SBIR-STTR Award

This proposal is in response to the Defense Health Agency 2017 Phase I SBIR topic 17B-005.The approach is the use of a membrane oxygen pump using newly developed nano-thickness membranes with all the layers less than 1 micron total.Nanometer thickness membranes enable more oxygen output per surface area at temperatures of 300-600 C than current state-of-the -art 600-800 C membranes that are 50-300 microns thick. In addition, by applying a small voltage and current across the membrane, the oxygen production rate can be greatly increased.During Phase I, we intend to demonstrate 99% plus oxygen purity at a level of 15 liter/minute/sq-meterof membrane surface area, convert the configuration from our flat membrane cells to tubular membrane cells, which increases the support surface area.Building on the tubular membrane support technology, we also plan to develop a concept design for a 120 liter/min oxygen pump targeted for military use. It is anticipated that during a Phase II a 120 liter/min oxygen pump device can be demonstrated that will meet the military needs for a field hospital intensive care unit.

Topic 17B-005 calls for a new process for supplying medical grade O2 without the use of O2 bottles or pressure (or vacuum) swing absorption (PSA) technology. This is significant to the military for several reasons, because these two sources currently interfere with logistical supply of O2 to where it is required, namely field hospital units. PSA units reportedly have limited shelf life and supply O2 at less than the desired 99% (typically, 93% maximum). These limitations in turn drives up costs as well as threaten the survival of wounded warfighters. Solution: We are solving this problem by developing readily deployable O2 generating devices that utilize nano-membrane electrochemical pump technology. This advanced method for extracting O2 from a flow stream of ambient air meets and exceeds military requirements for medical O2. In order to bring this technology fully into practice, the manufacturing methods for applying nano-membrane to porous alumina tubes must be developed and optimized to repeatedly produce >99% O2 at the targeted supply rate.