N093-160 TITLE: Protective Suit Environmental Control System for CBRN, Hazardous and Emergency Responder Applications (PSECS)

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Chemical/Bio Defense, Human Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Product Group 16, ACAT III

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Objective: This topic seeks technology to provide an innovative, lightweight personal cooling and/or dehumidification system for Navy/Marine war fighters operating in MOPP Level 4, EOD, HAZMAT, firefighting/emergency responder and other full encapsulation/personal protective suits. The desired device should not be confused with devices targeted in widespread, unrelated previous work by various entities to provide war fighter cooling in non-encapsulation suits. This effort is geared specifically toward war fighter cooling and dehumidification while fully encapsulated, on the move and operating in a CB environment. The author is unaware of and has been unable to locate references or evidence of any prior research and development (R&D) work targeting war fighter heat and humidity reduction within the fully encapsulated environment of MOPP Level 4 operations. The system will enhance combat readiness by effectively increasing the length of time Marines can safely spend at MOPP Level 4 and by reducing the number of heat, dehydration and excessive humidity related injuries to Marines operating in MOPP and other protective encapsulation suits. The system shall be self contained and fully compatible with current personnel protective equipment and (where appropriate) battle dress uniform (BDU). The system shall be capable of sustained operation without replenishment in a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) environment (2 hrs threshold, 12 hrs desired). The system shall be hardened adequately to function in the expeditionary and combat environments at least as well as the personnel protective suit with which it is used. Target design goals for the system will be to operate in ambient dry bulb temperatures of up to 125�F with humidity levels typical of the worst case desert environment. The successful system will limit micro-environment conditions within the encapsulation suits to 85F� and 50% RH with no moisture condensation. System effectiveness will be measured by comparing microclimate temperature and humidity to external environment temperature and humidity while the encapsulated war fighter performs light, moderate and heavy work. Definitions of light, moderate and heavy work will be posted on the Navy SBIR website by the TPOC shortly after topic release. The greater the reductions in dry bulb temperature and relative humidity within the encapsulated environment, the more effective the device will be determined to be. The device shall not reduce internal microclimate temperatures below 70�F and 10%RH. The system shall be light weight (5 lbs threshold, 1 lb desired) and compact (200 cubic inches total system volume threshold, less than 50 cubic inches total system volume desired), operate automatically, have a manual ON/OFF override provided, and be inherently quiet so as not to draw undue attention to user location. The system shall be easily cleaned and serviced by the user in the field with materials commonly available (such as fresh water) and require no specialized training other than brief, informal instruction on system safety and use in the CBRN environment. The system shall have no hazardous or flammable substances that would limit international air transport or require special handling at the end of system service life. The system shall tolerate standard CBRN decontamination materials and procedures or be inexpensive enough to allow for disposal and replacement after CBRN exposure. Significant creativity and the innovative blending of both new and existing technologies will be required to accomplish this task.

DESCRIPTION: Description: Due to heat build up inside Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) suits in elevated temperature environments at MOPP Level 4 (full encapsulation from head to toe for the CBRN environment), war fighters are severely limited with regard to available work time. Although The NBC Handbook (Army FM 3-7) as utilized by the USMC is distribution restricted, it can be disclosed herein and without specific details that the handbook documents an inverse relationship between ambient temperature and available work time at MOPP Level 4, particularly when combined with battle dress uniform (BDU). The handbook further documents a direct relationship between ambient air temperature and war fighter water consumption requirements to maintain adequate hydration at MOPP Level 4. Unchecked, elevated core body temperature and internal suit humidity levels degrade war fighter performance and can lead to incapacitation through dehydration, fatigue, heat stroke, humidification injuries and even death. Approximately 85% of human heat rejection is through the evaporation of perspiration. The utilization of full encapsulation and restricted airflow exchange protective suits (such as MOPP Level 4 and others) severely restricts the user''s natural evaporative cooling process, making it extremely challenging to adequately cool and dehumidify the war fighter while fully encapsulated.

In addition to heat related injuries, humidity build up within the encapsulation suits can lead to problems such as trench and tropical immersion foot syndromes. Unchecked, these serious syndromes can lead to fungal infections, war fighter incapacitation, gangrene and eventual amputation.

