DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROGEN DIVING IN LONG PERIOD SATURATION

Objectif

The aim of the project is to conduct a long saturation dive in order to study physiological, biological, and psycho-sociological effects on divers during a long stay in a hyperbaric hydrogen atmosphere.
a) Hydrox (H2O2) gas mix utilisation depth :
* Minimum depth : around 70 meters using a Hydrox gas mix with 2,5 % oxygen representing 200 hPa of partial pressure. Divers can be submitted to workload and the low O2 partial pressure does not seem to have major effects.
* Maximum depth : from 240 meters and down, the divers show first signs of narcosis with worsten at 270 meters and become major at 300 meters.
All datas are not processed yet but we can already define the maximum HYDROX utilisation depth to be around 240 meters for short saturation dives (a few days) and around 180 to 200 meters for longer stays.
A low Helium percentage added in the HYDROX mix seems to reduce the neurological effects of hydrogen.
b) Long term exposure biological effects :
No significant modifications of the blood and urinary's constants have been observed.
c) Human factors related to long term confinement :
Differents factors relative to a confined space life can become restrictive and can affect themental of the divers.
The group has to be the most homogeneous as possible :
- same motivation,
- same professional skill level,
- good relationship,
- good physical form,
- family stability.
The conditions of a confined dive environment have to be perfectly under control such as :
- the low level of background noise and specially the ventilamon's one.
- the low variation of temperature.
The divers had the possibility to communicate by phone with their family. This was very important to keep a social psycological stability. Spare time activities video, TV, radio, reading, games must be completed with gymnastic activities to keep a good phsyical form in order to avoid the muscular melling.
In conclusion, we can say that the utilization of hydrogen improve the physiological comfort and by this way the conditions of a confined space life. The duration of a saturation dives could be increase materially without affecting the divers health comparatively with what it is practised actually in the traditional dive with Helium.
The research on hydrogen diving carried out by COMEX from 1983 to 1988 has revealed that hydrogen gas mixes provide a great breathing comfort in hyperbaric saturation diving conditions :
* important attenuation of the High Pressure Nervous Syndrome effect
* important improvement in breathing ease
* stress reduction caused by the confined divers environment.
Hydrogen diving seems to be the only way to overpass the helium diving depth limitations but it can also be used within actual diving depth where it should play a major role for improving divers'productivity.
Different development axis will be investigated :
* study on hydrox utilization depth range
* study on human behavior (psycho-sociological factors due to long stay in confined environment)
* study of long stay under hydrogen hyperbaric atmosphere biological effects.
This project is divided into six phases :
Phase 1 : human factors necessary tests definition
Phase 2 : physiological, biological and medical follow-up tests definition
Phase 3 : long saturation procedures definition
Phase 4 : saturation diving equipment mobilization
Phase 5 : long saturation dive
Phase 6 : data processing and analysis divers' medical follow-up
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Programme(s)

ENG-HYDROCARB 2C - Programme (EEC) of support for technological development in the hydrocarbons sector, 1986-1989

Thème(s)

1.6 - MISCELLANEOUS

Appel à propositions

Data not available

Régime de financement

DEM - Demonstration contracts

Coordinateur

STOLT COMEX SEAWAY SA

Contribution de l’UE

Aucune donnée

Adresse

CHEMIN DU LITTORAL 467 - B.P. 69
13321 MARSEILLE
France

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