LIGHTER COMPACT RESPIRATORS FOR TOXIC VAPOR PROTECTION

THE LONG-TERM OBJECT OF THE RESEARCH IS TO PROVIDE RESPIRATORS OF SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED WEIGHT AND SIZE FOR USE AGAINST TOXIC VAPORS IN INDUSTRIAL WORK PLACES. WE WILL SHOW THE FEASIBILITY OF USING NON-REACTING POLYMERIC ABSORBENT MATERIALS IN AN OSCILLATORY FLOW SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS CAPTURE AND EXPULSION OF TOXIC VAPORS. THE REDUCED BULK AND WEIGHT OF THE RESPIRATORS WILL ENHANCE THE ACCEPTABILITY AND USE BY WORKERS WHO MAY FIND RESPIRATOR USE BOTHERSOME AND DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR PERFORMANCE. PRELIMINARY STUDIES INDICATE THAT SUSTANTIAL GAINS CAN BE MADE RELATIVE TO ACTIVATED CHARCOAL SYSTEMS BY USE OF AN OSCILLATORY FLOW SYSTEM. FURTHERMORE, THE DEGRADATION OF FILTER CAPACITY DUE TO WATER VAPOR AND OTHER INTERFERANTS KNOWN FOR CHARCOAL AND ADSORPTIVE SYSTEMS MAY BE ELIMINATED OR SHARPLY REDUCED. IN PHASE I, EMPHASIZING HIGH BOILING POINT TOXIC VAPORS, A TESTING SYSTEM WILL BE BUILT AND OPERATED TO PROVIDE DATA AND ESTABLISH THE FEASIBILITY OF THE OSCILLATORY FLOW FILTER SYSTEM. AN EXISTING ANALYTICAL MODEL OF THE MASS TRANSFER PROCESSES WILL BE EXTENDED TO ALLOW PREDICTION OF RESPIRATOR PERFORMANCE. IN PHASE II, THE TEST TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED WILL BE UTILIZED TO PROVIDE DESIGN DATA FOR TOXIC VAPOR/POLYMER ABSORBENT PAIRS HAVING SPECIFIC INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS.