Difference between revisions of "Carbon Dioxide Scrubbers"
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| − | A steady supply of oxygen alone is insufficient to keep astronauts breathing. While the intake of oxygen is essential for respiration, the by-product of this respiration is the exhalation of | + | |
| + | A steady supply of oxygen alone is insufficient to keep astronauts breathing. While the intake of oxygen is essential for respiration, the by-product of this respiration is the exhalation of approximately one kilogram of carbon-dioxide per day.<ref>James, J. T., & Macatangay, A. (2009). ''Carbon Dioxide – Our Common “Enemy.”'' 8.</ref> The concentration of this gas in Earth's atmosphere is roughly 0.04%, but in the close confines endured by astronauts, accumulations of CO<sub>2</sub> can quickly reach toxic levels.<ref name=":0">Freudenrich, C. (2011). How is carbon dioxide eliminated aboard a spacecraft? | HowStuffWorks. Retrieved August 15, 2019, from HowStuffWorks website: <nowiki>https://science.howstuffworks.com/carbon-dioxide-eliminated-aboard-spacecraft.htm</nowiki></ref> | ||
| + | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| + | |+Symptoms Experienced According to CO<sub>2</sub> Level<ref name=":0" /> | ||
| + | !CO<sub>2</sub> Concentration | ||
| + | !Symptoms | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |1% | ||
| + | |Drowsiness | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |3% | ||
| + | |Impaired hearing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, stupor | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |5% | ||
| + | |Shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, confusion | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |8% | ||
| + | |Unconsciousness, muscle tremors, sweating | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | |>8% | ||
| + | |Death | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | * | ||
Revision as of 18:54, 15 August 2019
[This is an article in progress, and is currently being written]
A steady supply of oxygen alone is insufficient to keep astronauts breathing. While the intake of oxygen is essential for respiration, the by-product of this respiration is the exhalation of approximately one kilogram of carbon-dioxide per day.[1] The concentration of this gas in Earth's atmosphere is roughly 0.04%, but in the close confines endured by astronauts, accumulations of CO2 can quickly reach toxic levels.[2]
| CO2 Concentration | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| 1% | Drowsiness |
| 3% | Impaired hearing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, stupor |
| 5% | Shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, confusion |
| 8% | Unconsciousness, muscle tremors, sweating |
| >8% | Death |
