JCCL, Inc. (Head Office: Nishi-ku, Fukuoka City) is pleased to announce the successful joint design of a membrane-based CO₂ separation and removal system for use in crewed space exploration vehicles, in collaboration with Kyushu University, JAXA, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

The newly designed system is intended for use in a pressurized lunar rover⁽¹⁾ currently under consideration by JAXA as part of NASA’s Artemis program. The system is responsible for separating and removing CO₂ from the astronauts’ living space within the rover.

Based on research by Dr. Yu Hoshino of Kyushu University’s Faculty of Engineering, JCCL developed a high-performance CO₂-selective membrane (amine-containing gel particle membrane⁽²⁾) and a vacuum steam sweep-type membrane separation device⁽³⁾. The team optimized the operating conditions of the system to maintain low CO₂ concentrations inside the rover, which accommodates two astronauts, by separating exhaled CO₂ and venting it outside the vehicle.

The study found that adjusting the number of membrane modules in response to varying CO₂ generation rates—depending on astronaut activity levels (sleep, work, exercise)—effectively controls CO₂ buildup without losing valuable gases like nitrogen or oxygen. Additionally, adjusting the airflow into the system based on activity levels significantly reduced power consumption. Future research will focus on miniaturizing the system for actual deployment in crewed spacecrafts.

This achievement not only contributes to CO₂ removal in space exploration but also holds promise as a foundational technology for Direct Air Capture (DAC) applications on Earth, such as removing CO₂ from ambient air or indoor environments like office buildings.

This research was conducted as part of a collaborative project under JAXA’s Space Exploration Innovation Hub and was presented at the 55th Autumn Meeting of the Society of Chemical Engineers⁽⁴⁾, Japan, on September 11, 2024.

<Notes>
1. Pressurized Lunar Rover: A crewed vehicle under development by JAXA for the Artemis program, enabling astronauts to live and explore the lunar surface for up to a month. It plays a key role in sustainable lunar exploration.
More info (JAXA ENG Page)
2. Amine-Containing Gel Particle Membrane: A high-performance CO₂-selective membrane created by spraying gel particles containing CO₂-reactive amines onto a porous support. Demonstrated to have 2,380 times higher selectivity for CO₂ over nitrogen in simulated air (400 ppm CO₂), with a permeance of 1,270 GPU.
(Source: ACS Appl. Mater. & Interfaces, 13, 30030-, 2021)
3. Vacuum Steam Sweep-Type Membrane Separation Device: A system that separates and concentrates CO₂ by passing humidified CO₂-containing gas through a membrane, applying vacuum and steam on the permeate side. It can stably concentrate 13% CO₂ to over 97% for more than a month through automated control of steam flow and humidity.
More info (JCCL Product Page)
4. Presentation at the 55th Autumn Meeting of the Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan
Title: Performance Evaluation of a CO₂ Membrane Separation Process for Maintaining the Cabin Environment in a Pressurized Lunar Rover

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