Technology to Reduce Water Requirements of Soldiers in the Field

Our Phase I mesochannel adsorption water-recovery device (MAWRD) will be developed into a viable commercial and military product. During Phase I, we have demonstrated the effectiveness of our combination of water vapor adsorption/desorption and heatstorage/transfer to significantly reduce the amount of water lost through respiration. Our device offers substantial improvements in performance compared with the conventional, screen-based respiratory water recovery devices. The combination of adsorbentand a regenerative heat exchanger allows for significantly better performance and lighter system weight. When coupled with high-performance materials for thermal insulation, our respiratory water recovery system will achieve a water recovery rate of up to80 grams of water per hour at normal breathing rates. Further, mesochannel architecture greatly reduces the pressure drop through the device, thereby making it easy to breathe through. Our target pressure drop through the Phase II MAWRD is approximatelyhalf that of the M40 gas mask.During Phase II, we will develop our current system in to an optimized mesochannel-based system. It will be a safe, rugged water recovery device for use by soldiers and others in environments where water must be conserved. With the transition tomesochannel architecture, the Phase I system size and weight will be reduced and manufacturability will be improved. The adsorbent particle size, pore size, and composition will be optimized. A breathing filter for airborne particles will be added as anoption. Further, we will develop a lightweight, comfortable interface system to attach the device to the user's face.The MAWRD will reduce the amount of water lost through respiration, help filter airborne particles from the air, and may help alleviate the occurrences of health problems associated with breathing dry air. As the U.S. increases its military involvement inarid climates, a lightweight respiratory water recovery device will help alleviate the U.S. military's pressing need to reduce the logistical burden of supplying water to soldiers deployed in the field. The system will not require an energy source and issimple to use: the user need only don the mask and breathe through it. With a total estimated adsorbent/substrate mass of 40 grams, the device will be able to conserve up to 80 grams of water per hour. Commercial applications for a lightweightrespiratory water recovery device include treatment for exercise-induced asthma, survival gear for arid environments, and air-to-air exchangers for buildings in hot, humid environments.