Expeditionary Portable Oxygen Generator System

The Forward Resuscitative Surgical System (FRSS) and Shock Therapy Platoons (STP) provide expeditionary surgical capability for the stabilization of injured warfighters.  For expeditionary medical applications (e.g., patient ventilation, anesthesia, and to refill the oxygen bottles used in medical emergencies), the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) uses portable oxygen generation systems to produce on-demand medical-grade oxygen (i.e., USP grade 93% vol. O2) from air.  However, the power demand of these portable oxygen generators (referred to as POGS) can exceed 1800 W and overload the FRSS electric generators.  Additionally, these systems are bulky (34.35 CF) and very heavy (644 lbs).  Oxygen bottles are sometimes used; but due to their finite storage capacity they create a large logistics burden. Under an SBIR Phase II project (M67854-16-C-6504), TDA has developed a high fidelity (TRL=7) medical oxygen generation system, referred to as the Expeditionary Portable Oxygen Generation System (EPOGS) based on our new VSA sorbent technology. All the performance tests needed to demonstrate the system’s capabilities have been completed in this fully equipped prototype at the bench-scale and in the field.  The proof-of-concept demonstrations showed that the EPOGS unit can produce 20 SLPM O2 flow at 93% vol. purity (meeting the USP requirements), while consuming less than 800W of power.  The EPOGS can be packed into to a 4 person portable 16 CF case that weight less than 350 lbs, meeting the weight requirements set by the Marine Corps.  The size, weight, and power (SWaP) are approximately 50% of the current system. In addition, the sorbent life has been demonstrated in the course of 2 years over 4,000 hrs of testing in the laboratory environment, showing that, unlike the current commercial sorbents, TDA’s new adsorbent exhibits a long shelf-life and maintains it mechanical integrity and air separation capability over long exposures to moisture and CO2 in the air. In the proposed work, TDA will modify some of the components and provide the USMC with four TRL 7 units for extensive testing and evaluations by their personnel (surgeons, maintenance crew etc.) to provide the feedback needed for final round of modifications before procurement.