A Submarine Advanced Integrated Life Support System

The generation of submarines beyond Seawolf will require more sophisticated ship systems as the quest for absolute quiet, total reliability and unattended operation continues. The Submarine Advanced Integrated Life Support System (SAILS) is the result of analyses which first define, and then implement, technology development. SAILS is organized around the projected capability of and SPE® electrochemical cell which simultaneously coverts carbon dioxide to liquid organics and water to pure oxygen without the presence of gaseous hydrogen. Other technologies employed in the SAILS system include an SPE electrochemical absorbent Regeneration/CO₂ Compression Subsystem, a liquid CO₂ Absorber, an Organic Water Separator and a Catalytic Contaminant removal system. This paper presents an overview of the existing submarine life support equipment and describes the payoffs offered to a submarine by implementing SAILS technologies into a next generation life support system.