Hydrox (breathing gas)

Hydrox (breathing gas)

Hydrox, a gas mixture of hydrogen and oxygen is used as a breathing gas in very deep diving. It allows divers to descend several hundred metres.cite journal |last=Fife |first=W. P. |title=The use of Non-Explosive mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen for diving |volume=TAMU-SG-79-201 |journal=Texas A&M University Sea Grant |date=1979 ] cite journal |author=Brauer RW (ed). |title=Hydrogen as a Diving Gas. |journal=33rd Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Workshop. |issue=UHMS Publication Number 69(WS-HYD)3-1-87 |publisher=Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society |year=1985 |pages=336 pages |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/4862 |accessdate=2008-09-15 ] cite journal |author=Ornhagen H |title=Hydrogen-Oxygen (Hydrox) breathing at 1.3 MPa. |journal=National Defence Research Institute |volume=FOA Rapport C58015-H1 |issn=0347-7665 |year=1984 |url= |accessdate= ]

Hydrogen is the lightest gas (twice as light as helium) but still has a narcotic potential.

History

Although the first reported use of hydrogen seems to be by Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794), who had guinea pigs breathe it, the actual first uses of this gas in diving are usually attributed to trials by the Swedish engineer, Arne Zetterström in 1945.

Zetterström showed that hydrogen was perfectly usable to great depths. Sadly, following a fault in using the surface equipment, he died during demonstration dive. The study of hydrogen was not resumed until several years later, first by the United States Navy, then by the Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises (COMEX) who developed procedures allowing dives between 500 and 700 metres (1650 to 2300 feet) in depth, while breathing gas mixtures based on hydrogen, called hydrox (hydrogen-oxygen) or hydreliox (hydrogen-helium-oxygen). [cite journal |last=Rostain |first=J. C. |coauthors=M. C. Gardette-Chauffour; C. Lemaire; R. Naquet. |title=Effects of a H2-He-O2 mixture on the HPNS up to 450 msw. |journal=Undersea Biomed. Res. |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=257–70 |date=1988 |issn=0093-5387 |oclc=2068005 |pmid=3212843 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2487 |accessdate=2008-09-19 ]

Use

Hydrox may be used to combat High pressure nervous syndrome (HPNS), commonly occurring during very deep dives.cite journal |last=Hunger Jr |first=W. L. |coauthors=P. B. Bennett. |title=The causes, mechanisms and prevention of the high pressure nervous syndrome |journal=Undersea Biomed. Res. |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=1–28 |date=1974 |issn=0093-5387 |oclc=2068005 |pmid=4619860 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2661 |accessdate=2008-09-15 ]

These studies scored a resounding success with a simulated dive to convert|701|m|ft|lk=on, by Theo Mavrostomos on 20 November 1990 at Toulon, during the COMEX Hydra X decompression chamber experiments. This dive made him "the deepest diver in the world".cite journal |author=Lafay V, Barthelemy P, Comet B, Frances Y, Jammes Y |title=ECG changes during the experimental human dive HYDRA 10 (71 atm/7,200 kPa) |journal=Undersea Hyperb Med |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=51–60 |year=1995 |month=March |pmid=7742710 |doi= |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2203 |accessdate=2008-09-15]

Biochemical decompression

The United States Navy has evaluated the use of bacterial flora to speed decompression from hydrox diving.cite journal |author=Ball R |title=Biochemical decompression of hydrogen by naturally occurring bacterial flora in pigs: what are the implications for human hydrogen diving? |journal=Undersea Hyperb Med |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=55–6 |year=2001 |pmid=11908695 |doi= |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2421 |accessdate=2008-09-15] cite journal |author=Kayar SR, Fahlman A |title=Decompression sickness risk reduced by native intestinal flora in pigs after H2 dives |journal=Undersea Hyperb Med |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=89–97 |year=2001 |pmid=11908700 |doi= |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2373 |accessdate=2008-09-15] cite journal |author=Fahlman, A |year=2000 |title=On the Physiology of Hydrogen Diving and Its Implication for Hydrogen Biochemical Decompression. |journal=PhD Thesis. Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada. |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/6579 |accessdate=2008-09-15 ]

ee also

*Argox (scuba)
*Enriched Air Nitrox
*Heliox
*Hydreliox
*Trimix

References

External links

* [http://www.comex.fr/suite/ceh/histo/historique%20CEH%20anglais.pdf COMEX Hydra - Hyperbaric Experimental Centre]
* [http://www.mejeme.com/dive/articles/mixhistory.htm Diving With Gas Mixes Other Than Air, Larry "Harris" Taylor]
* [http://diving-watch.org/COMEX-ROLEX- Theo Mavrostomos picture]
* [http://www.techdiver.ws/exotic_gases.shtml#3.1 Fact sheet and links]


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