If you are interested in life support issues you might
wish to check out the following:

GREEN CELSS TASK FORCE

primary objectives:

The purpose of the GREEN CELSS TASK FORCE is
to cooperatively research, design, construct, inhabit,
and
gather useful scientific data from a series of
terrestrial
based CELSS (Closed Ecological Life Support Systems)
with the objective of producing, as an end result, a
fully
functioning and reliable modular biosphere style
CELSS capable of providing 100% recycling and
resource reclamation of organic matter, liquid wastes,
and atmospheric gasses, while supplying a constant
source of fresh air, clean water, and nutritious food
for
the inhabitants of remote and hostile environments.

CELSS can be divided into several sections:

1) HAB (habitat/living space)

2) HUM (Habitat Utilities Module: power
source/storage, plumbing, air vents/pipes,
sinks/shower,
toilet, cooking facilities)

3) WTRRS (Waste Treatment & Resource Reclamation
System) to be divided into:
a. COMPOSTER
b. V-GES (Vegetation Growth Environment System)

All wastes (solid, liquid, gas) enter multi-stage
composter. Composter (aerobic conditions) breaks
down solids and separates solids from liquids
(leachate).
Leachate and CO2 rich air goes to V-GES. V-GES
purifies water and air, using leachate as fertilizer,
and
outputs distilled water, O2, and food into the HAB.
The
trick is in the design of the composter and the V-GES.
A high level of integration between eco-niches is
essential.

particpation and organization:

The GREEN CELSS TASK FORCE (CTF) is a
non-profit cooperative labor of love between people
of diverse backgrounds, skills, and disciplines.
Anyone
interested in CELSS and CELSS-related technologies
may participate. To facilitate the successful
obtainment
of the objectives above, the CTF is organized into
three
areas:

1) ROUND TABLE - communications central - a
subscriber based e-group where participants may
discuss, query, and receive answers regarding the CTF.
The Round Table includes regular project progress
reports, data pool digests/summaries, and other
information pertinent to this project. If you would
like
to sign up for the Round Table e-group please
subscribe
below:

Post message:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE@...

Subscribe:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE-subscribe@...
m

Unsubscribe:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE-unsubscribe@...
om

List owner:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE-owner@...

2) DATA POOL - research database - an open access
message board where CTF team participants may post
research reports and other useful data (not a place
for
discussions). The primary organization of the Data
Pool
follows the R&D outline presented further below.
Heres how to use the DATA POOL:

http://www.open.k12.or.us/marstalk/

Go there, click NEW USER and fill in the stuff. After
the submission, you will be wisked to the conference.
Subsequent visits use the login box. This is an
"overall"
Mars Millennium Project conference, but within that is
a
section/topic called "CELSS Data Pool." You may see
one blue link, if the TOPICS are not displayed.
Clicking
on it will take you to the topic list. Click on CELSS
Data Pool.

ABSTRACT: (An Overview/Introduction)
I. Power And Electrics
II. Design And Materials
III. Treatment And Reclamation
IV. Crops And Horticulture
V. Food And Nutrition

To add a piece to Design & Materials, you would first
click on that link, then hit the REPLY button in the
OVERVIEW message for that section. THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT! If you hit the POST button at
the top of the menu bar, a new subtopic will be added.
Click on the HELP button for an overview of the
functions.

3) ECOTECHNIC LINKS - web links - a links library
with connections to other CELSS researchers and
organizations and to related topics/information which
may be of use to the CTF. These links can be found at:

http://www.elflore.org/l-eco.htm
http://www.elflore.org/celss.html

There is another interesting site at:
http://beta.open.k12.or.us/mars/etag/celss.html

baseline data:

CELSS INPUTS

HUMAN BODY: feces, urine, farts, belches, vomit,
snot, spit/saliva, phlegm, sweat, tears, earwax, milk,
sperm/semen, smegma, menstrual blood, blood, pus, nail
clippings, hair, dead skin, water vapor, CO2, trace
gasses, heat, medicine residues, and (if someone dies)
dead bodies and body parts

PLANTS: unused biomass, garbage, plant oils, O2,
CO2, ethylene and other trace gasses, water vapor

