DPTOAVS-BLAR is a combination of the DPTOAVS and BLAR. Currently the DPTOAVS system operated in the mixed-DPTOAVS mode equipped with an Aluminum Ceiling Pot (AlCP) input shield (as can be seen in Fig. 1 and 2) and BLAR connected to the PSS output air channels (used to suck air from the PSS) instead of using an evacuation fan. This latest implementation of mixed-DPTOAVS-BLAR equipped with an Aluminum Ceiling Pot (AlCP) input shield is referred to as AlCP-DPTOAVS-BLAR. The current implementation of DPTOAVS-BLAR is also supplemented with an air intake from the outside.
Previously the mixed-DPTOAVS at a lower elevation of the input duct intake and no input duct shield was recommended as the preferred approach but was later found to be inadequate. The hvac-DPTOAVS (also known as IL-HVAC-R, see section 3.1 on the DPTOAVS page) resulted in substantial improvements but was discontinued as it felt unhealthy to use and did not provide perfect shielding. The use of direct-DPTOAVS in combination with BLAR has not been tested yet.
Because of the improvements observed during the mixed-DPTOAVS input duct intake elevation tests (section 4 on the DPTOAVS page), and the hvac-DPTOAVS tests (section 3.1 on the DPTOAVS page), as well as the initial tests of AlCP-DPTOAVS-BLAR Writer is inclined to think that the AlCP-DPTOAVS-BLAR approach may require further improvements but should finally provide the desired ventilation isolation results as it combines the positives of the previously studied mixed-DPTOAVS and hvac-DPTOAVS implementations.
The addition of BLAR is believed to have advantages over the use of a fan for air evacuation from inside of the PSS into the room in that the BLAR approach appears to be capable of partially neutralizing the ARS matter contained in air thus reducing the overall amount of ARS matter present in the apartment. Additionally, since the HVAC unit is not constantly on, the requirement on the air-tightness of the PSS may be less stringent (in view of the possibility of the air surrounding the PSS being sucked into the PSS).
Observations suggest that the Aluminum Ceiling Pot (AlCP) must be positioned strictly upside down i.e. sit on the ceiling surface upside down but as if it was placed on a stove top otherwise with the top edge in the horizontal plane. The reason for that is currently unknown but may have something to do with the assumed layered approach used in ARS methods.
It was found that placing the AlCP next to the A/C vent grid closer to the Bissell air400 delivering air from outside provides better ARS shielding in the sleeping station than if the AlCP is moved further behind the vent grid and towards the corner (in which case the vibrating cloud effect felt inside of the PSS got worse including in the direct vicinity of the body). This could be related to the fact that the proximity to the source of fresh air makes a difference.
It is also speculated that the placement of the AlCP under the metal duct (inside of the ceiling) leading to the vent grid and/or the proximity to the vent grid contributes to the efficiency of the AlCP although no thorough tests have been done. Limited tests suggest that the placement of the AlCP a little closer to the wall could be beneficial which could also be related to the difficulty of "surrounding" the AlCP by the ARS generation equipment believed to be used one floor above the Hampton VA 23666 research site apartment.
The most recent observations after a couple of weeks of using the AlCP register an increase in the ARS activity inside of the sleeping station primarily in the form of vibrational cloud effects. On one recent occasion the air intake channel had to be switched off to reduce the amount of vibrational effects which became strong enough to make going to sleep difficult. The air evacuation channel was left enabled which sucked the air from the sleeping station through holes in the dome structure. Such configuration in the past would sometimes result in the increase of the ARS effects but resulted in a better sleeping experience this time.
The modification which seemed to have substantially lowered the ARS exposure inside of the PSS was moving the outside air intake Bissell air400 unit shown in Fig. 1 slightly away from the AlCP and rotating the Bissell air400 in a way so that no direct vertical air flow is created under the AlCP as can be seen from Fig. 3 and 4.
The DPTOAVS-BLAR was also supplemented with a DPTOAVS-room, as can be seen from Fig. 4 there are 2 ducts leading from the suction channel: one to the BLAR input of the HVAC suction duct, and the second one to the third Bissell air400 unit for DPTOAVS-room placed away from the sleeping station. Inside of the PSS the BLAR channel suction duct was placed under the sleeping surface while the DPTOAVS-room suction duct was hung above the sleeping surface at the center of the sleeping station. The addition of the DPTOAVS-room was dictated by the need to battle the hot plume cloud above the sleeping surface and a suffocation perception inside of the PSS. An alternative solution could involve permanently turning on the HVAC fans to enable uninterrupted suction from the BLAR duct.
The exact configuration of DPTOAVS to use should me adjusted depending on how the ARS treatment is carried out (which is currently not well understood) and the temperature of outside air. The optimum design of the intake duct port (currently the AlCP is used for this purpose) may need to be investigatged and improved to reduce the amount of ARS matter which could enter the sleeping station through the air intake ports.
The use of 2 aluminum pots one inside of the other (as can be seen in Fig. 5) was attempted but resulted in a worsened experience compared to the use of a single smaller pot shown in Fig. 1 and 2 in that the air in the sleeping station would feel dryer and some ARS effects would be more intense inside of the sleeping station and outside. When the 2 pots as shown in Fig. 5 were used the vibrating effects were stronger inside of the sleeping station with the capability of inducing ARS implants in the vicinity of the spinal cord with subsequent implantation.
The use of the pots also seems to affect the ARS perception outside of the sleeping station. When two pots one inside of the other were used the air closer to the floor did not have the same perception of coolness as when a single small pot is used with BLAR (or BLAR alone). And the Affected Person reported the perception of something making the upper leg movements more difficult which is attributed to the capability of the ARS matter to propagate (be pulled up) into the tissue from the floor up.
The use of an external steel pot with an aluminum pot inside as shown in Fig. 6 was attempted but resulted in a worsened ARS exposure compared to the use of a single small aluminum pot in that the vibrating cloud effects would be felt as "being sharper".
DPTOAVS-BLAR and AlCP-DPTOAVS-BLAR are considered to be important techniques depeloped at the Hampton, VA 23666 research site. The refinement of the design of the Aluminum Ceiling Pot (AlCP) input shield is planned for further studies. All research at the Hampton, VA 23666 research site is scheduled to be terminated on August 25, 2025.
