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My idea is to extract CO2 from within the spacecraft and pump it to a tank behind the craft, in the ships shadow. Here it would cool to near absolute zero and become a liquid. Then, you run an electrical current and through electrolysis seperate the Carbon from the Oxygen. The crew can then breathe the
oxygen and the Carbon could be built into simple sugars they can eat.
Space Habitat Carbon Dioxide Electrolysis to Oxygen
http://rtreport.ksc...%20Systems/609.html
[mouseposture, May 01 2010]
[link]
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[+]... might wanna work on the electrolysis mechanics though. |
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[FT] <link>
[21Q] Would storing the CO_2 as a solid affect the feasibility
of the idea? |
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[21Q] I'm not sure it would even work with *liquid*
CO_2.
Electrolysis of CO_2 requires temperatures above 500
degrees C (apparently: I didn't know any of this 'till today).
Which is why I asked about *storage*
I assumed you were making a triple point point, which I
considered peripheral to the basic idea. I take that to
be:
1) Exploit sunlight to make O_2 from CO_2
2) Exploit shadow to store CO_2 compactly
The CO_2 will have to be warmed and run through a
reactor, certainly; electrolysing it in situ in the storage
tank seems like a non-starter. |
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[Centurian] In my idiolect, this idea is "flawed, but
fundamentally sound." In [21_Quest]'s, probably
something else. Either way, more research would have
improved
it. |
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// Exploit sunlight to make O_2 from CO_2 // |
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This is known as "photosynthesis" in some contexts, although water is also involved. |
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// more research would have improved it. // |
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Although exactly how is not imediately obvious. |
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//water is also involved// Electrolysis unlike photosynthesis
would require no water -- only electrons. Which I assume are
photovoltaic, since the idea requires shade in any case. |
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//exactly how// Well, I agree the idea's no more than slightly
improved by an understanding of sublimation, but don't you
think it would be better if it took account of prior art? |
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