MATERIALS & PROCESSES: outgassings
(solvents/trace gasses), oils, soaps, worn out
clothing
(natural fibers/dyes only), packing materials (should
be
biodegradable), laundry water, assorted chemicals
(from
science experiments)

ESTIMATED GROW SPACE REQUIRED
PER PERSON
(may be stacked into multiple levels)

14 m2 - Gitalson
56 m2 - Bios3
20-30 m2 - Cullingford & Schwatekopf
13-50 m2 - Bugsbee & Salisbury
56.9 m2 - Oleson & Olson
8-20 m2 - MacElroy & Averner
15-20 m2 - Eckhart
24 m2 - Hoff
15 m2 - Vasilyew

This is the size we are aiming/designing for:
average of the above: 26.3 m2
(283 sq. ft. = 16.82 x 16.82)

When posting to this list PLEASE use the Roman
Numeral (in the subject line) pertaining to the topic
area you are posting about. This will help keep the
data streams organized. If you are posting off topic
or on a topic related to but not fitting in any of the
catagories above, use the Roman Numeral VI (other)
in the subject line. Post to:

GreenCELSSTaskFORCE@...

CELSS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OUTLINE

I. POWER/ELECTRICS
A. power system
1. generation/source
2. fuel
3. voltage: AC/ DC
4. storage
5. distribution
B. lighting
1. efficiency
2. reliability
3. durability
4. intensity
5. spectrum
6. periodicy
C. atmosphere
1. heating
2. cooling
3. ducts and fans
4. compressor-pumps
5. mechanical & electrostatic filters
6. emergency back-up systems
D. sensor/controls net
1. power systems - monitoring
a. voltage
b. amperage
c. accumulated amp/hours
2. lighting systems - controls
a. periodicy/timing
b. intensity
c. frequency/spectrum
1) red
2) green
3) blue
4) UV
3. atmosphere systems
a. temperature
b. humidity
c. CO2 levels
d. O2 levels
e. CO levels
f. hydrogen sulfide
g. methane
h. ethylene
i. trace gasses
4. potable water supply
a. PH
b. BOD
c. nitrate/nitrite
d. ammonia
e. sodium
f. E-coli
g. trace minerals
5. ecosystems-ecotechnics
a. PH
b. BOD
c. nitrate/nitrite
d. ammonia
e. sodium
f. E-coli
g. trace minerals
6. monitoring/alarms/controls

II. DESIGN/MATERIALS
A. greenhouse
1. size
2. shape/design
3. weight
4. structural materials
5. coverings/hull
a. leak rate
b. durability
6. insulation & thermalmass
7. systems mounting/integration
8. packing/shipping/deployment
B. hab interface/airlock
C. pressure equalization/lung

III. TREATMENT/RECLAMATION
A. solids processing
1. composting
2. solids/liquids separation
3. clean-out/access
B. plant beds
1. materials
2. unit size/configuration
3. fittings
4. aeration systems
5. clean-out/access
C. H2O distillation/sterilization

IV. CROPS/HORTICULTURE
A. nutritional and medicinal content
B. growth perimeters
1. salt tolerance
2. light periodicy
3. light frequency
4. temperature range
5. humidity range
6. PH levels
7. nutrition/fertilizer needs
8. maximum growth height/width
9. time from planting to harvest
10. pollination needs/procedures
11. seed production/reseeding
12. O2/CO2 exchange rates
13. waste biomass
14. edible yields
C. edible/utilitarian species selection
1. bacteria
2. cyanobacteria
3. algae
4. yeast
5. fungi-mushrooms
6. edible grasses
7. higher plants
a. greens/stems
b. roots/tubers
c. grains/nuts
d. fruits/seeds
8. advanced systems
a. tissue culture/cloning
b. vermiculture/worms
c. edible insect culture
d. pollinators
e. aquaculture
f. small animals/stock
g. utilitarian species
(fibers, hydrogen, nitrogen fixing)

D. pests & diseases/treatment
E. horticulture ergonomics

V. FOOD/NUTRITION
A. harvesting
B. processing
1. chop/grind/mash/mix/strain
2. steam/stew/bake/fry/brew
C. preservation
1. drying
2. pickling
3. canning
4. freezing
5. vaccuum packing
D. nutritional/dietary needs/menus
E. medicinals/medicine production

=====
Terry Ryan Kok - scientist, ecotechnician, wizard
Elf Lore Family ELDER - Sanctuary Rock facilitator
Green CELSS Task Force focalizer
Starlight Technology: (812) 275-0694
biostar_a@...

