CoolAIR
Avalanche Survival Aid
Avalanches result in approximately 150 deaths worldwide each year.
The majority of these are due to asphyxiation whilst buried under the snow.
Asphyxiation is quickened by the ‘ice glazing’ phenomenon which occurs when warm air is continually exhaled.
The air cavity warms up and allows the snow to melt, however the cold temperatures quickly refreeze the snow
and a layer of ice is formed around the face.
The solution is to cool down the exhaled air, allowing the temperature inside the air cavity to stay cool and therefore prevent ‘ice glazing’. This allows access to the precious oxygen within the snowpack, increasing the chances of survival while waiting to be rescued.
CoolAIR works as a heat exchanger using the outside temperatures to cool down the exhaled air. The system also soaks up the condensed moisture in the breath preventing liquid entering the air cavity and freezing.
1.When entering avalanche risk areas or at the moment an avalanche is triggered, the facemask can be quickly flipped from it's jacket position and placed over the mouth and nose
2.Cold air is breathed in through a one way valve 2.Warm exhaled air passes through outlet 3. Air begins to cool as it passes through heat exchanger tube 4.Heat is given off and condensed moisture is absorbed in foam sections 5.Cooleed air is filtered back into cavity
3.'Ice glazing' is prevented and the oxygen within the snowpack can be obtained. Cooled exhaled air enters the air cavity allowing the oxygen to be reused
I choose a project on avalanches due to my interests in snowsports and have thoroughly enjoyed investigating the problem and developing a solution.
I intend to go to Canada to teach snowboarding at the end of the year and hopefully a job in product design engineering will follow.
