posted on Feb, 9 2016 @ 10:21 AM
a reply to:
pikestaff
without getting my book of tables and dive comp out :
oxygen toxicity is determined by its partial pressure
PP0 [ partial pressure - oxygen ] limit for safe operations = 1.50
the calculations for PPO at depth is beyond the scope of this post [ transpate - i will have to dig out my textbook to explain it coherently ]
but at depth there are 2 conflicting factors to dive gasses :
oxygen toxicity
nitrogen narcosis
the simplified version = upto 50m depth - you can use a mix called nitrox - which is air with aditional oxygen to reduce the egffects of nitrogen
narcosis -
deeper than 50m - both nitorgen narcosis AND oxygen toxcicity have to be considered
so thats why helium is used for deep diving
the mosrt common deep gas is known as trimix - and a " typical bottom gas " fpr a 75m dive will have just 10% oxygen and 30% helium
this mix cannot be used above a certain depth - which i forget - so you end up with a decent mix - a nottom mix and a deco [ decompression ] mix
yup - thats 3 serpeate cylinders and regulators - that have to be swapped at set times [ or you die ]
PS - a lot of people confuse :
nitrogen narcosis - which happens at depth - and simply put makes you do silly things
with
decompression trauma - which is caused by nitogen bubbles forming in the blood stream during rapid ASCENT and leads to injury // death
but bottom line - i stand my my earlier post - 100% oxygen can be used as a deco gas at < 10m