Testing

Table 1 demonstrates the planned test matrix for initial analysis of the CO₂ humidifying tank. Predicted theoretical values are shown which were planned to be tested against through use of instrumentation, LabView software, and Sensirion Evaluation software.

CO₂ flow rate for all runs was based off theoretical calculations previously discussed in the analysis section of this paper. It was theoretically predicted that for a temperature of water in the CO₂ humidifying tank at 893.3K a CO₂ flow rate of 4.9161*10^-5 m³/sec at the inlet to the sparger is necessary to remove maximum required levels of H₂O from the humidified CO₂ stream given to the X-Hab team by NASA. These values were predicted to cause 100% relative humidity to occur at the gas outlet of the CO₂ humidifying tank. The CO₂ flow rate is to be varied with temperature of water in the tank, as seen in table 4. Varying both CO₂ flow rate and the temperature of water in the tank will allow conditions to be verified for 100% relative humidity to occur at the gas outlet of the humidifying tank.

Table 6 demonstrates the test matrix for the vortex separator system.

The chiller temperature at the liquid outlet on the vortex separator will be varied depending on the temperature of water in the CO₂ humidifying tank, which will affect the water temperature as shown in the above matrix. The lower the temperature of the water in the CO₂ humidifying tank, the colder this chiller temperature must be set to. This is to ensure an optimal humidified stream being directed into the gas inlet of the vortex separator by the ejector. Heater temperature at the gas outlet of the separator will also be varied to ensure the purified CO₂ is around room temperature, a parameter given to the X-Hab team by NASA. This value is represented by CO₂ temperature. The water flow rate at the liquid outlet of the vortex separator, after the chiller, will also be varied to find a flow rate that demonstrates efficient H₂O removal. This flow rate will need to be slow enough that it does not cause pressure build up at the liquid inlet nozzle and ejector, but fast enough so that it does not lose its chilled temperature.

Figure 3 shows the system instrumentation and table 4 shows images and description of this instrumentation. All instrumentation is to be connected to LabView, a software that is used for data acquisition, monitoring, and recording. CO₂ sensors are used with a software provided by Sensirion called “Sensirion Evaluation Kit.” Figure 4 shows the instrumentation more in depth.