Why tie yourself down to using composting?

Orbital habitats will have plenty of electrical and thermal energy
available. Because of this, it may be that the "wet oxidation" and "dry
oxidation" processes could become very useful: heat wet or dry waste
products at several hundred degrees under high pressure in an oxygen rich
environment, and thus break down the goop into its constituent basic
molecules. The wet oxidation process is energy intensive but achieves its
results very quickly. Composting is not energy intensive but takes a long
time. I don't know which one will ultimately be "better", and it may be
that one is better in one situation (e.g., composting on the energy-poor
surface of Mars) and another in another situation (e.g., wet oxidation in
an energy-rich orbital habitat).

I also have a request. Could you please say "**CONTROLLED** Ecological
Life Support Systems instead of "Closed Ecological...", and moderate the
"100% recycling and resource reclamation" goal?

It could be that providing 98% recycling requires effort x, but that
providing 100% recycling requires and effort of 100x. If, for example,
we have a habitat situated near a NEO, then it is entirely possible that it
will be more efficient to not recycle everything, and instead supplement
certain elements from the NEO.

Let's not erect barriers for ourselves, nor set inappropriate goals. Keep
your engineering options open!

Terry Kok
ssi_list@...
08/30/01 01:34
AM
Please respond
to ssi_list

If you are interested in life support issues you might
wish to check out the following:

GREEN CELSS TASK FORCE

primary objectives:

The purpose of the GREEN CELSS TASK FORCE is
to cooperatively research, design, construct, inhabit,
and
gather useful scientific data from a series of
terrestrial
based CELSS (Closed Ecological Life Support Systems)
with the objective of producing, as an end result, a
fully
functioning and reliable "modular biosphere" style
CELSS capable of providing 100% recycling and
resource reclamation of organic matter, liquid wastes,
and atmospheric gasses, while supplying a constant
source of fresh air, clean water, and nutritious food
for
the inhabitants of remote and hostile environments.

CELSS can be divided into several sections:

1) HAB (habitat/living space)

2) HUM (Habitat Utilities Module: power
source/storage, plumbing, air vents/pipes,
sinks/shower,
toilet, cooking facilities)

3) WTRRS (Waste Treatment & Resource Reclamation
System) to be divided into:
a. COMPOSTER
b. V-GES (Vegetation Growth Environment System)

All wastes (solid, liquid, gas) enter multi-stage
composter. Composter (aerobic conditions) breaks
down solids and separates solids from liquids
(leachate).
Leachate and CO2 rich air goes to V-GES. V-GES
purifies water and air, using leachate as fertilizer,
and
outputs distilled water, O2, and food into the HAB.
The
trick is in the design of the composter and the V-GES.
A high level of integration between eco-niches is
essential.

particpation and organization:

The GREEN CELSS TASK FORCE (CTF) is a
non-profit cooperative "labor of love" between people
of diverse backgrounds, skills, and disciplines.
Anyone
interested in CELSS and CELSS-related technologies
may participate. To facilitate the successful
obtainment
of the objectives above, the CTF is organized into
three
areas:

1) ROUND TABLE - "communications central" - a
subscriber based e-group where participants may
discuss, query, and receive answers regarding the CTF.
The Round Table includes regular project progress
reports, data pool digests/summaries, and other
information pertinent to this project. If you would
like
to sign up for the Round Table e-group please
subscribe
below:

Post message:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE@...

Subscribe:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE-subscribe@...
m

Unsubscribe:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE-unsubscribe@...
om

List owner:
GreenCELSSTaskFORCE-owner@...

