Air Squared, Inc. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: SOCOM192-002

Description

USSOCOM is investigating the achievable possibilities to depressurize crewed DCS hyperbaric spaces. Regulating decompression on ascent following underwater diving activity significantly decreases the risk of oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis, and decompression sickness. Existing crewed decompression is achieved via surface decompression or staged decompression obligations. However, surface decompression requires supplemental shipboard facilities while staged decompression exposes divers to unpredictable underwater conditions and adds significant time to diving operations. In both cases, considerable time is needed between the completion of dive tasks before crewmembers may undertake further duties, obstructing mission schedules. Introducing a positive displacement scroll decompression pump on a DCS would remove the staged decompression obligation and allow the vessel to reach atmospheric pressure while at depth. The benefit would extend to support covert missions requiring deployment at sea, transport at depth, and then rapid ascent without fear of contracting decompression symptoms.