home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!cmcl2!panix!fhd
- From: fhd@panix.com (Frank Deutschmann)
- Newsgroups: rec.scuba
- Subject: Re: Human bodies explode in vacuum?
- Message-ID: <1992Nov23.193907.25828@panix.com>
- Date: 23 Nov 92 19:39:07 GMT
- References: <1992Nov16.145038.23449@geac.com> <1992Nov17.153453.7235@digi.lonestar.org> <1992Nov17.193610.14444@mailer.cc.fsu.edu> <1992Nov19.103112.3699@nntp.hut.fi> <14229@cis.rand.org> <By0xBy.BDA@scd.hp.com>
- Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC
- Lines: 38
-
- In <By0xBy.BDA@scd.hp.com> dave@hpdstma.ptp.hp.com (Dave Waller) writes:
- >The bigest difference is in the method of delivery -- in a chamber you are
- >breathing air through a considerably larger orifice (your mouth) than while
- >on SCUBA (the second stage of a regulator).
-
- >In addition, despite the excellent job reg manufacturers have done in
- >designing regs that have a low cracking pressure, the very nature of a demand
- >regulator REQUIRES that there be a cracking pressure, and hence, this is
- >something your lungs have to work against that they don't while simply
- >sitting on a pressurized chamber.
-
- >For these reasons, it is always more work to breath off a regulator than
- >in a chamber that is pressurized to an equivalent depth.
-
- >Dave Waller
- >YMCA Instructor
-
- Note that with a positive-pressure full face mask this problem is
- eliminated (and you get voice back, as well as some seziure
- insurance). The difference, compared to most regulators, is quite
- noticeable at even the 150FSW depth; compared to an Odin, there seems
- to be little difference, probably a result of the Poseidon's serious
- power-assist/venturi cracking.
-
- As depth increases, first stage performance is probably more important
- than second stage: while I would think that the second stage largely
- determines cracking effort (not sure about this, but it seems logical
- to me :)), the first stage will determine overall inhalation effort.
- If the first stage can't deliver the volume you need at the
- inter-stage pressure, you will suffer. The effect of the first stage
- can be readily seen in the Navy tests of the Poseidon regs: Poseidon
- sells their regs in various combos of two first stage designs and two
- second stage designs; the breathing effort is very consistent when the
- same first stage is used.
-
- --
- -frank
- (fhd@panix.com)
-