Litton Systems, Inc.

Carleton Life Support Systems Inc.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Victor P Crome

Russell F Hart

Scott R Sehlin

Tuan Q Cao

Gary Neal Byrd

Timothy Raleigh

Courtney Joseph Monzyk

Charles Bradley Hager

Lyle Berkenbosch

Vincent L Sprenkle

Craig L Schledewitz

Alan J Yoder

Mike E Friestad

Richard Kent Frantz

William David Molis

An electronic controller () controls the operation of an electrochemical oxygen generating system () producing a desired gas. The product gas is fed to a storage unit () or a regulator () and pulsing valve () controlling the gas flow to a user. A two-stage system () combines a low pressureand a high pressure () gas generating subsystems. The low pressure subsystem () uses IMAT's () to pump oxygen from ambient air to generate a low-pressure. The high pressure subsystem () uses IMAT's () to pump oxygen to high-pressure oxygen storage devices ().

Oxygen generator with storage and conservation modes

A ceramic oxygen generator is described which is capable of modular construction to permit the oxygen generation capacity to be expanded. An ionically conducted ceramic electrolyte is formed into a series of rows and columns of tubes on a tube support member and like electrolyte bodies can be connected together to form a manifold therebetween of oxygen produced in the interiors of the rubes. An electrical connection between tubes is formed such that the anodes and cathodes of tubes in a column are connected in parallel while the tubes in the row are, respectively, connected anode to cathode to form a series connection.

Modular ceramic oxygen generator

A gas generation method and apparatus, capable of use in an aircraft, generates oxygen with at least one On Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS) and generates an inert gas with at least one On Board Inert Gas Generating System (OBIGGS) and selectively supplies an auxiliary supply of inert gas utilizing a waste gas output of the at least one OBOGS. The inert gas can include nitrogen. An auxiliary source of oxygen can also be provided. Control valves can be used to selectively supply the waste gas output of the at least one OBOGS to the atmosphere or to either of two locations. The oxygen can be used in a passenger compartment of the aircraft and the inert gas used in either a fuel tank or cargo bay of the aircraft.

Oxygen/inert gas generator

The present invention relates generally to on board inert gas generating systems, and more particularly, to an on board inert gas generating system having a fast warm up feature. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for quickly warming up a permeable membrane air separation system.

Air separation module using a fast start valve for fast warm up of a permeable membrane air separation module

An anti-G system is used to combat the push-pull effect experienced by airmen during and after a transition from a period of low or negative G force levels to high G force levels. The anti-G system includes an anti-G controller configured to receive signals indicative of airman acceleration and anti-G garment pressure. The anti-G controller is coupled to a valve controller controlling fill and vent valves controlling the pressure level in the anti-G garment. As the anti-G controller receives acceleration signals indicating G force levels over time, the controller calculates whether the anti-G garment pressure should be increased or decreased and transmits signals to the valve controller to increase or decrease anti-G garment pressure. Increasing the anti-G garment pressure compensates for the airman's loss of tolerance to high G levels immediately after exposure to a period of low or negative G levels.

Apparatus for and method of combating the gravity push-pull effect experienced by an airman wearing a flight suit

This invention relates to devices for separating oxygen from more complex gasses such as air which contains oxygen, and delivering the separated-oxygen at an elevated pressure for use immediately, or for storage and use later. More particularly, the invention relates to solid state electrochemical devices for separating oxygen from more complex gasses to produce the desired oxygen and delivering the oxygen at elevated pressures up to and exceeding 2000 psig.

Electrochemical oxygen generating system

A ceramic element is provided which can be injection molded from an electrolyte and a binder. The ceramic element includes a tube support portion and a plurality of tubes extending from the tube support portion. The plurality of tubes are arranged in rows and columns. A plurality of vias extend from one surface of the tube support portion to an opposite surface of the tube support portion. The ceramic element is coated with an electrically conductive coating and a current collector coating. The vias are coated with the electrically conductive coating and plugged. After the coatings are removed in selected areas of the ceramic element, the tubes of the ceramic element form a series-parallel array because tubes in the same column are connected in parallel electrically and tubes in adjacent rows are connected in series electrically. Two ceramic elements are sealed together to form a modular electrochemical device. The electrochemical device can be either an oxygen generator or a fuel cell. Oxygen generating capacity can be increased by manifolding together two or more modular oxygen generators.

Modular ceramic electrochemical apparatus and method of manufacture therefore

Modular ceramic electrochemical apparatus and method of manufacture

A ceramic oxygen generator is described which is capable of modular construction to permit the oxygen generation capacity to be expanded. An ionically conducted ceramic electrolyte is formed into a series of rows and columns of tubes on a tube support member and like electrolyte bodies can be connected together to form a manifold therebetween for oxygen produced in the interiors of the rubes. An electrical connection between tubes is formed such that the anodes and cathodes of tubes in a column are connected in parallel while the tubes in the row are, respectively, connected anode to cathode to form a series connection.

A method of controlling an oxygen concentrator having a first sieve bed operated over successive control periods according to a duty cycle for alternately pressurizing and flushing the first sieve bed and a second sieve bed operated over the successive control periods according to a reciprocal of the duty cycle is disclosed. The duty cycle and the reciprocal duty cycle are adjusted during every second one of the successive control periods to change the pressurizing relative to the flushing of the first sieve bed and to change the flushing relative to the pressurizing of the second sieve bed, for reducing concentration of oxygen produced. The duty cycle and the reciprocal duty cycle are adjusted during remaining control periods to change the flushing relative to the pressurizing of the first sieve bed and to change the pressurizing relative to the flushing of the second sieve bed, such that water vapor is purged from the first and second sieve beds after pressurizing thereof. A pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) subsystem performance check is disclosed. This test is performed as part of a maintenance BIT (Built-In-Test) function. After verifying that the oxygen sensor accuracy is acceptable using prior art techniques, a set of bleed valves are opened to load the oxygen concentrator at a specific flow. The oxygen concentration is then checked via the sensor to determine whether the PSA subsystem is operating to within a predetermined concentration level.

Oxygen concentrator with beds' duty cycle control and self-test

A pneumatic terminal block assembly worn by a Pilot couples breathing gas from a regulator to the pilot's breathing mask. An emergency breathing gas supply attached to the pilot's seat remains with the pilot during ejection and supplies high pressure breathing gas to an emergency regulator which is part of the terminal block assembly. The emergency regulator on the terminal block is coupled to the emergency breathing gas supply by a small diameter high pressure hose which is not susceptible to tearing or kinking during ejection caused by the blast of oncoming air.

Chest-mounted breathing gas terminal block assembly

An injector mechanism uses breathing system gas to entrain cabin air to demist and defog the hood and visor of an aircrew chemical and biological warfare ('CBW') suit. The injector includes a needle valve for flow rate adjustment and an aneroid for altitude compensation. The CBW filter is downstream of the negative pressure produced by the injector to purify any ambient air drawn into the system at the negative pressure region. Positive pressure in the system downstream of the CBW filter prevents inward leakage and contamination of the demist and defog gas stream.

Chemical and biological warfare filter injector mechanism

A high altitude G-valve produces a pressure signal in response to altitude and G-load without a connection to an external altitude sensing device. Bleed path pressure regulation by an aneroid valve and a G-sensing valve control a pilot valve which in turn controls a main valve. The main valve provides regulated air to the G-valve outlet in response to the pilot valve. A manually actuated button simulates a high-G load on the G-sensing valve to test the operation of the device.

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Davenport, IA, United States of America

Victor P Crome