Breathing Cup Analysis
When an astronaut exhales, the CO2 and water vapor in the breath must be captured to prevent build-up in the space-suit. The best way to remove these "contaminants" is to do so before they begin to circulate in the space-suit.
Before an efficient removal system could be devised, students had to develop a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model of the oral/nasal area of an astronaut in a space-suit to understand the flow of air to be captured. Once that model was developed, students began to create various prototypes of a breathing cup that captures CO2 and water vapor at their highest concentrations immediately upon exhalation. The prototypes are being developed using a rapid prototyper at Central Connecticut State University and will be tested by the students using a simulated ventilation loop.
Participants and Affiliations:
- Arthur Calef, Manchester Community College
- Bryan Parsons, Quinebaug Valley Community College
- Shalane Regan, University of Hartford
