Abstract
A compact artificial gill was developed using a concentrated hemoglobin solution containing inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) as the oxygen carrier solution. Oxygen dissolved in seawater is first taken up from water to the oxygen carrier solution at 293 K. The oxygen carrier solution is then heated and the oxygen is released from the oxygen carrier solution to expired air at 310 K. The enhancement factors of oxygen carrier solution that indicates its performance were approximately 3 for the oxygen uptake and 16 for the oxygen release, respectively. The scaling up for a human at rest was estimated. The required membrane surface area and seawater flow rates were 63.8 m2 and 0.00653 m3/s, respectively. These values indicate the feasibility of a compact and portable artificial gill for human underwater activity.
