoir to the substrate contained within the plant cylinder via the wicking material inserted into the growth substrate. The wicking material is intrinsically hydrophilic, providing improved capacity compared to the system previously used with VEGGIE. As a result, PONDS can continuously supply water to the root zone within the plant cylinder on demand.

The pre-treatment solution increases the solubility of calcium in urine brines by reducing the concentration of sulfates. When the solution is properly dosed, it enables biological, physical, and chemical stabilization of flushed urine for storage and distillation up to a steady 87% water recovery, as realized aboard the U.S. segment of the ISS, without precipitation of minerals such as gypsum. Turning wastewater or seawater into potable water requires three important steps shared by the UPA and Water Recovery System (WRS) aboard the ISS: 1) pre-treatment, 2) distillation or membrane filtration, and 3) transport and storage of potable water and brine. Added during the first step, the pre-treatment solution improves the efficiency of the UPA by reducing the formation of solid precipitates caused by urinary calcium, sulfate ions, and sulfuric acid. This reduction in-turn creates less acidic brines which means more water can be recovered along with less surface scaling and clogging, further increasing recovery. As an added benefit, the solution contains a biocide that prevents the growth of bacteria and fungus, thereby increasing storage time of the treated urine. Although the pre-treatment solution was developed for the ISSs UPA , the technology can potentially be used on Earth to pretreat contaminated water from organic-laden, high-salinity wastewaters. Adding the solution is a simple process that can be scaled to fit demand. It has the potential to improve water recovery in many applications such as: desalination plants, brackish water treatment, mining water treatment, hydraulic fracturing operations, and more. The pre-treatment solution may also lend itself for use in the transport and storage of wastewater due to the solution's ability to prevent microbial growth.

Bacterial contamination of water systems used in microgravity is a major issue for NASA because biofilms can clog or interfere with water system functions and bacterial ingestion can be harmful to astronaut health. To address this problem, NASA innovators developed a microwave based technology to purify contaminated water by eradicating and eliminating bacteria that grows in systems that generate potable water, in equipment utilizing cooling loops and heat exchangers, and removing bacterial contamination that is present on a variety of surfaces. This decontamination system is chemical free and requires minimal to no consumables. Initial testing identified a specific microwave frequency band and exposure times for killing bacteria (Burkholderia cepacia) and biofilm. Test results show that exposing static water to microwave energy for 90 seconds can effectively kill waterborne bacteria and biofilm within a water filtration system. Additional testing, using a circulating water test bed, demonstrated that microwave energy at the selected frequency can effectively eradicate waterborne bacteria within 30 seconds. This technology could be further developed into a portable, lightweight system for use in remote locations as well as commercial space applications. The microwave decontamination system could also be added to existing water systems to extend the life of the system.

This water filtration innovation is an acoustically driven molecular sieve embedded with small-diameter carbon nanotubes. First, water enters the device and contacts the filter matrix, which can be made of polymer, ceramic, or metallic compounds. Carbon nanotubes within the matrix allow only water molecules to pass through, leaving behind any larger molecules and contaminants. The unique aspect of the technology is its use of acoustics to help drive water through the filter. An oscillator circuit attached to the filter matrix propagates acoustic vibration, further causing water molecules to de-bond and move through the filter. This use of acoustics also eliminates dependence on gravity (and thus filter orientation) to move water through the device. When water exiting the system diminishes to a pre-determined set point, a cleaning cycle is triggered to clear the sediment from the inlet of the filter, reestablishing the standard system flow rate. Unlike other filtration systems, flushing of the filter system is not required. The combination of acoustics and small-diameter carbon nanotubes in this innovation make it an effective and efficient means of producing contaminant-free, clean water.