No-Moving-Parts Electrolytic Oxygen Pump for Low Noise Fluidic Applications

DRT proposes to develop a novel no-moving-parts pump that delivers flow of oxygen-enriched air, on the order of liters per minute at any desired pressure, without any pulsations or flow noise. A pump operating off a vehicular battery could weigh less than 8 lb. with a size of less than 1 cubic foot. It is based on a demonstrated chemical and biological agent purifying oxygen pumping system, where, in the electrolytic process, a partial pressure of oxygen is developed due to ion flow across a solid electrolyte (yttrium-doped zirconia) in the presence of an electric potential. This pump promises to be the low noise power supply to use with ultrahigh dynamic range, high sensitivity acousto-fluidic devices and other (e.g. inertial) sensors. It will deliver quiet flow on par with, or better than that of bottled compressed air. Cost could be very low due to its simplicity. DRT will test existing oxygen pump hardware and establish overall performance characteristics and will then develop a preliminary design for implementation in a Phase II effort. Also, DRT proposes to identify and assess other fluid power sources in order to provide the Government with a basis for establishing tradeoffs for manportable verses vehicular verses other applications. A survey of power supplies to include other electrolytic processes, chemical and thermal, would be conducted. Characteristics considered will include pnrumatic power required by typical fluidic systems, allowable noise levels, system robustness, source input power requirements (efficiency) and cost.