Сансрын судалгааны зориулалттай нүүрстөрөгчийн давхар ислийг ялгах технологи нь дэлхийн аж ахуйн нэгжүүдийн түүхий эдийн хомсдолыг шийдвэрлэхэд чухал үүрэг гүйцэтгэж эхэллээ.
NASA-гийн Жонсоны нэрэмжит сансрын төвийн дэмжлэгтэйгээр 1990-ээд оноос эхлэн хөгжүүлсэн энэхүү технологи нь Ангараг гарагийн агаар мандлаас нүүрстөрөгчийн давхар ислийг олборлож, түүнийг устөрөгчтэй нэгтгэн түлш болон амьдралыг тэтгэх нөөц бүрдүүлэх зорилготой байв. Pioneer Astronautics компани Ангараг дээр ашиглах боломжтой, авсаархан бөгөөд автоматжуулсан системүүдийг бүтээсэн нь хожим дэлхийн үйлдвэрүүдэд нэн тохиромжтой шийдэл болсон юм.
2021 онд Maine Beer Company зэрэг үйлдвэрүүд нүүрстөрөгчийн давхар ислийн нийлүүлэлтийн хомсдолд ороход энэхүү сансрын технологи нь үйлдвэрлэлийн үйл явцыг тасалдуулахгүй байхад тусалжээ. Исгэх явцад ялгардаг нүүрстөрөгчийн давхар ислийг ялгаж, цэвэршүүлэн дахин ашиглах боломжтой болсноор компаниуд гадны нийлүүлэгчээс хараат байдлаа бууруулсан байна. 2015 онд нэвтрүүлсэн “Craft Brewery Recovery System” төхөөрөмжийг Earthly Labs компани худалдаанд гаргаж, улмаар уг технологийн лицензийг эзэмших болжээ.
Энэхүү шийдэл нь зөвхөн шар айрагны үйлдвэрлэлээр хязгаарлагдахгүй бөгөөд дарсны үйлдвэр, нэрэх үйлдвэр, эрчим хүчний салбар болон гели олборлолтод өргөнөөр ашиглагдаж байна. Нүүрстөрөгчийн давхар ислийг хаягдал гэж үзэх бус, үнэ цэнтэй нөөц болгон хувиргаж буй энэхүү технологи нь сансрын судалгааны ололтыг дэлхийн аж үйлдвэрийн бодит хэрэгцээнд хэрхэн амжилттай нутагшуулж болохыг харуулж байна.
2021 онд Earthly Labs компанийг Chart Industries Inc. худалдан авснаар уг технологийн цар хүрээ өргөжиж, үйлдвэрлэлийн томоохон байгууламжууд болон эрчим хүч үйлдвэрлэх төслүүдэд ашиглагдах боломж бүрджээ. Ийнхүү өөр нэг гарагийн эрс тэс орчинд ашиглахаар төлөвлөж байсан инженерийн шийдэл нь дэлхий дээрх нөөцийн үр ашигтай менежментийг шинэ шатанд гаргаж байна.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
A technology originally developed to help humans use local resources on Mars is now being used on Earth to recover carbon dioxide for breweries and other industries. According to NASA, systems created through space research programs have been adapted into commercial equipment that captures and purifies CO2, allowing companies to reuse a resource that was once treated as waste.
The technology emerged from efforts to design compact and automated systems capable of producing useful materials from the Martian environment. While the original goal was supporting future exploration missions, the same engineering principles are now being applied to solve supply challenges faced by businesses on Earth.
The story began when shortages affected the availability of commercial carbon dioxide, creating difficulties for companies that depend on the gas for production. A solution came from technology designed for one of the most demanding environments imaginable: the surface of another planet.
A Mars Resource System Finds A New Purpose On Earth
The original technology was developed through research supported by NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Beginning in the 1990s, Pioneer Astronautics received multiple Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts to create systems capable of extracting useful resources from the Martian atmosphere.
On Mars, carbon dioxide makes up most of the atmosphere. Engineers explored ways to capture that CO2 and combine it with hydrogen to create resources such as water for life support and methane that could potentially serve as rocket fuel.
The systems developed by Pioneer Astronautics focused on being smaller, more efficient, and automated compared with previous approaches. Those characteristics later made the technology attractive for industries that needed practical carbon capture solutions without large industrial infrastructure.
The technology was later adapted by Pioneer Energy, where the subsystems designed for planetary exploration were reorganized for commercial applications. Engineers recognized that equipment capable of collecting and purifying carbon dioxide on Mars could also recover CO2 generated during brewing processes.
How NASA-Linked Technology Helped Breweries During CO2 Shortages
The brewery connection became clear when Maine Beer Company faced a carbon dioxide supply problem in 2021. Carbon dioxide is used throughout beer production, including carbonation, packaging, and processing operations.
“There was potential for our beer to go stale in the tanks,” said Dave Love, the brewery’s sustainability manager. “We wouldn’t be able to use CO2 for any of our bottling, kegging, or centrifuge operations.”
The company turned toward a carbon recovery system based on technology originally connected to Mars resource research. The approach allowed breweries to capture CO2 created during fermentation and reuse it instead of depending entirely on external suppliers.
The system, known as the Craft Brewery Recovery System, entered production in 2015. Afterward, Earthly Labs, founded in Austin, Texas, developed small-scale carbon capture solutions and obtained an exclusive license for the technology.
According to NASA, the system demonstrated how space-related research can lead to commercial applications far beyond its original mission. The technology moved from supporting future planetary exploration concepts to addressing real-world industrial needs.
Credit: Chart Industries Inc.
Carbon Capture Technology Expands Beyond Beer Production
The impact of the technology has expanded beyond breweries. After entering the beverage sector, Earthly Labs discovered additional uses for its carbon capture systems in wineries, distilleries, energy operations, and other industries.
Carbon dioxide generated by industrial processes can become a valuable resource when captured and purified. Companies that previously released CO2 as a by-product can now recover it for commercial use.
The technology has also attracted interest from the helium production sector. Helium deposits found underground often contain mixtures of gases, including methane and carbon dioxide, that must be separated during processing.
Captured carbon dioxide can support new business models while reducing dependence on external supplies. The approach reflects a broader shift toward technologies that recover resources rather than discard them.
A Space Innovation Journey From Mars Exploration To Industry
The development path of this technology shows how research created for extreme environments can produce unexpected applications on Earth. Systems designed around the challenges of Mars exploration have become tools for companies managing supply issues and resource efficiency.
In 2021, Earthly Labs was acquired by Chart Industries Inc., a company specializing in cryogenic engineering equipment. The acquisition helped expand the technology toward larger applications, including industrial facilities and power generation projects.
The transformation of Mars-focused engineering into commercial carbon capture demonstrates how space research can influence industries far beyond aerospace. A system imagined for extracting resources from another planet is now helping companies rethink how they use resources on Earth.
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