How do astronauts prevent the buildup of carbon dioxide inside the spacecraft?

Question

How do astronauts prevent the buildup of carbon dioxide inside the spacecraft?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

When you get to 12,000 ppm the effects of CO2 start to be noticed according to nasa.This is 1.2% CO2.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets the following permissible exposure limits (PEL) (OSHA 1990): •Final Rule Limit: 10,000 ppm (1% or 7.5 mm Hg) Time Weighted Average (TWA) over a work shift up to 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. •Transitional Limit: 5,000 ppm (0.5% or 3.8 mm Hg)
The earth is at .040%
Most spacecraft rely solely on removing the carbon dioxide with canisters that contain powdered lithium hydroxide. When air containing carbon dioxide (CO2) gets passed through the canister, it combines with the lithium hydroxide (LiOH) to form lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and water (H2O).