Life Support Systems, or LSS, is a concept that integrates equipment for military ground, air, and space craft to protect against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) threats and to provide backup sources of power called auxiliary power units (APU). Here are some uses and features of NBC protection and APU.
Typically, an NBC protection system includes more than one layer of protection. With the use of over-pressurized aircraft cabins with filtered air, there's no need for individual protection. In cases where the cabin can't be over-pressurized and filtered, the filtered air can be delivered to individual NBC face masks. Sometimes, life support system may use as a combination of the two approaches, with the face masks as a back-up to over-pressurized, filtered cabin air.
Other NBC protection systems are used on the ground. For example, there are protective tents containing filter-blower units outfitted with an effective NBC filter. These tents are entered through a zippered lock chamber so that positive pressure is not lost in the protective tent when someone enters it. The filter-blower unit is powered with an electric motor and comes with a hand crank backup drive that can be operated by one person. A pre-filter for removing larger particles from the air intake is included, as well as emergency lighting. These tents are made to be rapidly deployed and up and working in less than 15 minutes.
APUs, or auxiliary power units, are an apparatus that's put on a vehicle to provide energy for functions other than the vehicle's movement. Typically they're found on spacecraft, aircraft, and large military ground vehicles. On tanks, they provide electrical power when the tank is standing still. This makes it unnecessary to run the tank engine for electrical functions, which consumes large amounts of fuel and also makes the tank warmer, giving it a more pronounced infrared signature that can be seen by thermal imaging and night vision equipment.
Auxiliary Power Unit technology is advancing and branching off into different methods of generating power. Fuel cells are being researched as possible materials for creating advanced APU to carry out functions such as keeping vehicle batteries charged without sound, emissions, or appreciable increase in thermal signature.
Life support systems are multi-faceted systems that are different depending upon the different environments in which they are to be used. A comprehensive life support system often includes auxiliary power units used as backups or for use instead of fuel-hungry main power units. Protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical threats- NBC defence- can be installed in structures like tents or aircraft, can be in the form of individual air masks, or can consist of a combination of both.
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