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> i) do rebreather users have to O2 clean the entire loop? I don't. Obviously, fires can burn much brighter and hotter in high-O2 environments; however, in diving we are not nearly as concerned with a fire in-progress as we are in *igniting* a fire. Spontaneous ignition seems to require a combination of high PO2 *and* high FO2, so I only worry about it with pure O2 above 500psi. I don't worry about it with any nitrox mixture because I never make nitrox mixtures with more than about 30-40% O2. At higher percentages, I would be more careful. > ii) NASA started all the O2 work, didn't they, after Apollo 1 &/ > 13 - why did they come up with an fO2 40% as a critical point? Good question. Someone once told me, but I have since forgotten. > iii) saying O2 fires don't happen at low pressures is fine; tell > the guys starting their oxyacetaline rigs from grease patches. See above - it's not the fire we're worried about as much as the potential for ignition. I'm not an expert, but it is my understanding that most materials have very high ingition temperatures, so are not likely to combust. Hydrocarbons, however, have very low ignition temperatures, so they are more likely to combust. A drop of oil in your O2 regulator is not going to explode. It might, however, combust and raise the local temperature high enough to ignite other materials (like SS or brass), leading to a fire. Aloha, Rich > iv) as bill said, 'it ain't happened yet' is not *quite* good > enough. When a very nice Thai started to fill his tuk-tuk from a petrol > pump with the lit cigarette *in that hand* we were the other side of the > building before you could say 'badoom'. He found it very funny. > > jason > > > > > > > -- > > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@terra.net'. > > Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@terra.net'. > -- > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@terra.net'. > Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@terra.net'. > Richard Pyle deepreef@bi*.bi*.ha*.or* ******************************************************************* "WHATEVER happens to you when you willingly go underwater is COMPLETELY and ENTIRELY your own responsibility! If you cannot accept this responsibility, stay out of the water!" *******************************************************************
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