Compact_ Lightweight_ Efficient Cooling Pump for Space Suit

							                                                       NASA SBIR/STTR Technologies
                   Compact, Lightweight, Efficient Cooling Pump for Space Suit Life Support Systems
                                PI: Roger van Boeyen/Lynntech, Inc., College Station, TX 77840
                                                 Proposal No.: X4.02-8991
Identification and Significance of Innovation
With the increasing demands placed on extravehicular activity (EVA) the
need for increased human productivity and capability becomes ever
more critical. This is most readily achieved by reduction in space suit
weight and volume, and increased hardware reliability, durability, and
operating lifetime. Considerable progress has been made with each
successive generation of space suit design; from the Apollo A7L suit, to
the current Shuttle Extravehicular Mobile Unit (EMU) suit, and the next
generation Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE). However, one
area of space suit design which has continued to lag is the fluid pump
used to drive the water cooling loop of the Primary Life Support System
(PLSS). Conventional electric motor-driven fluid pumps are heavy,
bulky, inefficient, and prone to wear. Lynntech proposes to significantly
reducing the weight, size and power consumption of its long-life,
compact, lightweight, efficient electrochemically-driven pumps, which
will allow their use in the next generation space suit.                                 Lynntech’s proof-of-concept bellows pump.
Technical Objectives                                                        NASA Applications
The overall objective of the Phase II work is to develop a fluid cooling    A rugged, long life, low power, miniature fluid cooling pump will have
pump that will out perform the conventional mechanical pumps currently      applications in the next generation of space suit life support systems.
used in NASA spacesuit PLSS. Lynntech’s pump will be an order off
magnitude more efficient than conventional pumps, while also being          Non-NASA Applications
more robust with a longer lifetime. The pump will consume 2.6 W at a        With the increasing power density of electronics, there is a growing
flow rate of 1.5 lpm at a pressure rise of 35 kPa, weigh only 250 g, and    market for miniature, low-power pumps for use in the thermal
occupy a volume of 230 cc.                                                  management of computers and consumer electronics.                Other
                                                                            potentially large markets include respiratory pumps, gas handling, and
Work Plan                                                                   thermal management systems for small fuel cell power systems.
1   Optimize manufacturing of polystyrene membranes and ionomers;
2   Develop and test stroke volume multiplier;                              Firm Contacts
3   Develop and test electrochemical actuator;                              Roger van Boeyen, Ph.D.
4   Develop and test hydrogen replenishment system;                         Tel : (979) 693-0017
5   Integrate pump components;                                              Fax: (979) 694-8536
6   Characterize and test pump performance;                                 roger.vanboeyen@lynntech.com
7   Long term operational and storage testing;
8   Perform safety analysis
                                                        NON-PROPRIETARY DATA