2) DATA POOL - "research database" - an open access
message board where CTF team participants may post
research reports and other useful data (not a place
for
discussions). The primary organization of the Data
Pool
follows the R&D outline presented further below.
Here's how to use the DATA POOL:

http://www.open.k12.or.us/marstalk/

Go there, click NEW USER and fill in the stuff. After
the submission, you will be wisked to the conference.
Subsequent visits use the login box. This is an
"overall"
Mars Millennium Project conference, but within that is
a
section/topic called "CELSS Data Pool." You may see
one blue link, if the TOPICS are not displayed.
Clicking
on it will take you to the topic list. Click on CELSS
Data Pool.

ABSTRACT: (An Overview/Introduction)
I. Power And Electrics
II. Design And Materials
III. Treatment And Reclamation
IV. Crops And Horticulture
V. Food And Nutrition

To add a piece to Design & Materials, you would first
click on that link, then hit the REPLY button in the
OVERVIEW message for that section. THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT! If you hit the POST button at
the top of the menu bar, a new subtopic will be added.
Click on the HELP button for an overview of the
functions.

3) ECOTECHNIC LINKS - "web links" - a links library
with connections to other CELSS researchers and
organizations and to related topics/information which
may be of use to the CTF. These links can be found at:

http://www.elflore.org/l-eco.htm
http://www.elflore.org/celss.html

There is another interesting site at:
http://beta.open.k12.or.us/mars/etag/celss.html

baseline data:

CELSS INPUTS

HUMAN BODY: feces, urine, farts, belches, vomit,
snot, spit/saliva, phlegm, sweat, tears, earwax, milk,
sperm/semen, smegma, menstrual blood, blood, pus, nail
clippings, hair, dead skin, water vapor, CO2, trace
gasses, heat, medicine residues, and (if someone dies)
dead bodies and body parts

PLANTS: unused biomass, garbage, plant oils, O2,
CO2, ethylene and other trace gasses, water vapor

MATERIALS & PROCESSES: outgassings
(solvents/trace gasses), oils, soaps, worn out
clothing
(natural fibers/dyes only), packing materials (should
be
biodegradable), laundry water, assorted chemicals
(from
science experiments)

ESTIMATED GROW SPACE REQUIRED
PER PERSON
(may be stacked into multiple levels)

14 m2 - Gitalson
56 m2 - Bios3
20-30 m2 - Cullingford & Schwatekopf
13-50 m2 - Bugsbee & Salisbury
56.9 m2 - Oleson & Olson
8-20 m2 - MacElroy & Averner
15-20 m2 - Eckhart
24 m2 - Hoff
15 m2 - Vasilyew

This is the size we are aiming/designing for:
average of the above: 26.3 m2
(283 sq. ft. = 16.82' x 16.82')

When posting to this list PLEASE use the Roman
Numeral (in the subject line) pertaining to the topic
area you are posting about. This will help keep the
data streams organized. If you are posting off topic
or on a topic related to but not fitting in any of the
catagories above, use the Roman Numeral VI (other)
in the subject line. Post to:

GreenCELSSTaskFORCE@...

CELSS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OUTLINE

I. POWER/ELECTRICS
A. power system
1. generation/source
2. fuel
3. voltage: AC/ DC
4. storage
5. distribution
B. lighting
1. efficiency
2. reliability
3. durability
4. intensity
5. spectrum
6. periodicy
C. atmosphere
1. heating
2. cooling
3. ducts and fans
4. compressor-pumps
5. mechanical & electrostatic filters
6. emergency back-up systems
D. sensor/controls net
1. power systems - monitoring
a. voltage
b. amperage
c. accumulated amp/hours
2. lighting systems - controls
a. periodicy/timing
b. intensity
c. frequency/spectrum
1) red
2) green
3) blue
4) UV
3. atmosphere systems
a. temperature
b. humidity
c. CO2 levels
d. O2 levels
e. CO levels
f. hydrogen sulfide
g. methane
h. ethylene
i. trace gasses
4. potable water supply
a. PH
b. BOD
c. nitrate/nitrite
d. ammonia
e. sodium
f. E-coli
g. trace minerals
5. ecosystems-ecotechnics
a. PH
b. BOD
c. nitrate/nitrite
d. ammonia
e. sodium
f. E-coli
g. trace minerals
6. monitoring/alarms/controls

