PRECISION COMBUSTION, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N182-118

Description

Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) proposes a simple, lightweight and regenerable system to detect and filter out contaminants in-situ via a concept originally developed and validated for NASA spacecraft life-support. It will be designed to permit drop-in integration with the OBOGS pilot breathing system and complement its operation. It will clean up pilot breathing air, protect OBOGS sorbent impairment from contaminants, and sense contaminant loading while avoiding maintenance requirements. PCI has been developing catalytic and sorbent based air cleaning solutions for manned-spacecraft, spacesuits, and chem-bio warfare agents over the last two decades, resulting in lightweight, durable, and patented filter designs with low pressure drop and long life. NASA has confirmed 17,000 hour durability with periodic exposure to simulated launch load vibrations for a NASA Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) prototype. PCI proposes to build on this experience to provide a major advance in pilot safety while maintaining compatibility with existing OBOGS systems. During Phase I, we will demonstrate experimental proof of concept for sensing and filtering contaminants of interest and develop an analytical model supported by experimental data to enable full scale design. During Phase II PCI will develop and demonstrate an advanced prototype suitable for integration with the OBOGS.