Life support system

Claim 3

The system of claim 1, wherein said respiratory means comprises a diver''s mouthpiece.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1, wherein said respiratory means comprises a habitat for air-breathing beings disposed within said predetermined environment.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1, further characterized by: a controllable water heater having a pump incorporated therein in such manner as to pump heated water out the output thereof; a diver suit connected to and downstream of said controllable water heater in such manner as to be heated a predetermined amount by the pumped heated water therefrom; means connected to and downstream of said water heater for heating said carbon dioxide removing means a predetermined amount by the pumped heated water therefrom; means connected to and downstream of said water heater and pump for supplying a predetermined amount of heated water to said gaseous oxygen-added breath warming means for effecting the proper warming thereof; and an excess heat exchanger connected to and downstream of said water heater and pump for transferring excess heat in the pumped heated water to said predetermined environment.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1, further characterized by: a controllable water heater having a pump incorporated therein in such manner as to pump heated water and the output thereof; habitat means which enables human beings and other air-breathing mammals to live and perform useful functions in an otherwise unlivable environment connected to and downstream of said controllable water heater in such manner as to be Heated a predetermined amount by the pumped heated water therefrom; means connected to and downstream of said water heater and pump for heating said carbon dioxide removing means a predetermined amount by the pumped heated water therefrom; means connected to and downstream of said water heater and pump for supplying a predetermined amount of heated water to said gaseous oxygen-added breath warming means for effecting the proper warming thereof; and an excess heat exchanger connected to and downstream of said water heater and pump for transferring excess heat in the pumped heated water to said predetermined environment.

Claim 7

The system of claim 1, wherein said means connected to the output of said carbon dioxide removing means for removing the moisture from the exhaled gaseous breath passing therethrough comprises a canister of dessicant. 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the dessicant of said canister of dessicant comprises silica gel.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1, wherein said means effectively connected to the downstream exhaled breath output of said respiratory means for removing carbon dioxide gas from the exhaled gaseous breath passing therethrough comprises a heatable carbon dioxide gas scrubber.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 8, further characterized by means connected to said carbon dioxide gas scrubber for the heating thereof to a predetermined temperature.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1, wherein said means effectively connected to the output of said carbon dioxide removing means for adding a predetermined quantity of gaseous oxygen to the exhaled gaseous breath passing therethrough at a predetermined partial pressure from a reservoir of liquid oxygen disposed within a cryogenic container comprises: a primary heat exchanger having a plurality of heating passages and a cooling passage; a secondary heat exchanger having a heating passage and a cooling passage, with the input of the cooling passage thereof connected to the output of the cooling passage of said primary heat exchanger; an elongated container having a first self-contained container section at one end thereof with a predetermined vent in the wall thereof, a second self-contained container section at the other end thereof, and a third self-contained container section located between said first and second self-contained container sections, said first, second, and third self-contained container sections being in heat sink configurations with each other, respectively; a first open-ended standpipe located within said first self-contained container section and extending a predetermined distance from the wall thereof that is opposite the vent thereof; a second standpipe located within said first self-contained container section, disposed around said first standpipe, and extending a greater distance from said wall than said first standpipe, said second standpipe having one end thereof closed by said wall and a plurality of apertures through the wall thereof in proximity with the other end thereof; a first quantity of liquid oxygen partially filling said first self-contained container section in such manner that it surrounds a predetermined length of said second standpipe without passing through a plurality of apertures through the wall thereof; a wick mounted on said second standpipe and dipsosed therearound in such manner as to be partially submersed in said first quantity of liquid oxygen; a second quantity of liquid oxygen partially filling said third self-contained container section; a cooling passage, having an input and an output, disposed within said second quantity of liquid oxygen, with the input thereof connected to the output of the cooling passage of the aforesaid secondary heat exchanger, and with the output thereof connected to the open end of said first standpipe that is adjacent to the wall from which it extends; and a cryogenic containe for housing the aforesaid primary and secondary heat exchangers and the first, second, and third self-contained container sections of said elongated container, with the internal chamber thereof connected for communication with that portion of the internal chamber of said vented first self-contained container section not occupied by said first and second standpipes, said wick, and said first liquid oxygen and for communication with the input of one of the heating passages of the aforesaid prim ary heat exchanger.

Claim 11

The container of claim 10, further characterized by: primary a water heater having a pump included therein for pumping heated water therethrough and therefrom, said water heater effecting the heating of said pumped water as a result of the oxidation of a fuel that leaves only solid products of combustion and requires no discharge of materials to said predetermined environment; first open-ended pipe means communicating between that portion of said third self-contained container section not occupied by said second quantity of liquid oxygen and the cooling passage disposed therein and the input of the heating passage of said secondary heat exchanger; second open-ended pipe means connected between the output of the heating passage of said secondary heat exchanger and the input of still another heating passage of said primary heat exchangers; and a pressure controlled valve connected between the output of said another heating passage of said primary heat exchanger and the input of the combustion chamber of said water heater adapted for being opened in accordance with a preset pressure upstream of said pressure controlled valve.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 10, further characterized by: first open-ended pipe connected between that portion of said third self-contained container section not occupied by said second quantity of liquid oxygen and the cooling passage disposed therein and the input of the cooling passage of said secondary heat exchanger; means connected between the cooling passage output of said secondary heat exchanger, said predetermined environment, and the input of said second self-contained container section for dumping the exhaled gas from said secondary heat exchanger cooling passage thereto whenever the pressure difference between said cooled exhaled gas and said predetermined environment exceeds a given amount; second open-ended pipe means connected between the output of said second self-contained container and the input of another heating passage of the aforesaid primary heat exchanger; third open-ended pipe means connected between the heating passage output of said secondary heat exchanger and the input of another heating coil of said primary heat exchanger; and a pressure relief valve located outside said cryogenic container and connected to the output of said another heating passage of the aforesaid primary heat exchanger for discharge of the non-rejuvenated gas stored in said second self-contained container section whenever the pressure thereof exceeds a predetermined pressure.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 10, further characterized by another pressure relief valve effectively connected between the output of the aforesaid conduit means and said predetermined environment for venting the exhaled gaseous breath from said conduit means thereto whenever the pressure thereof therein exceeds a predetermined amount.

Claim 14

The system of claim 10, further characterized by means effectively connected to said cryogenic container for effecting the refrigeration thereof to a cryogenic temperature.

Claim 15

The system of claim 1, wherein said pressurized predetermined make-up breathable gas comprises helium, and wherein said predetermined breathable, life-sustaining, gaseous mixture includes HeO2.

Claim 16

The system of claim 1, further characterized by a habitat, adapted for housing ordinarily air-breathing beings within a predetermined environmental medium, connected to the input-output of said respiratory means for effecting the life support of said ordinarily air-breathing beings housed theRein.