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>O.K., reality-check time.  Let's say Jane-average-diver has 1.5 liters 
>dissolved N2 in the body when saturated on air at sea level (I've heard 
>the value 1 liter stated for average, but for the sake of argument, let's 
>say it's 1.5 liters).
>
>The question we are addressing:  When breathing on an oxygen rebreather,
>where the initial concentration of oxygen in the breathing loop is
>near 100%, is it *possible* for the loop gas to ever become hypoxic
>without periodic flushing by the diver? 
>
>The naive answer is that this is impossible as long as the total minimum
>breathing loop volume exceeds about 1.88 liters. 

I have to agree with this analysis, if the diver had done an *effective* O2
purge before the dive, it seems unlikely he would become hypoxic due
to nitrogen diffusing out his body.  The complication is how effective is
a purge.  I'm still waiting for documents from NEDU on exactly this point!

Barrie Kovish
Vancouver, Canada

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