2022 年 47 巻 1 号 p. 50-56
In order to realize the life support system under the closed environment in space, revitalization of water is essential. Water is not only used for drinking but should also be electrolyzed to generate oxygen for the human activity. Then, the carbon dioxide is generated by the metabolic reaction, which can be reacted with excess hydrogen generated together with oxygen. This is one of the current applicable processes for the revitalization of water in space. During the reduction process of carbon dioxide, methane is also generated accompanied with water. Since the methane is the fundamental compound of the natural gas, the space oriented technique for the life support system has the potential to contribute to the carbon neutral society.
Here, we discuss the possibility of the hybrid device combining the water electolyzer with methanation process targeting the dual use for the space and the terrestrial applications.