II. DESIGN/MATERIALS
A. greenhouse
1. size
2. shape/design
3. weight
4. structural materials
5. coverings/hull
a. leak rate
b. durability
6. insulation & thermalmass
7. systems mounting/integration
8. packing/shipping/deployment
B. hab interface/airlock
C. pressure equalization/lung

III. TREATMENT/RECLAMATION
A. solids processing
1. composting
2. solids/liquids separation
3. clean-out/access
B. plant beds
1. materials
2. unit size/configuration
3. fittings
4. aeration systems
5. clean-out/access
C. H2O distillation/sterilization

IV. CROPS/HORTICULTURE
A. nutritional and medicinal content
B. growth perimeters
1. salt tolerance
2. light periodicy
3. light frequency
4. temperature range
5. humidity range
6. PH levels
7. nutrition/fertilizer needs
8. maximum growth height/width
9. time from planting to harvest
10. pollination needs/procedures
11. seed production/reseeding
12. O2/CO2 exchange rates
13. waste biomass
14. edible yields
C. edible/utilitarian species selection
1. bacteria
2. cyanobacteria
3. algae
4. yeast
5. fungi-mushrooms
6. edible grasses
7. higher plants
a. greens/stems
b. roots/tubers
c. grains/nuts
d. fruits/seeds
8. advanced systems
a. tissue culture/cloning
b. vermiculture/worms
c. edible insect culture
d. pollinators
e. aquaculture
f. small animals/stock
g. utilitarian species
(fibers, hydrogen, nitrogen fixing)

D. pests & diseases/treatment
E. horticulture ergonomics

V. FOOD/NUTRITION
A. harvesting
B. processing
1. chop/grind/mash/mix/strain
2. steam/stew/bake/fry/brew
C. preservation
1. drying
2. pickling
3. canning
4. freezing
5. vaccuum packing
D. nutritional/dietary needs/menus
E. medicinals/medicine production

=====
Terry Ryan Kok - scientist, ecotechnician, wizard
Elf Lore Family ELDER - Sanctuary Rock facilitator
Green CELSS Task Force focalizer
Starlight Technology: (812) 275-0694
biostar_a@...

>
> Why tie yourself down to using composting?

CEC -- Cation Exchange Capacity

Lunar regolith is not soil, and Martian soil is about the worst kind.
What both of these lack is the ability to hold onto nutrients such as
K+ and Ca++. This ability is called Cation Exchange Capacity or CEC.
The soil materials with the highest CEC are clay and humus. Clay is
heavy to transport and difficult to make. Humus, OTOH, are the
complex organic molecules which are very difficult for bacteria to
break down, so they are what's left after a thorough composting process.

If you use a pure hydroponic setup, CEC is not necessary, but it does
add a great deal of stability to the system by acting as a buffer for
nutrients.

>[snip] I don't know which one will ultimately be "better", and it may
be that one is better in one situation (e.g., composting on the
energy-poor surface of Mars) and another in another situation (e.g.,
wet oxidation in an energy-rich orbital habitat).<

I'm sure that some combination will work better than either
exclusively. I favor an approach of fast oxidation for potentially
infectious materials and composting for other organic wastes.

> I also have a request. Could you please say "**CONTROLLED**
Ecological Life Support Systems instead of "Closed Ecological...",
and moderate the "100% recycling and resource reclamation" goal?<

By the time we start sending ships to other stars, I expect getting as
close to 100% as possible will payback greatly in fuel saved. Also,
Biosphere2 had a goal of exchanging the inside air only once every 100
years but actually only managed to keep it to once a day. I think it
behooves us to set the ultimate goals for research high with the
understanding that intermediate goals will need to be reached first.
Thus, the "closed ecology" is the goal which we strive for with our
"controlled environments".

++JohnWheeler

P.S. I seriously doubt Terry is actually reading this message, as he

>>I don't know which one will ultimately be "better",
and it may be
that one is better in one situation (e.g., composting
on the energy-poor
surface of Mars) and another in another situation
(e.g., wet oxidation in
an energy-rich orbital habitat).<<

I think you are right. We usually don't think from an
energy rich perspective like we would have in orbit.
There might not be any reason to waste the time on the
wet process there. On the moon or mars though you
might want to use the wet process. The bacteria
produce methane which could be run through a fuel cell
to produce additional energy.