Unmanned Evaluation of Various Umbilical Supplied Open Circuit Demand UBA (Underwater Breathing Apparatus) for PTC (Personnel Transfer Capsule (Bell) Diving

摘要

During July and August 1986 NEDU conducted unmanned studies to evaluate a number of umbilical supplied, open circuit, demand UBAs for potential use in saturation diving from PTCs. The following UBAs were tested at various depths and RMVs to 1000 FSW using both 100 ft 3/8 in ID and 100 ft 1/2 in ID diver's umbilicals: USN MK 1 MOD O Bandmask, USN MK 1 MOD Bandmask, AGA Divator MK II Full Face Mask, DSI Superlite 17B, DSI Heliox 18B, DSI Superlite 17B/GSOL Ultraflow 350, and DSI Superlite 17B/GSOL Ultraflow 500. The use of a volume tank in the PTC was also investigated. The results of the testing showed that only the DSI Superlite 17B of Heliox 18B fitted with GSOL Ultraflow 500 and GSOL Ultraflow 350 were able to meet current NEDU performance goals to 1000 FSW. All other UBAs failed to meet NEDU performance goals for work of breathing.