4 UTD Gas Properties 2020

Gas Properties Gas Properties
Overview
What variables do we consider?
O N • Chemical properties and variables

• Decompression obligation.
• Narcosis management.
• Breathing mechanics • Safety.
• Fun.
• Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Helium
Chemical properties of gases
• Benefits of Trimix • Solubility – affects both on gassing and narcosis.
O • Standardize mixes • Molecular size – affect the density and diffusion
He • Density – affects levels of CO2 and narcosis.
C C • Narcotic potency.
© 2020 UTD Scuba Diving, LLC www.utdscubadiving.com © 2020 UTD Scuba Diving, LLC www.utdscubadiving.com
Nitrogen
Pros
• Cheap, easy to use, easy to fill and easy to find
Cons
• High solubility means more deco
• Large molecular size means slower diffusion in and
out N
• High density means more work of breathing
• High narcotic potency
Combination of high solubility and narcotic potency means
it’s not useful deeper, except as “filler” gas
Oxygen Carbon Dioxide

Pros
Pros
• Only slightly more expensive
• The body determines rate of respiration on the pH of
• Reduces nitrogen in a mix
the blood, which is directly related to the level of CO2
• Metabolized by the body in the blood
Cons
O
Cons
• Physiological implications affect deeper applications
O • Extremely high solubility means high narcosis
• May reduce efficiency of decompression due to affect • May cause panic, disorientation, and target fixation
on lungs • High density means high work of breathing C C
• Still narcotic, and more dense than nitrogen • Implications with deep water blackout
While better in terms of decompression, oxygen is more
dangerous at depth, and still just as dense and narcotic. Carbon dioxide may be the “sleeper” gas that is
responsible for the majority of problems, from panic to
decompression sickness.
Helium Why Trimix?

Definition: Mixture of Oxygen + Helium + Nitrogen
Pros
• Low solubility
The first goal using trimix is to decrease both the oxygen and
• Low molecular size
the nitrogen content of the mixture…
• Low density
• Low narcotic potency …which reduces
• Excellent for deeper diving application Gas density
Cons He Narcosis
• Extremely expensive O2 toxicity
Nitrogen perfusion
Helium is our “wonder gas” Decompression requirements
Post dive stress
Bubble size and stress
Other related effects of nitrogen on the body such as red blood
cell rigidity.
Depth HeliOx (79/21) NDL time Air (79/21) NDL time Comparative helium and nitrogen
Dense gas causes forceful exhalation. INHALATION EXHALATION
No Decompression Limits (NDL)
(BR Wienke RGBM)
40’ 12m 260 200
INHALATION
50’ 16m 180 100
Gas flows into the alveoli
60’ 18m 130 60
because of the vacuum
created in your lungs. 70’ 21m 85 50
80’ 24m 60 30
FORCEFULL EXHALATION 90’ 27m 45 25
100’ 30m 35 20
Gas flowing through the air
passages is restricted 110’ 33m 30 15
because of the pressure in 120’ 36m 25 10
your lungs exerted by your 20 5
130’ 39m
exhalation.
140’ 42m 15 4
150’ 45m 12 3
160’ 48m 10 2
Dr. Bruce Weinke
170’ 51m 8 1
Helium Tissue Solubility Misconceptions and Realities:
Traditional Bülhmann: Saturation /desaturation is 2.65 times faster than

Narcosis of nitrox or air is adaptive – False Multiple levels of training to become a helium user – False
nitrogen.
• Based on Graham's Law: • Narcosis has proven deadly in a wide range of diving • Deeper diving requires experience and skill, not just special gas.
situations.
• “Saturation / desaturation speeds are inversely proportional to the square
• Extreme reduction in narcosis creates a much safer gas. Only used for very deep diving – False
root of their atomic mass.”
• Reality is helium has a very low solubility, no “true” dissolution or saturate. • Below 30m/100 ft we recommend adding helium to the mixture.
Makes diving more complex – False
Molecules simply move in and out the tissue at equal rates.
• Helium complications are no more than nitrox complications. Rapid diffusion requires more decompression than air or
nitrox – False
Mixing is difficult or dangerous – False • Times have changed.

