CRITICAL HUMIDITY INDICATOR

IT IS ESTABLISHED MILITARY PROCEDURE TO STORE A VARIETY OF ITEMS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS IN SEALED, DESSICATED CONTAINERS. TO ENSURE PROPER PRESERVATION, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN THE CONTAINER REMAIN BELOW A CERTAIN CRITICAL VALUE. CONTAINER HUMIDITY STATUS IS MONITORED BY AN INDICATOR THAT ACTUATES AND REMAINS ACTUATED IF THE CRITICAL HUMIDITY IS EVER EXCEEDED. CURRENT CHEMICAL (COLOR-CHANGE) INDICATORS HAVE BEEN FOUND UNRELIABLE; THUS, AN IMPROVED INDICATOR IS NEEDED. IN PHASE I A NUMBER OF NEW CONCEPTS FOR A CRITICAL HUMISITY INDICATOR WILL BE GENERATED. A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE INVESTIGATED AND DESIGN APPROACHES WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR ALL INDICATOR COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE SENSING ELEMENT, AND READOUT. THE CONCEPTS WILL BE ANALYZED IN DETAIL TO ESTABLISH THEIR ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES, AND FROM THIS, TO EVALUATE THEIR POTENTIAL FOR AIR FORCE USE. THE LEADING CONCEPT(S) WILL BE RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. IN PHASE II, PROTOTYPES OF THE LEADING CONCEPT(S) WILL BE DESIGNED, FABRICATED AND TESTED IN THE LABORATORY TO CONFIRM PERFORMANCE. DESIGN REFINEMENTS WILL BE INCORPORATED AS APPROPRIATED. FINALLY, TESTED PROTOTYPE INDICATORS WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE AIR FORCE FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.