Space and underwater are hazardous habitats, in which humans work. The survival of operators is maintained by equipment which must ensure suitable environmental conditions; although the work activities are different, the environmental control systems are similar.
The System used for environmental control is the Environmental Control Life Support System/Life Support System (ECLSS or LSS); it is utilised in space enclosed compartments, submarines, diving saturation modules and allows survival in hostile conditions.
ECLSS or LSS maintains and provides breathable air/gas, temperature and humidity control, fire detection and suppression, it ensures a comfortable and habitable environment for the personnel or crew within the pressurized systems.
In Industrial Diving sector, a diving saturation system is a structure where the divers live in a pressurized environment for days or weeks. It consists of interconnected compartments and the diving bell.
The compartments, or modules, house areas dedicated to sleeping, eating, hygiene; moreover there are spaces where TUP (Transfer Under Pressure) operations take place for the diving bell and vice versa.
The diving bell is a movable module utilised for divers transfer from the main compartments, located on platform or on board ship, to working place at several meters depth.
When occupants stay inside under pressure habitats or in submarine for periods far long, humidity and temperature can rapidly increase causing potential heat stress, excess carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) can occur making the atmosphere unbreathable.
In a hyperbaric or diving saturation habitat such issues are avoided by the LSS or regeneration system, specially designed to control gas, humidity and temperature levels, time and depth.
An LSS consists of gas connections, filters and cartridges, sensors of circulating gas, chemicals or devices to remove gas and fumes or dangerous substances and moisture, heating and cooling systems, etc. The ECLSS/LSS works continuously and, to make it efficient, scheduled monitoring and maintenance tasks are required.
The ECLSS or LSS is an essential system to guarantee the safety and health aspects, including life support of the crew, divers, astronauts and the environment inside habitats, submarines.
Read more in the digital JP Mag
Paolo Mazzone
SubEng – HSE Adviser
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Cover: U.S. Laboratory Module Simulator containing the ECLSS Internal Thermal Control System, NASA
