AMINE SWINGBED
Research Area: Air, Water and Surface Monitoring
Expedition(s): 27-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Jeffrey Sweterlitsch, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
● John Graf, PhD, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The Amine Swingbed investigation determines if a vacuum-regenerated amine system can
effectively remove carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the International Space Station (ISS) atmosphere
using a smaller, more efficient vacuum regeneration system.
EARTH BENEFITS
Although designed for human spaceflight
missions where ample access to the
vacuum of space is available, the
technology can be used in Earth
applications if access to a clean-purge gas
supply is available.
SPACE BENEFITS
This technology and hardware provides
environmental control of the spacecraft’s
habitable volume by removing
metabolically produced CO 2 , a
requirement of all human spaceflight
missions, and minimizing losses of ullage
air and humidity. This payload is capable
of removing the amount of CO 2 produced
by 6 crew members and so is directly applicable to the ISS. Because of air save and water save,
it is also applicable for longer-duration human spaceflight missions.
RESULTS
Data is still being collected from this investigation, and analysis is ongoing.
PATENT(S)
Dean, II WC, inventor; Swing bed canister with heat transfer features. US patent 7,637,988; 29.
December 2009.
This investigation is ongoing and additional results are pending publication.
Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank assembles the
Amine Swingbed Hardware Assembly in the US
Laboratory/Destiny.