The head, flow, and efficiency requirements for the space suit ventilation blower are very similar to the requirements for personal cooling systems based on filtered air ventilation needed for terrestrial applications. The military needs these blowers to provide a lightweight cooling and ventilation system for soldiers and marines wearing body armor or chem/bio protective gear in hot environments. Civilian applications include portable ventilation systems for HAZMAT teams and nuclear or chemical plant workers.
The ventilation fan is a critical technology need for the Constellation Space Suit System (CSSS), since the exploration PLSS design calls for a dedicated ventilation fan instead of a combined fan/pump/water separator like the one used in the current shuttle EMU. The blower that we develop will meet the requirements for circulating ventilation gas in the CSSS.
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