[Date Prev][Date Next]
[Chronological]
[Thread]
[Top]
Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] measurment of CO content.
At 03:43 PM 6/26/2002 +1000, Erik Michael Muller wrote:
>This led onto a thought of how to measure CO content in the air. Does
>anyone know of a simple way to do this?
I think you likely mean CO2 (carbon dioxide), not CO (carbon monoxide), as
CO is not generated by the human body as byproduct of metabolism--unless
you have a CO generating motor or device in the vessel (or your air supply
has been contaminated!! this must be checked as well-- has occurred with
diver's scuba tanks due to filling compressor problem, etc!). CO monitors
are cheap and available at every home supply store (Home Depot) for home
heating concerns.
I agree that it would be extremely beneficial to monitor CO2 in a sub as
mental acuity can be affected well before blackout or death. Most
commercial CO2 monitors ( http://www.gvs-ny.com/co2monit.html ) are fairly
expensive (several K$) even such as those used to monitor greenhouse
atmospheres
( http://www.homeharvest.com/greenhousecomputercontrols.htm -- you do see
these occasionally on eBay, but usually go for good price). I've looked
into this pretty thoroughly and settled on a nice little unit with digital
readout for only around $300 (if memory is correct) --
http://www.dcs-inc.net/m305.htm , available as embedable OEM product, or in
another form as finished monitor -
http://www.perfectsense.org/products/as310.html . It comes in two forms,
one for sampling with pressurized intake, and another for ambient
monitoring, be alert to the right choice.
I for one would not be caught dead (literally) in a small, sealed space
over a significant time span without acute awareness of the atmosphere (CO2
AND O2). Monitoring the CO2 is a good indication of atmosphere. Even if one
supplemented O2, without chemical scrubbing, the CO2 could be detrimental
and labored breathing will make you produce more CO2 to compound the
problem of the CO2 buildup in your bad air. And, such a monitor would give
indication of scrubber action in event of long-duration, (perhaps emergency
situation) dives.
To paraphrase a tenant of information theory-- the importance of event
information is inversely proportional to the likelihood of occurance . . .
like the space shuttle Challenger O-ring event.
see about health --
http://web.archive.org/web/20010802183457/http://www.tekniskdykking.org/tekn
iskdykking/artikler/breathing.htm
http://www.mtsinai.org/pulmonary/books/scuba/gaspress.htm
http://www.conspairacy.com/mainthemes/..%5Cmeasurements%5Csaskatch.html
Sure, these are about diving (under pressure), but understanding the
chemistry is important.
William Alford
walford@dbtech.net
Tout comprendre c'est tout pardonner