Testing of a High Efficiency, High Output Plastic Melt Waste Compactor

摘要

Waste stowage and water reclamation is vital for long-duration space exploration missions. Current primary waste systems cannot reclaim water or effectively reduce the volume of trash generated by astronauts. The High Efficiency High Output Plastic Melt Waste Compactor (HEHO-PMWC) is currently being developed to recover nearly all water entrained in the trash for further use as weU as reducing trash volume by 86%. The HEHO-PMWC works by heating and compressing trash simultaneously to first remove water and then melt plastic in the trash. The melted plastic encapsulates the trash into a 16-inch square tile, approximately one inch thick. In addition to making it easier to store the compressed trash and preventing microbial growth, the polyethylene in the melted plastic gives the tile the ability to act as a radiation shield. Design of a full-scale, fully functional prototype has been completed by Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC). This prototype is designed to occupy a quad-locker of an ISS EXPRESS Rack and is sized to process up to a 3 kg batch of trash three times per day. Future work with the HEHO-PWMC will include performance testing and long-duration testing of the full-scale system. Results of the full-scale system tests will define crew interfaces and required process times, as well as temperatures and compaction forces required to minimize power requirements.