Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 41
APPLICATION
BRIEFS
Magnetic Bearing Technology Enables Environmental Control for Human
Space Exploration
Calnetix Technologies
Cerritos, CA
www.calnetix.com
S
pace exploration requires robust, reliable, and long-lasting
technologies, especially for human safety-critical systems utilized
on extended missions. While the safety critical systems
have traditionally leveraged simple and dependable tried-andtrue
solutions, significant performance and SWaP (size, weight,
and power) gains can be realized by leveraging the vast improvements
in computing power and electronics reliability in
the past few decades.
These advances have shifted the focus toward digital and
software controls, enabling step changes in performance. Hydraulic
or pneumatic legacy systems are replaced with electrical
systems, and mechanical means of flow control, such as valves
are replaced with variable speed motors.
This shift of electrification and optimization is highlighted
by some of the recent improvements in the environmental controls
on the International Space Station (ISS). The makeup of
the breathable atmosphere must be managed and trace contamination
must be reduced to acceptable levels.
The Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber (FBCO2
) system
currently in advanced development and testing on the ISS is
the latest iteration of the CO2
removal system. The FBCO2
tem draws air from the cabin and separates water and CO2
sys,
which
can then be reused for other purposes or vented as
waste. Within the FBCO2
system, the Calnetix in-line blower/
circulator is the mechanism which drives air flow through the
system.
The in-line blower system, which includes a compact blower
on magnetic bearings and an integrated dual controller,
leverages a variable high-speed permanent magnet (PM) motor
and active 5-axis active magnetic bearing (AMB) system.
This system represents a step change toward electrification
and optimization. Previous CO2
removal solutions utilized
passive gas foil bearings that float the rotor on a layer of gas
once the rotor is spinning.
While this was a simple solution from a controls perspective
and requires no electronics to manage the bearing system, gas
bearings can be susceptible to contaminants in the process airstream,
are prone to wear with many start/stop cycles, and require
a minimum process gas pressure and rotor speed to operate.
Conversely, AMBs require relatively complex electronic
and software controls, but can function at very high speeds,
Magnetically levitated in-line blower. (Image: Calnetix)
Tech Briefs, August 2023
Astronaut Nicole Mann works on the Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber
(FBCO2), including the installation of in-line blower. (Image: Calnetix)
www.techbriefs.com
41
http://www.calnetix.com
http://www.techbriefs.com
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - Intro
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - Sponsor
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 1
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 2
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 3
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 4
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 5
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 6
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 7
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 8
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 9
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 10
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 11
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 12
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 13
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 14
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 15
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 16
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 17
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 18
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 19
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 20
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 21
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 22
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 23
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 24
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 25
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 26
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 27
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 28
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 29
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 30
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 31
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 32
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 33
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 34
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 35
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 36
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 37
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 38
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 39
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 40
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 41
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 42
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 43
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 44
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 45
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 46
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 47
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - 48
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - Cov4
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-1
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-2
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-3
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-4
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-5
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-6
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-7
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-8
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-9
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-10
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-11
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-12
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-13
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-14
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-15
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-16
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-17
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-18
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-19
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-20
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-21
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-22
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-23
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-24
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-25
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-26
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-27
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-28
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-29
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-30
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-31
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-32
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-33
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-34
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-35
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-36
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-37
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-38
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-39
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-40
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-41
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-42
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-43
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-44
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - August 2023 - MD-Cov4
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/25TB01
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB11
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB10
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB09B
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB09
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB08
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB07
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB06
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB05B
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB05
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB02
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/24TB01
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB11
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB10
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB09
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB08
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB07
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB06
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB05
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB02
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/23TB01
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/Testing/22TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB11
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB10
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB09
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB08
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB07
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB06
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB05-P
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB05-D
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB02
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/22TB01
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB12
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB11
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB10
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB09
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB08
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB07
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB06
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB05
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB04
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21BT03
https://www.nxtbook.com/smg/techbriefs/21TB02
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com