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Instrumentation

MiniTOCA Facilitates Automated Water Analysis
Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) used for extended space missions must recover and process wastewater to provide potable water for crew consumption and oxygen generation. Exploration mission spacecraft will have a smaller crew than the ISS, meaning demands would typically be less than what full-featured commercial TOC analyzers are designed to provide. Current analyzer technology also has limitations and uncertainties for spaceflight integration, such as part traceability, reliability, material properties for flammability or off-gassing, software and interface that are inconsis-tent with spaceflight needs, human factors, and structural reliability.
The MiniTOCA provides a compact solution to the performance demands of onboard water quality analysis for crewed exploration missions through a unique core technology process that facilitates the detection of trace organic compounds in a water sample. It utilizes an ultra-violet oxidation method to activate the dissolved oxygen in the water which results in oxidation of the organic chemicals into carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is then measured by a Miniature Tunable Laser Spectrometer (MTLS) by sweeping the carbon dioxide out of the water in a gas / liquid separator using nitrogen gas.
This novel process allows for small system sample volumes, small overall size/mass, zero consumables, low average power con-sumption (less than 60W), projected long-life (~10 years), and reliable analytical performance – all addressing critical performance gaps within the current TOC analyzer industry. Lab and environmental testing demonstrated that the MiniTOCA’s architecture is both feasible and is excellent in performance.
Potential commercial applications for the MiniTOCA include, but are not limited to, ultra-pure water (UPW) systems; remote, mobile, and distributed environmental water quality monitoring; and specialized industrial process control. Technologies comprising the device lend themselves to miniaturization and are forward leaning in exploration applications. The MiniTOCA is scheduled to be flown and imple-mented aboard the ISS in late 2025.