The Behavior and Capabilities of Lithium Hydroxide Carbon Dioxide Scrubbers in a Deep Sea Environment
2007
Jaunsen, Jennifer R.
Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) is the principal chemical absorbent used as a carbon dioxide scrubber material by NASA in the shuttle spacecraft. LiOH scrubbers are now being proposed for the Navy's newest an most advanced mixed- gas, closed circuit diving rig, the EX 19, designed for long-term, convert diving operations. Although extensive investigations have been conducted in the past dealing with carbon absorption by LiOH scrubbers in outerspace conditions, relatively little is known about the process in the underwater environment. The objective of this project was to investigate the absorption of metabolically- produced carbon dioxide by lithium hydroxide scrubbers under constraints unique to the deep sea diver. An experimental mock-up of a closed circuit diving rig was constructed in the Coastal Engineering Laboratory and used to conduct this study. Several parameters, including initial moisture content, flow rate through the canister. canister length-to-diameter ratio, carbon dioxide injection level, and ambient temperature, were varied. The time of breakthrough was recorded for each test and compared to theory, yielding plots that show several relationships in CO2, absorption, the greater part of which may be correlated with past studies.
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