Aim:
This project aims to tackle an emergency event of oxygen deficiency. In confined and restricted spaces,
be it even a safe bunker/shelter during a global disaster, a workspace, or a rocket ship speeding to space and beyond, humans if present,
will be needed to sustain the amount of oxygen for a prolonged period of time, within their body as well as the surrounding space.
If personnel more than the allowed number are present in a confined space, oxygen can easily run out within that space, leading to HYPOXIA.
Referring to a hygiene report published in 2007, human beings normally breathe air that is 20.9 percent oxygen by volume under normal atmospheric pressure conditions.
When the concentration of oxygen decreases even slightly by a little more than 1 percent to 2 percent, people immediately begin to feel the effects.
Healthy individuals are unable to work strenuously and their coordination may be affected in oxygen environments of 15 percent to 19 percent.
With the depletion of oxygen to a mix of only 10 percent to 12 percent, respiration increases, lips turn blue, and judgment is impaired.
Fainting and unconsciousness begin to occur at 8 percent to 10 percent oxygen. Death occurs in 8 minutes at 6 percent to 8 percent oxygen; recovery is possible after 4 to 5 minutes if oxygen is restored.
These values are approximate and may vary greatly depending on an individual’s health, physical activity, and the specific working environment that they encounter.
Oxygen deficiency can also occur in confined workspaces, which are defined as being large enough and configured so that a person can enter and perform work.
Confined spaces have restricted means for entry or exit, and they are not designed for continuous human occupancy.
Many confined spaces are easy to recognize, such as manholes, sewers, boilers, silos, vessels, vats, pipelines, tunnels, storage tanks, ship compartments, and underground vaults.
Other confined spaces are less obvious, including open-topped water and degreaser tanks, open pits, and enclosures with bottom access.
These confined spaces prohibit natural ventilation, are potential sources of gas generation and can prevent gases from escaping to cause a hazardous atmosphere.
There are a variety of causes that lead to oxygen deficiency. Leaking materials from storage tanks, natural gas lines, process valves, and more release gas that displaces oxygen in poorly ventilated areas or confined spaces.
Decomposing organic matter, such as animal, human, or plant waste, produces methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide that displace or consume oxygen.
Even corrosion, such as rust, or fermentation, or other forms of oxidation will consume oxygen and pose a hazard.
The following chart from a study shows the possible effects of oxygen concentrations.
In an event of a global disaster or a space voyage, where time and space are critical, identification of the source that causes a shortage of oxygen would be impractical.
So there should always be a quick and robust method to produce a sufficient amount of oxygen in case of an emergency.
This is the aim of the project, to build a simple, robust, and efficient portable oxygen generator that is safe and easy to use in case of an emergency.