Obogs System Training: Life Support

OBOGS SYSTEM TRAINING
Life Support
Northrop Grumman Life Support Davenport, Iowa U. S. A.
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BT-67 OBOGS Description
 Designed to replace the liquid oxygen (LOX) converter or

gaseous systems
 Uses conditioned aircraft engine bleed air to provide a
continuous supply of oxygen-enriched breathing gas to
aircrew
 Consists of a two concentrators, 14 breathing regulators,
two firewall shutoff valves, a cross-over valve, and two
heat exchangers
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WHY DOES A PILOT NEED SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN?
 AS ALTITUDE IS INCREASED AIR DENSITY DECREASES.
 As air density decreases O2 absorption is slowed lowering the oxygen

content within the blood.
 At low altitudes the reduction in blood oxygen content is virtually
unnoticeable.
 When reaching altitudes as low as 4000 FT (Cabin Pressure) night vision
can become impaired and reaction time slowed.
 By 15,000 FT judgmental errors can be made.
 By 23,000 FT unconsciousness can develop.
 These conditions are stages of hypoxia.
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BT-67 OBOGS System Components
 Concentrator
 Regulator
 Heat Exchanger
 Firewall Shutoff Valve
 Cross-Over Valve
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BT-67 OBOGS Advantages
 Unlimited duration of breathing gas

 Flight crew breathing gas continuously monitored to
assure physiological requirements are being met
 Greatly improved safety during operation
 Eliminates between flight LOX or gaseous system
servicing and associated safety hazards
 Eliminates ground support equipment required to service
LOX or gaseous systems
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What is OBOGS?
On Board Oxygen Generating System
A proven technology in air separation using molecular sieve
and a pressure swing adsorption process
Life Support
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Pressure Swing Adsorption Principles
The synthesis of crystalline zeolite molecular sieves in the 1950s permitted
the development of many separation processes in the chemical and
petrochemical industries. One of these processes was the separation of
oxygen from the mixture of gases that comprise air.
The characteristic of molecular sieve crystals to differentially adsorb the
gases comprising air make oxygen concentration possible in devices of
small-scale and modest power consumption. The efficiency of the
process is promoted under conditions of higher pressure, lower
temperature, and higher concentrations of the gases to be adsorbed.
As air flows through a column (or bed) of molecular sieve, the component
gases it contains are adsorbed and stratified in the order of their relative
affinity to the molecular sieve material.
The process may continue until the next to last gas component stratifies near
the end of the bed. Once the full bed length is used, the bed must be
regenerated by desorbing (or purging) the adsorbed gases. Purging is
accomplished by reducing the pressure in the bed and back-flushing with
some of the concentrated gas product. Adsorption and desorption are
completely reversible processes and can be carried out indefinitely. If
properly cycled through the adsorb-desorb process, molecular sieve beds
never "wear out" or become "clogged."
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Conditions that Reduce Separation Performance
 Liquid moisture
 Liquid moisture is readily absorbed by the molecular sieve
material
 Liquid moisture absorption tends to deactivate the sieve
 As more and more liquid is delivered to the bed more and
more sieve becomes deactivated
 Low air supply pressure

 Lower pressure reduces the amount of nitrogen molecules
that the sieve can capture
 High product gas flow rates

 With high product gas flow rates the sieve nitrogen saturation
point is driven deeper into the bed leaving less active material
to capture nitrogen
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OBOGS Concentrator Operation
The air supply is routed into the coalescing filter where water and
particulate matter is removed
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The supply air is then routed to the Pressure Reducer/Shutoff Valve
which is controlled by the system ON/OFF switch
Pressure is reduced to a continuous 28 psig

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Reduced pressure is routed to the control valve. This valve controls the
pressure-swing process by directing reduced pressure to one sieve bed
While the other sieve bed is being vented through the exhaust
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Reduced pressure has been supplied to bed 1. As the air flows
through the bed, nitrogen molecules are absorbed by the sieve
Oxygen rich breathing gas is output from the concentrator
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While sieve bed 1 is being pressurized and producing oxygen, a portion

of the product gas is routed to sieve bed 2 to back flush it
This helps remove the trapped nitrogen and other gasses
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During the next half cycle the beds are reversed. Bed 2 is now being
pressurized and producing oxygen. Bed 1 is being purged.
This complete cycle is repeated approximately every 6 seconds
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Basic BT-67 OBOGS Operation
The system on the left side is controlled
Two independent
by the pilot’s controls. System on the
systems joined by a
right is controlled by the copilot controls
crossover valve
The crossover valve is manually controlled

from the cockpit. It is activated in the event a
warning light illuminates on one concentrator
and it must be shut down
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Features of the OBOGS Concentrator
Power Connector
Product Gas
Outlet
Controller/Monitor
Inlet Filter
Sieve Beds Supply Air Inlet
Exhaust
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OBOGS Functional Block Diagram
Electrical power is applied by
engaging switches in cockpit
applying power to concentrator The CM also monitors product gas to
and shutoff valve assure the flight crew physiological
requirements are being met
The CM pneumatically
The firewall shutoff valve
controls the slide valve and
and concentrator shutoff
therefore the timing of
valves open allowing
pressure swings
airflow
Control Air
Supply air flows on to the pressure