Sand and Sugar scenario • Solubility isn’t always linked to Saturation (sand vs sugar).
• Mixing is no more complex than mixing a tank of nitrox.
• Causes less post dive “nitrogen stress.” Breathing helium makes you colder – False
• The only practical risk with helium involves mixing with pure
• Helium bubbles are smaller due to solubility rate. Higher solubility oxygen. • Immersion in the gas (dry suit) will conduct heat very effectively.
gases cause bigger bubbles (B.R Wienke)
• Dry suits should not be filled with helium gases (use other
insulating gases such as air or argon).
Some Additional Gases UTD Standardized Mixes

• We use standardized mixes to keep it “Our” Working depth to END at “Our” max
Bottom/Deco Mix MOD EAD “Air top” mixing*
simple. Here are some parameters of the be used (Max) depth
mixes:
• Bottom mixes have an MOD PPO2 of 1.4 Nitrox 32% 0 - 100’/30m 111’/33m - 20% depth reduction 14% O2
Ar Co ata.
• Bottom mixes have an average PPO2 of 1.2 Helitrox 25/25 100’/30m - 130’/39m 151’/46m 88’/26m 10% depth reduction 12% O2 - 25% HE
ata for “our” working depth.

Helitrox 21/35 130’/39m - 160’/48m 190’/57m 98’/29m 0% 9% O2 - 35% HE
• Bottom mixes have a buffer from “our”
working depth and the MOD of 1.4.
• Bottom mixes are created by adding HE Trimix 18/45 170’/51m - 200’/60m 220’/66m 94’/28m 0% 8% O2 - 45% HE
and then topping with Nitrox 32% (easy for
• Argon • Carbon monoxide banking 32% and doing trimix fills) or by Trimix 15/55 210’/63m - 240’/72m 275’/83m 90’/27m 0% 7% O2 - 55% HE
quick formulas for “air top.”
– Pros – Pros • Deco mixes have an MOD PPO2 of 1.6 ata. Trimix 12/60 250’/75m - 300’/90m 352’/106m 100’/30m 0% 5% O2 - 60% HE
• Good drysuit isolator • None • Deco mixes have an average PPO2 of 1.2
ata except for the O2 at 20’/6m (averaged Trimix 10/70 310’/93m - 360’/110m 429’/130m 88’’/26m 0% 4% O2 - 70% HE
• Cheap – Cons over the range the deco mix is used).
– Cons • Deco mixes are used over an average of 5 - O2 20’/6m 20’/6m - - O2
• Contaminated gas 10’/3m stops except for the O2.
• More complexity • Headache • Helium: generally the more the but always Nitrox 50 70’/21m - 30’/9m 70’/21m - - 36% O2
enough to have a END of 100’/30m or less
• Must be flushed through entire • Cherry red lips based on a conservative formula of
Helitrox 35/25 120’/36m - 80’/24m 120’/36m - - 25% O2 - 25% HE
undergarment for full effect END=(1-HE)xATA. This formula assumes
• Binds 400x O2 to be narcotic.
Helitrox 21/35 190’/57m - 130’/39m 190’/57m - - 9% O2 - 35% HE

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4 UTD Gas Properties 2020

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Gas Properties Gas Properties

What variables do we consider?

O N • Chemical properties and variables

O • Standardize mixes • Molecular size – aﬀect the density and diﬀusion

He • Density – aﬀects levels of CO2 and narcosis.

Gas Properties Gas Properties

Oxygen Carbon Dioxide

Gas Properties Gas Properties

Helium Why Trimix?

FORCEFULL EXHALATION 90’ 27m 45 25

Gas Properties Gas Properties

Helium Tissue Solubility Misconceptions and Realities:

Traditional Bülhmann: Saturation /desaturation is 2.65 times faster than

Mixing is diﬃcult or dangerous – False • Times have changed.

Some Additional Gases UTD Standardized Mixes

ata for “our” working depth.

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