The History and Implications of Design Standards for Underwater Breathing Apparatus - 1954 to 2015
Abstract
NEDU performance goals based on flow rate have served the Navy well for decades. Nevertheless, gas density is a major determinant of respiratory loading using both simple models of fluid mechanics and experimental evidence. An understanding of the influence of both respiratory ventilator rates (flow) and density are vital to understanding the complete performance characteristics of UBA, and the probable tolerance of a diver to those influences. The constant impedance approach for determining acceptable pressure drops across UBA is a mechanism for combining the best of previous standards for UBA into a unified concept that takes into account engineering requirements, psychophysics, and respiratory physiology, including the fluid dynamics of flow in divers' airways. It allows testing laboratories to make maximum use of all of their testing data, and to present that data in an easily interpretable two or three dimensional format.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 11, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1003568
Entities
People
- John R. Clarke
Organizations
- United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit