Apparatus and method for self contained breathing

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a self-contained breathing apparatus, and more particularly, to a self-contained breathing apparatus that uses extraction and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between a perfluorocarbon and water in which the apparatus is immersed. Embodiments include a water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber; an air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber; and a circulation pump, where the circulation pump is configured to circulate perfluorocarbon between the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber and the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber, where the perfluorocarbon becomes oxygen rich in response to passing through the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber, and where the perfluorocarbon becomes oxygen depleted in response to passing through the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a water-to-perfluorocarb on exchange chamber;   an air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber; and   a circulation pump, wherein the circulation pump is configured to circulate perfluorocarbon between the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber and the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber, wherein the perfluorocarbon becomes oxygen rich in response to passing through the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber, and wherein the perfluorocarbon becomes oxygen depleted in response to passing through the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprises a chamber defining a volume therein, wherein the chamber contains a stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing, wherein the perfluorocarbon is cycled through the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing within the chamber, and wherein water is passed through the chamber across the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein carbon dioxide is passed from the perfluorocarbon to the water through gas-permeable tubing of the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing in the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber, and wherein oxygen is passed from the water to the perfluorocarbon through the gas-permeable tubing. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprises a chamber defining a volume therein and containing a stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing, wherein the perfluorocarbon is cycled through the latticework of gas-permeable tubing of the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing within the chamber of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber, and wherein air is passed through the chamber across the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing in the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein carbon dioxide is passed from the air to the perfluorocarbon through the gas-permeable tubing, and wherein oxygen is passed from the perfluorocarbon to the air through the gas-permeable tubing. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the gas-permeable tubing comprises a gas-permeable polymer tubing. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller; and   an oxygen concentration sensor, wherein the controller is configured to control a speed of the circulation pump in response to sensor information from the oxygen concentration sensor.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller;   an oxygen concentration sensor; and   a supplemental oxygen tank, wherein oxygen gas from the supplemental oxygen tank is introduced to air from the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber in response to a signal from the oxygen concentration sensor indicating oxygen concentrations below a threshold value.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air circuit passing through the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber, wherein the air circuit comprises a mouthpiece, and wherein the air circuit provides oxygen-depleted exhaled air to the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber and receives oxygen-enriched air to the mouthpiece.   
     
     
         10 . A method for exchanging carbon dioxide gas with oxygen comprising:
 propelling oxygen-depleted gas through an air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber;   pumping an oxygen-rich perfluorocarbon into the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber;   enriching the oxygen-depleted gas with oxygen in the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber to form oxygen-rich gas exiting the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber; and   receiving from the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber oxygen-depleted perfluorocarbon.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 circulating the oxygen-rich perfluorocarbon through a stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing within a chamber of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber; and   circulating the oxygen-depleted gas over the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing within the chamber of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber,   wherein oxygen from the oxygen-rich perfluorocarbon is exchanged with carbon dioxide from the oxygen-depleted gas to form oxygen-rich gas and oxygen-depleted perfluorocarbon in response to the oxygen-rich perfluorocarbon circulating through the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing within the chamber and the oxygen-depleted gas circulating over the stacked latticework of gas-permeable tubing within the chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 pumping oxygen-depleted perfluorocarbon into a water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber;   pumping oxygen-rich water into the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber; and   exchanging oxygen from the oxygen-rich water with carbon dioxide from the oxygen-depleted perfluorocarbon within the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein exchanging oxygen from the oxygen-rich water with carbon dioxide from the oxygen-depleted perfluorocarbon within the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprises pumping the perfluorocarbon through a stacked latticework of gas-permeable polymer tubing within the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber and pumping oxygen-rich water across the stacked latticework of gas-permeable polymer tubing. 
     
     
         14 . A system including:
 a water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprising a first latticework of gas-permeable tubing, wherein a first circuit within the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprises a flow path through the gas-permeable tubing of the first latticework of gas-permeable tubing and a second circuit within the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprises a flow path across the first latticework of gas-permeable tubing;   an air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprising a second latticework of gas-permeable tubing, wherein a first circuit within the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprises a flow path through the gas-permeable tubing of the second latticework of gas-permeable tubing and a second circuit within the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber comprises a flow path across the second latticework of gas-permeable tubing; and   a perfluorocarbon circulation pump configured to circulate perfluorocarbon through the first circuit of the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber and through the second circuit of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a water circulation pump configured to circulate water through the second circuit of the water-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein oxygen-depleted air is received through the second circuit of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber and exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen with the perfluorocarbon within the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of a facemask or mouthpiece configured to receive oxygen-rich gas from the second circuit of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber and to return oxygen-depleted gas to the second circuit of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one one-way valve to promote gas flow in one direction from the second circuit of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising an oxygen concentration sensor and an oxygen tank, wherein oxygen from the oxygen tank is introduced to a flow of gas from the second circuit of the air-to-perfluorocarbon exchange chamber before the at least one of the facemask or mouthpiece in response to a signal from the oxygen concentration sensor indicating oxygen concentration below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first latticework of gas-permeable tubing comprises a first latticework of gas-permeable polymer tubing and wherein the second latticework of gas-permeable tubing comprises a second latticework of gas-permeable polymer tubing.