DON27BZ02-NV007 TITLE: Lightweight, Energy-Efficient Portable Nitrogen Generator for Expeditionary Operations
OUSW (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG)
COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY AREA(S): Advanced Materials;Sustainment
PROJECTED CMMC LEVEL REQUIREMENT: Level 2 (Self)
The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws.
OBJECTIVE: Develop and demonstrate a man-portable, self-contained nitrogen generator capable of producing high-purity (equal to or less than 99.5%) nitrogen at 1,800 to 3,500 pounds per square inch (PSI), operating strictly within a 120-volt, 25-Amp single-phase electrical limit to support United States Marine Corps (USMC) expeditionary maintenance operations. While utilizing common enabling gas-separation technologies similar to topic N244-P02, this effort is strictly distinguished by its unique requirement for a highly modular, lightweight, two-man portable form factor engineered specifically for point-of-need operations in austere, forward-deployed environments.
DESCRIPTION: The United States Marine Corps (USMC) requires high-pressure nitrogen gas at forward operating locations to perform essential maintenance tasks, including aircraft and ground vehicle tire servicing, recoil mechanism servicing, recharging of gas suspension and accumulator components, and filling gas cylinders. Historically, the military relies on pre-filled, heavy steel gas cylinders resupplied through a vulnerable logistics chain. This process creates a severe logistical burden and hazardous material handling risk. Generating nitrogen at the point of need is essential to sustaining mission readiness in distributed, austere, and expeditionary environments consistent with USMC Force Design 2030 and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concepts. The final product will be employed by USMC maintainers operating from forward tactical enclosures, specifically integrating with the JLTV Electronic Maintenance Shelter (JEMS). The system will provide point-of-need, high-purity nitrogen to service tactical vehicle and aircraft tires, hydraulic accumulators, recoil mechanisms, and suspension struts in support of distributed expeditionary operations.
While the USMC currently utilizes a legacy portable nitrogen generation system, it presents severe technical limitations that hinder expeditionary operations. First, the legacy system weighs 450 pounds, severely limiting mobility and requiring a four-person lift. Second, it requires 240-volt single-phase electrical power drawing 25 Amps. This exceeds the standard 120-volt, 25-Amp electrical limits of forward tactical enclosures, such as the Joint Expeditionary Maintenance Shelter (JEMS). Third, the current system only achieves 99.0% nitrogen purity (falling short of the required 99.5% for sensitive aviation and vehicle struts) and suffers from extremely slow flow rates, taking up to 6 hours to fill a standard 244-cubic-foot cylinder.
Commercial industry has introduced 120-volt single-phase configurations that achieve high purity. However, these state-of-the-art commercial units fall short of expeditionary physical requirements: they weigh in excess of 650 pounds, require separate external air compressors to operate, and maximize output at only 3,000 pounds per square inch (PSI). No known existing solution simultaneously achieves man-portable weight limits, 120-volt/25-Amp operation, self-contained air compression, high purity (Develop and demonstrate a man-portable, self-contained nitrogen generator capable of producing high-purity (equal to or less than 99.5%) nitrogen at 1,800 to 3,500 pounds per square inch (PSI), operating strictly within a 120-volt, 25-Amp single-phase electrical limit to support United States Marine Corps (USMC) expeditionary maintenance operations.
This SBIR topic seeks innovative small business proposals to design, develop, demonstrate, and deliver a prototype device for a man-portable, energy-efficient, self-contained nitrogen generator that overcomes the stated limitations. Proposed approaches may include advanced membrane separation, pressure swing adsorption (PSA) with novel sorbent materials, hybrid separation architectures, lightweight composite enclosures, advanced electric motor/compressor technologies, intelligent power management, or other innovative approaches that meaningfully advance the state of the art. The prototype device must address extreme environmental challenges, specifically maintaining gas separation efficiency in high heat and high humidity, and must physically fit within tactical maintenance shelters.
The prototype device shall target the following performance parameters to bound the scope of effort, while remaining open to innovative approaches that may refine specific parameters:
Performance Parameter Phase II Threshold (T = Minimum Acceptable) Phase II Objective (O = Desired)
Output Pressure (Selectable/Continuous): No less than 3,500 PSI (T); Greater than 3500 PSI (O)
Nitrogen Purity: =/- 99.5% (T); =/- 99.99% (O)
Continuous Output Flow Rate: =/- 60 Standard Cubic Feet per Hour (SCFH) (T); =/- 120 SCFH (O)
System Weight & Transportability: =/+ 250 lbs total. Must include two-wheeled cart configuration. System can break down into modular components where no single module exceeds the two-person lift limits defined in MIL-STD-1472 (T); =/+ 150 lbs total. System can break down into modular components where no single module exceeds the two-person lift limits defined in MIL-STD-1472 (O)
Form Factor/Size Limits: Must physically clear a 51.5 in (W) x 64.5 in (H) shelter door Modular, compact footprint (e.g., =/+ 30 in x 30 in base) (T = O)
Electrical Power Input: =/+ 3.4 kW, 120 VAC (single-phase, 50-60 Hz, max 25-Amp draw) (T): =/+ 3 kW, 120 VAC (single-phase) AND/OR 28V DC (Tactical Vehicle Integration) (O)
Operational Temperature: 40°F to +90°F (-32°C to +49°C) (T); -40°F to +140°F (-40°C to +60°C) (O)
Operational Humidity: Operable in 0% to 95% Relative Humidity (RH) (T); Operable in up to 100% RH (condensing) (O)
Proposals shall clearly identify the selected nitrogen generation approach, provide a credible technical basis for meeting the target performance parameters (particularly regarding thermal/moisture management and weight reduction), demonstrate awareness of the state of the art, and demonstrate that the effort is achievable within SBIR Phase I and Phase II timelines.
