COMBINED SUPERCRITICAL AIR SYSTEM FOR BREATHING AND BODY COOLING

THE USE OF SUPERCRITICAL CRYOGENIC STORAGE OF AIR WILL PERMIT THE SUPPLY OF BREATHING AIR FOR PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN EMERGENCY OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ACTIVITIES. BECAUSE AIR STORAGE IS AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURE (LESS THAN 180 DEGREES C) THERE IS CONSIDERABLE COOLING AVAILABLE FOR THE USER AS THE AIR IS USED. THIS COMBINATION OF THE BREATING AIR SUPPLY AND PERSONNEL COOLING IS UNIQUE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THE STORAGE DEWAR IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT ON A PHASE II SBIR FROM NASA/KENNEDY SO THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP THE COOLING POTENTIAL OF THE SUPERCRITICAL AIR MOBILITY PACK (SCAMP). THE AIR MUST BE WARMED FROM THE CRYOGENIC STORAGE TEMPERATURE TO A TEMPERATURE WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE FOR BREATHING. THIS WARMING OF THE AIR PROVIDES CONSIDERABLE COOLING FOR THE USER. PHASE I WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF THAT COOLING, AND TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEAT EXCHANGERS. PHASE II WOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT OF A BREATHING/COOLING SYSTEM AND ITS INTEGRATION INTO THE PROTECTIVE SUIT OF A FIREMAN. PHASE III WOULD BE THE INITIAL PRODUCTION OF COOLING UNITS FOR THE USAF.