Elektron is Offline/Online – Again
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 January 2005
“Update on Elektron: The Elektron seems to be running well in 50-amp mode and seems to be shutting down when 32-amp mode is used. Due to the ongoing battery reconditioning, the ISS is too short on power to stay in 50-amp mode all the time. To maintain the power balance, the two MCCs agreed to power down the Vozduhk CO2 scrubber and use the CDRA (carbon dioxide removal assembly) instead, thus reducing the stress on the Russian power system. In addition, pressurized element shell heaters will be turned off and manually managed by ground controllers if they begin to approach the maximum allowable 12.2 kW (action would be taken around 11.9 kW). This arrangement will remain in force until the P6 battery reconditioning is complete and TsUP/Moscow has defined the next set of troubleshooting plans.”
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 7 January 2005
“Update on Elektron: At last report, the Elektron was operating again, on the backup pump. During troubleshooting today, Russian specialists considered the possibility that the water flushes performed during previous troubleshooting efforts had diluted the electrolyte (KOH) concentration in the installed Liquid Unit #5 (BZh-5). The crew was advised to transfer fresh electrolyte fluid from the stowed BZh-7 into BZh-5. Afterwards, the Elektron operated in 32 amp mode for about 5.5 hours before shutting down. It was restarted in 50 amp mode. After operating for 3 hours, the primary pump failed and the unit began operating on the backup pump.”
“FE Salizhan Sharipov completed the periodic (weekly) replenishing of the Elektron’s water supply for electrolysis, his ninth, filling the KOV thermal loops EDV container (#1013) with purified (deionized) water from the BKO multifiltration/purification column unit that was recently installed (12/2). [The procedure is specially designed to prevent air bubbles from getting into the BZh liquid unit where their pressure spikes, from collapsing, could cause micropump impeller cavitation and Elektron shutdown, as happened numerous times in the past. In the procedure, the EDV water is drawn from the BKO and the air/liquid separator unit (GZhS) while the crewmember checks for any air bubbles in the EDV (and, if visible, estimates their number).]”
NASA Space Station Status Report 7 January 2005
“With help from Russian technical experts, the crew early this week tried to purge gas from the Elektron lines, using both a manual pump and an electrical pump. The gas bubbles were believed to be causing pumps in the Elektron to shut down. As troubleshooting continued, the crew on Thursday replaced the electrolyte in the Elektron with that from a spare unit. The Elektron was then successfully restarted, although later that day the system was switched from a primary pump to a backup pump. The Elektron has continued to operate intermittently since.”
6 January 2005: Expedition 10 Operates Robot Arm; Elektron Working, NASA JSC
“Efforts to troubleshoot the Elektron oxygen-generation system appear to be successful. The Elektron, which stopped operating on New Year’s Day, was reactivated Thursday morning and was operating late Thursday afternoon on a backup pump, after being restarted a second time.”
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 January 2005
“The Elektron remains off. All the activities planned for the Russian crewmember yesterday were deferred to a later date so he could perform dedicated troubleshooting on the Elektron. An electrical pump was temporarily connected to the electrolyte circulation loop to remove the gas bubbles that are causing the Elektron to shut down.”
Editor’s note: I’m confused. An internal NASA ISS status says the Elektron is offline. A JSC public report issued later in the day says it is online. Perhaps this will be resolved on Friday.
“During the activity, the excess bubbles caused overheating of the pump, requiring water flushes to continue the operation. The crew noted a reduction in the amount of bubbles as a result of continued loop circulation. Excessive bubbles remained in the system, however, and the attempted re-start of the Elektron at the completion of yesterday s activity was unsuccessful.Specialists are analyzing the data gathered today, and are developing new troubleshooting procedures which were planned for today.”
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 January 2005
“With the Elektron in a non-operating condition, the ppO2 (oxygen partial pressure) levels on ISS trended towards the lower limits. The cabin was repressurized yesterday from the 16P oxygen tanks with approximately 6.6 mmHg O2, using 3.24 kg of O2 from the Progress and leaving ~24 kg in its tanks.”
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 4 January 2005
“The Elektron is currently off.After it shut down on 1/1, reactivation was not attempted until after yesterday’s troubleshooting by Sharipov, who worked on removing any air bubbles in the pumping system.When turned on, the machine ran for a short period of time and then shut down again.TsUP/Moscow is currently developing new troubleshooting steps.”
