Description: Ultrasonic Technology Solutions (UTS) is based in Knoxville, Tennessee, and formed as a spin-off start-up from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is proposing to develop an ultra-fast ultrasonic washing and dryer combination for space applications. NASA’s Life Support and Habitation Systems Focus Area seeks key capabilities and technology solutions that enable extended human presence in deep space and on planetary surfaces such as the moon and Mars, including Orion, ISS, Gateway, Artemis and Human Landing Systems. One of the critical technological gaps listed includes a clothing washer/dryer combination for use on the moon (1/6g) or Mars (1/3g) that can clean up to 4.5kg of cotton, polyester, and wool clothing in less than 7 hours using <50kg machine mass, <0.3m3 external machine volume and <300W electrical power (Note: 101.3kPa habitat pressure may be assumed for prototype development). Through multiple publications, our team demonstrated five times higher drying energy efficiency for clothing (1/5th of the energy input) and two times faster drying rates than state-of-the-art residential clothes dryers. This innovative drying technology was highlighted on over 350 websites, including CNN, BBC, DOE, and the prestigious Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) calendar. The technology also showed strong promise for removing water from liquids and semi-liquid materials such as human feces. The UTS team successfully demonstrated effective fecal drying technology, and NASA is currently in the process of infusion/investment in the technology demonstration in the relevant environment. Under SBIR Phase I, we successfully collected critical data supporting the feasibility and superiority of the proposed clothes combo washer/dryer technology. Under SBIR Phase II, we propose developing a transformative combo washing and drying machine for space applications where the ultrasonic components are the backbone of the technology.

Benefits: Crew clothing currently accounts for ~1/4 of crew supplies for ISS. Significant mission mass and volume reductions can be realized with an integrated crew clothing washing/drying system approach. UTS efforts to wash and dry clothes with very little energy and water can help achieve this goal by making clothing reusable.

One of the direct markets for the proposed tabletop-size ultra-fast clothes washing/dryer product will be student housing, dorms, rental properties, hotels, and hospitals. Also, the system may be used for hotels, beaches, and recreational vehicles. A lot of people who are taking vacations do not have access to in-house clothes washing and dryer. .