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From: <kirvine@sa*.ne*>
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 23:20:46 -0400
To: Kevin Connell <kevin@nw*.co*>
CC: techdiver@Aquanaut.com
Subject: Re: "trimix" worthless?
Grade 4 - see the other post on that.

Kevin Connell wrote:
> 
> The size 4 bubbles for only 20 minutes is most likely subclinical O2 bends,
> correct?
> 
> At 11:49 AM 6/27/1999 -0400, you wrote:
> >Rose has that one cornered. I experimented that day and surfaced from 30
> >with no stops and showed grade 4 for 20 minutes, then fell to zero to
> >the suprise of the doctors. They said they had never seen that.
> >Otherwise it was the same schedule that John used, and from that point
> >forward I do the 30 or 20 to 0 at 40 fpm average so as not to take the
> >unnecessary last bit of offgassing in bubble form.
> >
> >Interesting that this could be done, supporting what John is saying.
> >
> >colin harrison wrote:
> > >
> > > You wouldn't care to be more specific as to the actual deco times at the
> > > three depths and the timing and duration of the breaks on bottom gas,
would
> > > you? Sounds very interesting.
> > >
> > > Colin Harrison
> > > Aquarius Diving, Didcot, Oxon, UK. OX11 8AE.
> > > DUI Main Distributor
> > > Tel: 00 44 (0)1235 512056, Fax: 00 44 (0)1235 815352
> > > <http://www.aquarius-diving.co.uk/>
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: John R. Rose [mailto:rose@CS*.SC*.ED*]
> > > Sent: 28 July 1999 15:07
> > > To: Bill Mee
> > > Cc: kirvine@sa*.ne*; techdiver@aquanaut.com; rose@CS*.Sc*.ED*
> > > Subject: Re: "trimix" worthless?
> > >
> > > Choosing between empiracle data and theoretical tables is fairly easy.
> > > As I am sure both Bill and George remember, the Navy doppler exams
> > > that were performed on us after extended bottoms times in Wakulla
> > > last year. They quantitatively demonstrate the utility of helium in
> > > deco gasses. After performing a 150 minute true bottom time dive
> > > (not Rich Pyle bottom time) the doppler showed ZERO bubbles in my
> > > system. That's right folk, ZERO. The Navy doctors refused to believe
> > > that I had done a dive that day. Finally they were willing to entertain
> > > the idea that perhaps I have been a safety diver in the basin,
> > > but no way could I have spent 150 mintes at 280'.
> > >
> > > Now the really interesting point is that my combined actual time at
> > > 10', 20', and 30' was only 180 minutes. The trick was using bottom mix,
> > > i.e., 10/60 for gas breaks. Put that in your theoretical model and see
> > > how bent you get. Obviously, no deco program generated my deco profile.
> > > To give you an idea of how radical 180 minutes is with respect to deco
> > > software, Decom suggest 288 minutes even with the N2 and He fudge
> > > factors set to zero.
> > >
> > > Bottom line: helium in deco gas ==> no bubbles as verified by doppler.
> > >
> > > -John
> > >
> > > > George,
> > > >
> > > > Frankly, I would have to completely agree.  You can come up with
> > > theoretical
> > > > tables all day long to predict decompression from trimix dives, but you
> > > are
> > > > probably just fooling yourself.  Any kind of serious exposure to trimix
> > > and
> > > > you simply cannot decompress without some type of sub clinical
> > > physiological
> > > > damage. You and I and the others have done our share of these kinds of
> > > dives
> > > > and there is no hiding the fact that no matter how good shape you're in
> > > > there is a tangible "beating" factor. I'm sick of it.
> > > >
> > > > My guess is that the real problem is nitrogen and that the effect is not
> > > so
> > > > much partial pressure dependent as it is simply pressure
> > dependent.  It is
> > > > well known in chemical engineering that many reactions require external
> > > > pressures to occur.  For instance certain polymerization reactions are
> > > > pressure dependent.
> > > >
> > > > Really, who knows what nitrogen is doing. We do know that it affects the
> > > > mechanical characteristics of erythrocytes (red blood cells). The
ability
> > > of
> > > > erythrocytes to deform is critical to their passage through some of the
> > > > capillary beds and who would argue that gas transfer at the
> > microcapillary
> > > > level is not relevant to decompression?
> > > >
> > > > Heliox seems to give far superior results and this should not be
> > > surprising
> > > > since the commercial dive industry has compiled an historically
> > impressive
> > > > safety record for saturation diving.
> > > >
> > > > I don't know what this will mean for technical diving, but I guess it
> > will
> > > > ceratinly help the market for booster pumps when everyone realizes that
> > > > "trimix" is a bust.
> > > >
> > > > At least with the rebreathers you can operate at much lower drive gas
> > > > pressures; however I am not recommending that everyone run out and buy
> > > > rebreathers as these devices pose all sorts of other risks.  As you
> > know I
> > > > have been using straight heliox for the 120ft and 70ft deco gases
> > with the
> > > > Halcyon with drive gas pressures of 2000-2400 and had lot's of gas left
> > > > over, even with the 40cf bottles after long decos.  I have also
> > jacked the
> > > > bottom gas to 75% helium with great results.
> > > >
> > > > Where do we go from here?
> > > >
> > > > Bill
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Katherine Irvine <kirvine@sa*.ne*>
> > > > To: techdiver@aquanaut.com <techdiver@aquanaut.com>
> > > > Cc: rose@cs*.sc*.ed* <rose@cs*.sc*.ed*>; wwm@sa*.ne* <wwm@sa*.ne*>
> > > > Date: Tuesday, July 27, 1999 3:14 PM
> > > > Subject: Deco not working? Could be the gas....is "trimix" worthless?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >I get questions all of the time as to recommendations for improving
> > > > >deco that others are not satisfied that they are doing advantageously.
> > > > >Many times it is obvious as to wrong shape of the deco or wrong gas,
but
> > > > >lately it is less clear.
> > > > >
> > > > >    For my own account I have been more interseted than ever in
> > > > >minimizing damage and maximizing my available workout time since I am
> > > > >training for an Iron Man this fall - I can't have any down time from
> > > > >training since I have to work three disciplines and workout twice per
> > > > >day  . My teammates have become more interested in marathons, bike
> > > > >races, swim races, triathelons and in more conditioning, and have taken
> > > > >the same attitide that I have taken, and that is we do not want diving
> > > > >to get in the way of our training, even though diving was why we
started
> > > > >training in the first place.
> > > > >
> > > > >    You have seen the progression of our deco, and may have noticed
that
> > > > >we started incorporating helium into the deco gasses, and increasing
the
> > > > >amount of helium in the mixes. As we got higher and higher on the
helium
> > > > >percentage , the truth has become clearer and clearer - nitrogen is the
> > > > >problem, and "trimix" as we knew it is basicly worthless.
> > > > >
> > > > >     Sure, I can walk away from most trimix dives, but I run away from
> > > > >helium dives. We may have to revamp our entire structure on this issue.
> > > > >Heliox may in fact be the correct gas for diving, and the answer to
> > > > >deco, not anything more or less.
> > > > >
> > > > >     The Navy asked us about loss of vital capacity. We can measure
that
> > > > >on the track , in the pool, and on the speedometer in one word ;
> > > > >nitrogen.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
> > > Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
> >
> >--
> >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
> >Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
> 
> -----------------------------------------------
> Kevin Connell <kevin@nw*.co*>
> 
> NW Labor Systems, Inc
> http://www.nwls.com
> 
> Who is John Galt?
> -----------------------------------------------


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