N13A-T029 TITLE: Light-weight One Atmosphere (1 ATM) Diving Suit

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Human Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: NAVSEA 00C3

OBJECTIVE: Design and develop a light-weight, swimmable 1 ATM diving suit for use in seawater that is capable of withstanding pressures up to 1000 feet of seawater (fsw).

DESCRIPTION: Deep sea diving may induce multiple adverse effects on the human body. These hazards include acute effects such as nitrogen narcosis, oxygen toxicity (convulsions, pulmonary dysfunction/injury), and high pressure nervous syndrome while working at depth; arterial gas embolism and decompression illness during or following ascent; and potential chronic conditions (osteobaric necrosis) following repeated deep sea exposures. Current mitigations for these effects require expensive gas mixtures and decompression schedules that often limit the amount of time to work at bottom, followed by hours of decompression obligation during ascent. The use of a one atmosphere (1 ATM) suit would enable a diver to work at extreme depths without being exposed to these physiological hazards and logistical constraints. However, current 1 ATM suits are burdensome systems, weighing in excess of 11,000 lbs. that essentially take the form of a piloted submersible. This size and cumbersome configuration severely constrains its use. A light-weight suit (less than 400 lbs.) could enable a diver to use his own legs as propulsion (with fins) and enable a greater variety of compatible platforms, including small boats. This technology would provide a robust 1000 fsw diving capability for expeditionary diving and salvage forces; retrieval of high value material that would require dexterity and/or judgment not found in a remotely operated vehicle, rapid reconnaissance and survey of a work site prior to mobilization and deployment of a large mixed-gas or saturation system, and expanded operational capacity in austere environments that prohibit the deployment and logistic support of a large mixed-gas or saturation system.

PHASE I: Determine material and construction technologies required to design and produce a swimmable 1 ATM suit with a 1000 fsw working depth. Produce suit designs with optimal diver ventilation, flexibility, and mobility for a broad range of missions, including potential technology/capability trade-offs.

PHASE II: Construct a physical prototype of the 1 ATM suit to determine flexibility, mobility and ability to withstand pressure at depth, and determine a path to certify the 1 ATM suit for military use.

PHASE III: Construct production unit suitable for certification by the Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (NAVSEA 00C).

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: National and international commercial diving companies would benefit from this technology.

REFERENCES:
1. Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command. Diving Manual, SS521-AJ-PRO-010 Rev 6 CHG A, SS521-AG-PRO-010 0910-LP-106-0957: NAVSEA, 2011. http://www.supsalv.org/pdf/Dive%20Manual%20Rev%206%20with%20Chg%20A.pdf.

2. Carter, RC (1976). Evaluation of JIM: A One-Atmosphere Diving Suit. US Naval Experimental Diving Unit Technical Report NEDU-05-76. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/4790.

3. Curley MD & Bachrach, AJ (September 1982). Operator performance in the one-atmosphere diving system JIM in water at 20 degrees C and 30 degrees C. Undersea Biomed Res, 9(3): 203�12. PMID 7135632. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2926. Retrieved 2009-02-13.

4. Nuytten, P. (1998). Life support in small one-atmosphere underwater work systems. Life Support Biosph Sci, 5(3):313-7.

5. Bissett, T. & Viau, G. Atmospheric diving as an alternative technology for platform inspections. Presented at Underwater Intervention (February, 2003): New Orleans.