BIOS-3 was a closed ecosystem at the Institute of Biophysics in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.
Construction began in the Soviet Union in 1965, and was completed in 1972. BIOS-3 consisted of a 315 m{superscript}3 habitat suitable for up to three humans. It was divided into 4 compartments: a crew area and 3 phytrons, one of which started off as an algal cultivator. The other two phytrons were used for growing wheat and vegetables. Later the algal cultivator was converted. A level of light comparable to sunlight was supplied in each of the 4 compartments by twenty 6 kW xenon lamps, cooled by water jackets. The facility used 400 kW of electricity, supplied by a nearby hydroelectric power station.
Chlorella algae were used to recycle air breathed by humans, absorbing CO2 and replenishing it with O2 through photosynthesis. The algae was cultivated in stacked tanks under artificial light. To achieve a balance of O2 and CO2, one human needed 8m2 of exposed Chlorella. Air was purified of more complex organic compounds by heating to 600ðC in the presence of a catalyst. Water and nutrients were stored in advance and were also recycled. By 1968, system efficiency had reached 85% by recycling water. Dried meat was imported into the facility, and urine and feces were generally dried and stored, rather than being recycled.
BIOS-3 facilities were used to conduct ten manned closure experiments with a crew of 1-3 humans. The longest experiment with a three man crew lasted 180 days in 1972-1973. The facilities were used at least until 1984, and were still available for experiments as of 2004.
Construction began in the Soviet Union in 1965, and was completed in 1972. BIOS-3 consisted of a 315 m{superscript}3 habitat suitable for up to three humans. It was divided into 4 compartments: a crew area and 3 phytrons, one of which started off as an algal cultivator. The other two phytrons were used for growing wheat and vegetables. Later the algal cultivator was converted. A level of light comparable to sunlight was supplied in each of the 4 compartments by twenty 6 kW xenon lamps, cooled by water jackets. The facility used 400 kW of electricity, supplied by a nearby hydroelectric power station.
Chlorella algae were used to recycle air breathed by humans, absorbing CO2 and replenishing it with O2 through photosynthesis. The algae was cultivated in stacked tanks under artificial light. To achieve a balance of O2 and CO2, one human needed 8m2 of exposed Chlorella. Air was purified of more complex organic compounds by heating to 600ðC in the presence of a catalyst. Water and nutrients were stored in advance and were also recycled. By 1968, system efficiency had reached 85% by recycling water. Dried meat was imported into the facility, and urine and feces were generally dried and stored, rather than being recycled.
BIOS-3 facilities were used to conduct ten manned closure experiments with a crew of 1-3 humans. The longest experiment with a three man crew lasted 180 days in 1972-1973. The facilities were used at least until 1984, and were still available for experiments as of 2004.