Advance Hybrid Air Scrubber
Navy SBIR FY2009.3


Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2009.3
Topic No.: N093-194
Topic Title: Advance Hybrid Air Scrubber
Proposal No.: N093-194-0116
Firm: Physical Optics Corporation
Applied Technologies Division
20600 Gramercy Place, Bldg. 100
Torrance, California 90501-1821
Contact: Kang-Bin Chua
Phone: (310) 320-3088
Web Site: www.poc.com
Abstract: To address the Navy need for rapid removal of multiple classes of pollutants from submersibles via one compact air scrubber, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Advanced Hybrid Air Scrubber (AHAS) based on sequential application of multiple sorption/scrubbing processes. The innovation in integrating multiple scrubbing processes into a single system allows efficient removal of multiple classes of pollutants with final by-products of only oxygen and water. This reduces the use of consumables and allows continuous operation of >10 hours using a 28 V DC source. The low pressure drop across the AHAS, which is approximately the size of desktop computer, supports energy efficiency in moving air through the system, reducing total pollutant concentration by 50% in 5 min, and operational capability in 1 to 6 atm at 29 to 140 degrees F. In Phase I, POC will combine the various pollutant removal technologies to develop a laboratory-scale prototype of TRL >3. Phase I test results will lead to the design of a full-scale AHAS capable of removing pollutants from up to 1,700 cu ft of enclosed volume, and development, in Phase II, of a full-scale prototype of TRL >6 that will meet all Navy requirements.
Benefits: The AHAS system addresses the Navy's need for air scrubbing technology not only in submersibles, but also in submarines, ships, aircraft, and underground facilities. The AHAS can be incorporated by the Navy into ship living/sleeping quarters. AHAS also has significant commercial applications, including submarines for commercial/industrial use, marine research, and underwater tourism. It can also be used in confined areas or living quarters where air exchange with the outside atmosphere is limited or nonexistent, such as underground caves, mines, and space stations. Industrial environments with high risk of exposure to harmful gases can also use AHAS systems to make the air safer for workers.

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