In short, the goal is to create an innovative, lightweight, durable, practical system to reduce the user''s core body temperature and the humidity/condensation levels within the protective suits, while operating in elevated temperature CBRN/Hazardous environments. All this must be done while placing an absolutely minimal additional burden on the user and logistics trail.

The creation and application of a lightweight, innovative cooling and dehumidification system for use with MOPP Level 4, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), HAZMAT and other unventilated personal protective suits is needed to cool the user while on the go. The creation of such a device would enhance combat readiness through maximization of available effective duty time per war fighter and provide a reduction in heat and humidity related injuries. It may be possible to provide adequate user cooling through dehumidification of the internal suit environment alone, such that the body''s natural evaporative cooling process takes over. It may also be the case that a combination of several approaches and methods is needed to effectively reduce the user''s core body temperature.

There are many unknowns. Much innovative research and development are needed. No method of adequately cooling and dehumidifying on the move war fighters in encapsulation suits currently exists. No prior R&D efforts to reduce both heat AND humidity in encapsulation suits was located by the author in an extensive literature search and interviews with USMC personnel in the CBRN operating environment. An innovative means of transferring heat and humidity from the microenvironment of the encapsulation suit to the ambient environment of the suit must be found. To do so will require innovations in materials technology, and the creation of new and better laminates and wicking agents. No suitable cooling or dehumidification products currently exist. Highly innovative applications of basic heat and humidity transfer principles will have to be utilized to create new refrigeration/dehumidification schemes and systems. No scalable refrigeration/dehumidification/heat and moisture transfer technologies currently exist to create the desired device. Indeed significant innovative technology advancements and applications will be required to create the desired system.

PHASE I: Conceptualize, evaluate and identify a design for an inexpensive, cooling/dehumidification system operable in CBRN environments that meets weight the requirement (5 lbs threshold, 1 lb desired), total system volume requirement (200 cubic inches threshold, 50 cubic inches desired), operating time (2 hrs threshold, 12 hrs desired) and contains no toxic or hazardous materials. Fabrication of a proof of concept breadboard prototype to demonstrate the technical principles involved in the solution proposed for Phase II investigation is encouraged, but not required. Deliver a final report that specifies how full-scale performance will be met in Phase II. The report shall also detail the conceptual design, performance modeling, safety, mitigation of risk, and estimated production costs.

PHASE II: From the data gained in Phase I, develop, test, and demonstrate a full scale prototype cooling/dehumidification system that meets the system requirements from Phase I. This fully operational prototype will be designed and developed for testing at the end of Phase II. The device will have minimal complexity, require no maintenance, will integrate efficiently with current PPE gear and body armor systems, account for the surface temperature of the skin/cooling system interface, and the metabolic rate of the user, clothing and environmental factors. The device will operate hands-free while on the move, require no outside power sources, and require no maintenance other than field replacement consumables. If battery power is required, batteries normally accessible through standard USMC channels shall be used. The final report shall discuss a preliminary manufacturing plan, design, safety, component specifications, performance characteristics and any recommendations for future enhancement of the cooling system. Phase II will include a preliminary commercialization plan at the midpoint.

PHASE III: Incorporating knowledge gained from users, studies and system integrations being performed on the Phase II prototype will be used for the final product design and preparation for production. Refine prototype and tooling for mass production and dual-use applications. During Phase III, this technology will be transitioned from a demonstrated field ready personal cooling system, to production products suitable for both military and commercial use wherever immediate, lightweight, portable cooling/dehumidification is needed. Phase III will include a detailed commercialization plan within the first month.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Private Sector Commercial/Dual Use Applications: A modular cooling/dehumidification system for unventilated conditions would be highly desirable for certain occupations such as miners, petroleum industrial workers, firefighters, the nuclear industry, law enforcement, and emergency responders. Also, lightweight personal cooling system derivatives would appeal to strenuous recreational and athletic applications, such as hiking, cycling, and backpacking, as well as other outdoor activities in hot climates.

REFERENCES:
1. Azer, N. Z., McNall, P. E., & Leung, H. C. (1972). Effects of heat stress on performance. Ergonomics, 15(6), 681-691.

2. Kobrick, J. L., & Fine, B. J. (1983). Effects of heat and chemical protective clothing on cognitive performance. Aviation, Space, & Environmental Medicine, 58, 149-154.

KEYWORDS: MOPP; Heat; Humidity; Cooling; Dehydration; HAZMAT

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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