Expanding the human experience into the far reaches of space will require the development of regenerable life support systems. One element of these systems is a means for solid waste stabilization, water recovery, and resource recovery. AFR has performed R&D on both torrefaction and pyrolysis of mixed solid wastes with NASA support.

A second element is air revitilization and trace contaminant control, which have also been the subject of multiple NASA sponsored R&D projects.

Torrefaction Processing Spacecraft Solid Waste

Use of Pyrolysis Processing for Trash to Supply Gas (TtSG)

Effect of Trace-Contaminant Sorbent Monolith Geometry on Sorbent Performance

Gas Evolution from Torrefaction Processing of Human Solid Wastes

Effect of Carbonization Conditions on the Performance of Ammonia Sorbents Derived from PEEK

Pressure-Swing Adsorption of Trace Contaminants Using Carbon Sorbent Monoliths

Optimization of a Spacecraft Torrefaction Processing Unit (TPU) for Human Metabolic Waste

Equivalent System Mass (ESM) Analysis for the UWMS

Pyrolysis for Solid Resource Recovery in Space

Solid Waste Resource Recovery

Prototype Pyrolyzer for Solid Waste