reducer/SOV where pressure is reduced
Supply air flows through the Supply air flows on to the slide valve which
to 28 psig
inlet filter where particulate controls pressure delivery to the beds
matter and free water are
removed
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OBOGS Concentrator Controller/Monitor
 The controller
 Opens concentrator shutoff valve
 Controls sieve bed timing
 Utilizes concentration information
from the monitor to control product
gas purity
 Performs 4 BIT tests
 Power-up BIT (PUB)
 Continuous BIT (CBIT)
 Initiated BIT (IBIT)
 Maintenance BIT (MBIT)
 Contains 6 solenoid valves
 Controls SOV
 Controls Slide Valve
 BIT valve for IBIT and PUBIT
 BIT valves for MBIT
 Sends signal to BIT In Progress Light
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 The monitor
 3 pressure transducers
 Product gas pressure
 Cabin altitude
 Ambient pressure
 Oxygen monitor
 Performs PPO2 calculation
 Compares PPO2 to warning
threshold
 Sends a warning signal if PPO2
is below warning threshold
 Sends concentration information
to the controller
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 Power-up BIT
 Runs each time unit is powered up
 PUB is 20 seconds in duration with
the BIT and Warning lights on
 When PUB completes and passes
the BIT light goes out. BIT light and
Warning light stay on if PUB fails.
 The controller now waits (can be
indefinitely) for pressure.
 When pressure becomes available
the Warning light extinguishes and
the BIT light comes on
 The monitor is now in a 3 minute
warm-up
 At the end of 3 minutes a sensor
accuracy check is performed
 Successful completion BIT light off
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 Continuous BIT
 Runs after warm-up and the accuracy are
completed
 Continuously compares the calculated
product gas PPO2 to the 182 mmHg
warning threshold
 The concentrator outlet pressure is
compared to ambient to assure a minimum
of 4 psig higher outlet pressure
 A periodic reasonableness check is
performed on the O2 sensor and pressure
transducers
 If a failure is detected the Warning light will
illuminate.
 If a warning occurs, a ‘soft reset’ can be
accomplished momentarily depressing the
BIT button
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 Maintenance BIT (MBIT)

 Performs a sensor accuracy check
followed by a concentrator performance
check
 The test is activated by depressing the BIT
button for a minimum of 20 seconds
 The BIT light and Warning light will be on.
At the end of the 3 minute accuracy test
the Warning light will go out
 For the next 2 minutes the performance
check is conducted. The BIT light is on for
this test
 If MBIT passes the BIT light will go out
 System leaks and free flowing regulators
can cause MBIT to fail
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OBOGS Concentrator Maintenance
 Scheduled maintenance
limited to:
 Inlet filter replacement ~every 1000
flight hours (This time can be for
the aircraft operating environment
 Concentrator overhaul every 6000
flight hours
 Unscheduled maintenance
 System leak checks
 MBIT tests to check out system in
the event of a Warning light
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OBOGS Concentrator Maintenance
 Inlet filter element

replacement
 Accomplished by removing
concentrator from aircraft
 Removing the filter retainer from
the bottom of the filter housing
 Replace the filter element
 Replace the two o-rings
 The two o-rings should be
lubricated with oxygen compatible
grease prior to reassembly
 The filter retainer is then reinstalled
and tightened to a torque to 25 -
30 in/lbs
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Breathing Regulator Features
 Anti-suffocation valve
 Breathing gas outlet
 Emergency Lever
 MAX/NORM Switch
 On/Off Switch
 Max Mode Light
 BIT In Progress Light
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Breathing Regulator Maintenance
 Remove and replace for overhaul
every 6000 flight hours
 Preflight tests
 With regulator in off position verify
no flow
 Place regulator in on position and
don mask. Verify inhalation and
exhalation is comfortable
 Place regulator in Emergency
position an verify a small pressure
rise
 Place regulator in Test Mask
position. Verify mask seal and that
the flow indicator shows no flow
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Heat Exchanger
 Features
 Heat exchanger takes a portion of
the bleed air and feeds it to an
ejector to enhance ground cooling
 It is recommended that the ejector
filter is cleaned approximately
every 120 days
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Firewall Shut-off Valve
 Features
 Electrically activated
 Pneumatically opened
 When valve shut off and pressure
is applied a drain is active on the
bottom of the valve
 Designed for use in both bleed air
and liquids
 Tolerant of engine wash solutions
 None
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Emergency Cross-Over Valve
 Features
 Electrically activated by switch
located on Pilot’s control panel
 Can be manually activated, in the
event of a concentrator failure, to
allow the one concentrator to
supply the entire aircraft
 Scheduled Maintenance
 None
 Periodic Test
 A periodic test should be performed
to assure correct operation
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OBOGS SYSTEM TRAINING

 Designed to replace the liquid oxygen (LOX) converter or

 AS ALTITUDE IS INCREASED AIR DENSITY DECREASES.

 As air density decreases O2 absorption is slowed lowering the oxygen

 Firewall Shutoff Valve

 Unlimited duration of breathing gas

 Low air supply pressure

 High product gas flow rates

Pressure is reduced to a continuous 28 psig

Oxygen rich breathing gas is output from the concentrator

While sieve bed 1 is being pressurized and producing oxygen, a portion

This helps remove the trapped nitrogen and other gasses

This complete cycle is repeated approximately every 6 seconds

The crossover valve is manually controlled

Sieve Beds Supply Air Inlet

Supply air flows on to the pressure

 Maintenance BIT (MBIT)

 Inlet filter element

 Breathing gas outlet

 Max Mode Light

 BIT In Progress Light

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