DESALINATION - System Requirements Document (draft).pdf

DRAFT DOCUMENT

Small Form Factor Water Desalination/Procurement

System Requirements Document (SRD)

1. INTRODUCTION

The Human Systems Division (ROU) of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) is seeking a lifesaving water desalination/procurement product.

ROU supports the warfighter by acquiring systems and products that enable them to perform the duty of our national defense under complex and contested environments.

Specifically, ROU is tasked with providing those systems and products that directly impact the protection and survivability of Air Force aircrew.

When an aircrew is forced to evacuate their aircraft, either by ejection or bailout, they immediately become an Isolated Person (IP) and are faced with the daunting task of surviving, evading, resisting, and escaping. In remote, contested environments, survival is difficult, especially when facing periods of isolation of up to 14-days.

Currently, seat survival kits (SSK) contain a small quantity of pre-packaged water as well as some other means to acquire potable water, whether that be a mechanical desalinator, or, in some cases a legacy chemical desalination kit. These methods create the following problems:

• There is insufficient space in an SSK to carry enough pre-packaged water for a 14-day supply

• Legacy mechanical desalinators are large and are difficult to fit into varying kit configurations and spaces

• Chemical methods often fight freshwater contamination but fail to produce sufficient desalinated water for 14-days. Legacy chemical desalination systems Mark 2) have produced only small quantities of water (3 liters total) for the entire kit, which would only last for 3 days at the most

• Other emerging solutions have not been discovered by the Government

OBJECTIVE

The desalination capability will provide a reliable, durable, and sufficient water supply for one Isolated Person (IP) for a period of 14-days. Potable water will be provided at the following rates:

• Threshold (T): 1 liter/day

• Objective (O): 3 liters/day

The above quantities can be achieved by either mechanical, chemical, electrical, atmospheric, or any other viable method.

2. SCOPE

The scope of this effort includes all Air Force aircraft that fly with a seat survival kit, survival backpack, or vest. The initial order may be in the order of 4100 units. Follow-on systems may be required in order to provide replacements at shelf life or general usage.

3. REQUIREMENTS AND TASKS

In order to support ROU’s commitment to providing the warfighter with the best tools possible to affect a rapid and safe rescue, the Government requires sophisticated technology systems and support services. The following section of the SRD describes requirements and salient characteristics that form the basis for the market information that is sought.

3.1. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS

General:

• Must be deployable with one hand

• Must be operable in sea water

If Mechanical:

• Must not clog under typical conditions

• Must be able to withstand constant use in all types of extreme environments

If Chemical:

• Can be tablet, powder, gel, or solution packet that coagulates/flocculates dissolved and suspended particles and ions present in seawater o Flocculation <5 min (O) o Flocculation <10 min (T)

• Must not create harmful/hazardous chemical reactions

• Must support use by an injured airman. One-handed operation is required

• Chemicals must be safe for human handling without protective gloves or other safety equipment

If Electrical:

• Power source must be renewable (solar, rechargeable, human, etc.)

• Consideration must be given to avoiding the creation of a detectable heat signature during the desalination process

If Atmospheric or Other Method:

• The Government seeks innovative solutions, no specific guidance or constraints in this area

3.1.1. SIZE/WEIGHT

The size of the desalinator/desalination system should not exceed 103.74 cubic inches

3.1.2. PACKAGING

• Outer packaging should be waterproof and facilitate extended storage in harsh conditions

• Unpackaging and set-up should require minimal instructions, be intuitive, and packaging labels should support a step-by-step approach

• If in chemical form, the packaging should inhibit clumping or hardening during storage

4. ILLUSTRATIONS

The following photos are for reference only and should not be construed as direction or as any suggestion of how a device might look. The intent of these photos is to only provide context. We invite creative solutions to this problem space.

4.1. SEAT PAN

4.2. SEAT KIT

Illustration 2. This is an image of what an ejection seat survival kit may look like in the future. The desalination solution must fit within its confines and not displace mandatory life-saving survival equipment.

Illustration 1. The entire seat survival kit and life raft must fit into this small space under the aircrew. Any desalination solution must consider the constraints of this space and the other critical survival gear that must fit into the kit.