Stacked Fan-Filter Respiratory Shield for Low-Resistance CBRN Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory and eye protection systems, including individual protective equipment (IPE) and collective protection systems (COLPRO), fail to effectively protect against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents due to issues such as cross-infection, high energy consumption, breathing resistance, heat buildup, and insufficient early warning, especially in prolonged use or when traditional equipment is difficult to use (e.g., while sleeping or eating).
Innovation Solution
A personal respiratory and eye protection device utilizing a stacked fan and filter assembly, comprising axial fans and filters, which generate laminar airflow and provide high filtration efficiency for aerosolized and vaporized CBRN agents, reducing exposure without the need for additional protective equipment, and maintaining user comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional respiratory protection equipment (IPE) is used, then protection against CBRN agents is provided, but breathing resistance increases and user comfort deteriorates during prolonged use
Solution Approach 1:
The protection system is segmented into multiple functional components: external air processing assembly with filters, axial fans for airflow generation, and a frame structure. This segmentation allows the breathing resistance issue to be addressed by the mechanical airflow generation while maintaining protection through the filter assembly, separating the protection function from the breathing assistance function.
Solution Approach 2:
An air processing assembly acts as an intermediary between the external environment and the user's breathing zone. The assembly includes filters for CBRN protection and axial fans that actively generate laminar airflow to push contaminated air away from the inhalation zone, mediating both protection and breathing comfort simultaneously.
2Reliability
If collective protection systems (COLPRO) are implemented, then protection against CBRN agents is provided, but energy consumption increases due to high airflow rates required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing collective protection through high-volume air handling for entire spaces, the system provides localized protection at the individual user level. The air processing assembly creates a protected inhalation zone directly at the user's face, requiring minimal airflow rates while maintaining effective protection against CBRN agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical COLPRO approach of moving large volumes of air through spaces with a more efficient localized airflow generation method. Axial fans create targeted laminar airflow patterns that actively manage the microenvironment around the user's inhalation zone, substituting high-energy collective air handling with low-energy localized airflow control.
3Productivity
If high airflow rates are used in COLPRO systems, then contaminant removal efficiency is improved, but noise levels increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses partial action by providing protection only in the immediate inhalation zone rather than attempting to clean the entire space. This localized approach achieves effective contaminant removal at the user's breathing zone with minimal airflow rates, avoiding the high noise levels associated with high-velocity fans required for space-wide air cleaning.
4Reliability
If traditional protective equipment is worn during prolonged activities, then CBRN protection is maintained, but heat buildup occurs and user comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the heat and contaminant management function from traditional enclosed protective equipment. By using external air processing assemblies with active airflow generation, the system removes hot contaminated air from the inhalation zone and replaces it with filtered cool air, preventing heat buildup while maintaining protection without requiring full-face enclosures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device achieves high filtration efficiency for both aerosolized and vaporized CBRN agents, minimizing exposure and maintaining user comfort over extended periods, while being cost-effective and scalable, with reduced noise and power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
at least one axial fan that generates a substantially laminar airflow in an inhalation zone of the user during inhalation
Implementation Method 2
at least one filter stacked together with the at least one axial fan between the air processing assembly inlet and the air processing assembly outlet in a stacking direction, wherein the at least one filter reduces contaminated air in the inhalation zone
Implementation Method 3
comprises an aerosolized particle contamination filter configured to achieve an aerosolized particle contamination filtration efficiency of 50% or greater for particles having a size of about 0.3 μm
Data Source
AI summary
A respiratory and eye protection device having at least one filter and at least one axial fan. The least one filter is configured to achieve an aerosolized particle contamination filtration efficiency of 50% or greater for particles having a size of about 0.3 μm and configured to achieve a vapor contamination filtration efficiency of 50% or greater for one or more of Novichok nerve agent (A232), thickened venomous nerve agent (TVX), sulfur mustard agent (HD), thickened sulfur mustard agent (THD), soman nerve agent (GD), and sarin nerve agent (GB). During the operation and monitoring of the respiratory and eye protection device, at least one fan is activated when concentrations of select aerosolized chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents are detected.