PHASE I: Define and develop a conceptual approach to portable high-pressure nitrogen generation that meaningfully advances beyond the current state of the art, with particular emphasis on achieving significant weight reduction (via modularity), self-contained air compression, and thermal/moisture management in expeditionary environments. Determine the technical feasibility of the conceptualized man-portable, self-contained nitrogen generator.
Perform modeling and simulation to predict prototype device performance against the parameters defined in the Description. Develop engineering approaches to address key technical challenges, including modular enclosure design to meet MIL-STD-1472 lift limits, high-efficiency nitrogen separation (e.g., advanced membranes or PSA sorbents) at reduced power input, and intelligent power management to ensure seamless integration with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Expeditionary Maintenance Shelter (JEMS) Power Entry Panel. Identify and assess critical technical risks associated with the proposed approach and define mitigation strategies.
Deliver the following required Phase I deliverables: a final technical report documenting the proposed conceptual design, modeling and simulation results, technology trade space analysis, technical risk assessment, and a recommended path forward for Phase II prototype device development.
PHASE II: Based on the conceptual design, modeling and simulation results, and technical feasibility findings from Phase I, design, fabricate, and validate a prototype man-portable, self-contained, energy-efficient portable nitrogen generator capable of producing high-purity nitrogen (=/- 99.5%) at up to 3,500 pounds per square inch (PSI) output pressure on 120-volt, 25-Amp single-phase electrical power in support of United States Marine Corps (USMC) expeditionary maintenance operations.
Demonstrate and validate the prototype device against the performance parameters defined in the Description, with particular emphasis on modularity to meet MIL-STD-1472 two-person lift limits, single-phase power consumption, output pressure range, nitrogen purity, and operational flow rate in high heat and high humidity environments. To guide prototype development and ensure suitability for long-duration expeditionary deployments, the prototype design should target a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of no less than 1,000 operating hours, and scheduled preventive maintenance intervals (e.g., filter or seal replacements) of no less than 250 operating hours Fabricate and validate the prototype device through laboratory testing and, where feasible, demonstration in a tactically representative expeditionary environment in coordination with USMC end-user representatives.
Develop and validate the manufacturability process for the prototype device, identify critical components and supply chain considerations, and produce a Phase III transition plan identifying the target acquisition program, production pathway, and dual-use commercialization strategy.
Deliver the following required Phase II deliverables: a functional prototype device, a comprehensive test and evaluation report documenting measured performance against Threshold and Objective parameters defined in the Description, and a Phase III transition plan.
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: The expected final state of this technology is a fully validated, production-ready, man-portable expeditionary nitrogen generator. Upon successful completion of Phase II, support Phase III transition of the prototype device to the Product Manager Maintenance Support Systems (PdM MSS), under Program Manager Combat Support Systems (PM CSS) at Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC). Assist with formal integration of the nitrogen generator into the Tool Sets and Kits Program of Record as a direct replacement for the legacy High-Pressure Deployable (HPCD) system.
In addition to the primary military transition path, the new nitrogen generator has substantial commercialization potential. A lightweight, 120V single-phase, high-pressure (3,500 PSI) nitrogen generator that does not require heavy industrial power or external air compressors has direct applicability in several commercial sectors, including remote commercial aviation maintenance (e.g., servicing landing gear struts and tires at austere airstrips), the automotive and off-road racing industry for high-performance shock absorber tuning, and remote heavy industry such as mining, agriculture, and oil/gas exploration, where transporting heavy, pre-filled nitrogen cylinders is costly and logistically prohibitive.
REFERENCES:
KEYWORDS: Nitrogen; Generation; Portable; Adsorption; Gas; High-pressure; Single-phase power; Maintenance; Expeditionary
TPOC 1: Mariah Dunn
mariah.e.dunn.civ@usmc.milTPOC 2: David Keeler
david.keeler@usmc.mil
** TOPIC NOTICE ** |
The Navy Topic above is an "unofficial" copy from the Navy Topics in the DoW FY-27 Release 2 SBIR BAA. Please see the official DoW Topic website at www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/solicitation-documents/active-solicitations for any updates. The DoW issued its Navy FY-27 Release 2 SBIR Topics pre-release on November 4, 2026 which opens to receive proposals on December 2, 2026, and closes January 6, 2027 (12:00pm ET). Direct Contact with Topic Authors: During the pre-release period (November 4, through December 1 , 2026) proposing firms have an opportunity to directly contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) to ask technical questions about the specific BAA topic. The TPOC contact information is listed in each topic description. Once DoW begins accepting proposals on December 2, 2026 no further direct contact between proposers and topic authors is allowed unless the Topic Author is responding to a question submitted during the Pre-release period. DoD On-line Q&A System: After the pre-release period, until December 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET, proposers may submit written questions through the DoW On-line Topic Q&A at https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/submissions/login/ by logging in and following instructions. In the Topic Q&A system, the questioner and respondent remain anonymous but all questions and answers are posted for general viewing.
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