Book Description

The design criteria for an oxygen regulator for multicell pressure suits, such as the Boyle's Law Suit, are analyzed. On the latest models of the Boyle's Law Suit the conventional breathing bladder in the thorax area was omitted to reduce vulnerability and fire hazard. The volume changes of the body during breathing are compensated by equivalent volume changes of the gas in the closed cells of the suit. If a conventional oxygen regulator is used, the wearer must work to compress the gas in the closed cells. An oxygen regulator is proposed that uses the energy stored in compressed oxygen to do the necessary compression work on the gas in the closed cells of the suit, and to relieve the wearer from fatiguing breathing effort. A pressure sensor in the chest area or the slight pressure fluctuations during breathing can be used to produce simultaneous breathing pressure changes equivalent or approximate to the gas pressure changes in the closed cells or tubes of the suit. This type of regulator also permits considerable reduction of the cell volume and bulk of the suit. (Author).