Date of Award

3-2026

Degree Name

MS in Biomedical Engineering

Department/Program

Biomedical Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Lily Liaho

Advisor Department

Biomedical Engineering

Advisor College

College of Engineering

Abstract

Wildland and Wildland–Urban Interface firefighters are routinely exposed to hazardous smoke with fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and other toxic combustion products. Existing protective gear has significant limitations and shortcomings for these conditions. Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces make it difficult to breathe and speak. On the other hand, self-contained breathing apparatuses are too heavy, have a limited duration of use, and do not work well with long wildland fire scenes, while smaller protective equipment like N-95’s and gaiters provide very little protection. These constraints contribute to low adoption rates and prolonged occupational exposure.

This thesis presents the design, development, and evaluation of a wearable air curtain- based respiratory protection system intended to provide localized respiratory protection without requiring a facial seal or significant added weight. This is composed of six subsystems that work together to provide a breathing protection system. This includes airflow generation, filtration, flexible tubing, curtain nozzle, a power source, and a headset stabilizer. Through iterative prototyping, this thesis studies a wide range of variables, such as how fan power is converted to airflow, the diameter of the flexible tubing and how it is constricted, the nozzle discharge patterns, battery configurations, and how the full assembly fits with existing firefighter personal protective equipment.

Quantitative testing was used to determine the amount of airflow, the pressure losses within the tubing and reducers, the duration of the power supply, the space requirements, and the iv overall weight. Qualitative testing was also performed to determine the time it takes to don and doff, the impact on movement, field of view, communication, and the ability to integrate with helmets, goggles, and backpacks. Each of the components was able to perform the required function individually, although integration of all the components revealed compounded pressure losses, airflow that varies with movement, and the power source that defines the duration we can provide the protective airflow.

The final prototype defines the current limitations of the design and validates the capabilities of the existing air curtain system. It demonstrates that non-sealed, localized respiratory protection is indeed feasible, design although changes will be needed to increase duration and airflow. This project provides a framework for evaluating the requirements, the data, and the design considerations to improve the design of lightweight, non-sealed respiratory protection for wildland firefighting.

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