Modeling the process of chemical regeneration of air in airtight habitable facilities

Abstract

Physical experiments and mathematical modeling are used to study the kinetics of the reactions of carbon dioxide and water with potassium superoxide accompanied by oxygen release at various values of the temperature and humidity of the breathing gas mixture. The kinetics of the chemisorption is demonstrated to be limited by the rate of air regeneration in an airtight habitable facility. Experimental and analytical approaches are applied to determine the kinetic coefficients of the chemical reactions using the experimental data and a mathematical model of chemisorption kinetics. To perform the above chemical reactions, an original-design chemisorption reactor was developed, which contains plates with potassium superoxide nanocrystalline fixed on the fibers and pore surface of a fibrous polymer matrix. A mathematical model of chemical air regeneration is developed to calculate the guaranteed values of the parameters of the reactor and the protective effect time of the chemisorbent during which, at a given load, the reactor provides the appropriate concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the breathing gas mixture in an airtight habitable.