Hydreliox is an exotic breathing gas mixture of helium, oxygen and a small amount of hydrogen.[1][2]
It is used primarily for research and scientific deep diving, usually below 130 metres (427 feet). Below this depth, extended breathing of heliox gas mixtures may cause high pressure nervous syndrome (HPNS).[3] Two gas mixtures exist that attempt to combat this problem: trimix and hydreliox. Like trimix, hydreliox contains helium and oxygen and a third gas to prevent HPNS. The third gas in trimix is nitrogen and the third gas in hydreliox is hydrogen. Because hydrogen is the lightest element, it is easier to breathe than nitrogen under high pressure.
Hydreliox has been tested to depths in excess of 500 metres (1640 feet) by COMEX S.A., a French diving company. Unfortunately, although it was initially believed that breathing hydreliox would prevent the sort of symptoms seen in nitrogen narcosis, the COMEX tests showed that hydrogen narcosis became a factor at depths deeper than 300 metres.[4][5]
See also
References
- ^ Fife, W. P. (1979). "The use of Non-Explosive mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen for diving". Texas A&M University Sea Grant TAMU-SG-79-201.
- ^ Rostain, J. C.; M. C. Gardette-Chauffour; C. Lemaire; R. Naquet. (1988). "Effects of a H2-He-O2 mixture on the HPNS up to 450 msw.". Undersea Biomed. Res. 15 (4): 257–70. ISSN 0093-5387. OCLC 2068005. PMID 3212843. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2487. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
- ^ Hunger Jr, W. L.; P. B. Bennett. (1974). "The causes, mechanisms and prevention of the high pressure nervous syndrome". Undersea Biomed. Res. 1 (1): 1–28. ISSN 0093-5387. OCLC 2068005. PMID 4619860. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2661. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
- ^ Abraini, JH; Gardette-Chauffour, MC; Martinez, E; Rostain, JC; Lemaire, C (1994). "Psychophysiological reactions in humans during an open sea dive to 500 m with a hydrogen-helium-oxygen mixture". Journal of Applied Physiology (American Physiological Society) 76 (3): 1113-8. OCLC 8750-7587/94. http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/76/3/1113. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
- ^ Rostain, JC; Gardette-Chauffour, MC; Lemaire, C; Naquet, R (1988). "Effects of a H2-He-O2 mixture on the HPNS up to 450 msw.". Undersea Biomedical Research 15 (4): 257–70. ISSN 0093-5387. OCLC 2068005. PMID 3212843. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2487. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
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