BioHome

BioHome was a small facility created by NASA in the late 1980s that could support one person in a fully functional habitat. One of the influences on the project was the results from data obtained on the 1973 Skylab 3 (SL-3), where a total of 107 VOCs were offgassed by synthetic materials that composed the SL-3. However, the study of indoor air quality was not the only focus of the project, as it was a part of research into closed ecological life support systems.

The facility was still in use as of March 5, 2005, and has paved inroads into creating self-supporting life support systems.

Construction of the BioHome concluded in 1989 and construction materials included synthetics which gave off the aforementioned VOCs. The BioHome itself resembles a mobile home in size where it contained a living area and treatment facilities for human waste and air.

While not completely air-tight, such as the Biosphere 2 structure, the structure was engineered for maximum air and energy confinement. This was unsurprising, given that the interior walls were composed of molded plastic panels with 30 cm of fiberglass insulation.

The BioHome had living facilities that could support one person and foliage plants were placed throughout the structure, aiding in air purification. In addition to the plants, a prototype fan-assisted plant filter was installed; the filter had the removal capacity of 15 standard potted plants.

The BioHome was equipped with monitoring ports for the detection of VOCs, which were measured using mass spectrometer / gas chromatograph equipment.

In experiments regarding wastewater treatment, the facility was outfitted with PVC piping and ultraviolet equipment.

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