Objective
The purpose of the project is to develop the specific industrial equipments designed for hydrogen diving.
This equipment will be evaluated in actual diving conditions during the sea trials at the depth of 520 meters.
PHASE 1 : The breathing adaptation to hydrogen of individual equipments
The breathing apparatus has been adapted without changing the basic equipment structure. Modifications mainly concern gas distribution circuits, and the second regulation chamber which delivers the breating mixture inside the diving helmet through the breathing mask. Injection valves optimisation allowed to bring breathing resistance very low rates. The helmet is then very comfortable.
The emergency breathing system, the "ball out system" type BOS II of COMEX PRO has been adapted to hydrogen, enabling a 5 to 10 minutes autonomy at a 520 meters depth.
For divers'thermic protection, a diving suit with reduced hot water flow has been developed from a neoprene-silicon composite material. Tests in hyperbaric chamber revealed the importance of the diving suit design. This one has to be adjusted to divers mensurations to ensure an efficient thermic protection with a hot water flow of 5/6 liters per minute. In case ofwater supply failure, inertiae is important and ensures a larger protection to the emergency breathing system autonomy.
PHASE 2 : automatisation of gas dehydrogenator.
The selective hydrogen elimination is based on a dehydrogenator especially developed for decompression chamber in hydrogen saturation. A dehydrogenator monitoring system has been studied to increase safety and ease the monitoring process.
Two regulation systems are tested. The first one was based on the differential pressure measurement between a standard capacity and the saturation chambers. This method of measurement ensures a high accuracy of decompression. In normal function the variation between theoretical pressure and absolute pressure is lower than +/- 0,025 kPa. The system accuracy however causes problem because of the high regulaiton loop sensitivity to environment temperature variations. The second one was based on the system of direct measurement of chambers'pressure. It was significantly less sensitiveto the temperature variations. The regulation does not reach the level of accuracy of the first system, but stays within the physiological constraints imposed.
PHASE 3 : offshore diving tests at 520 and 534 meters depth.
The offshore validation operation took place between the 22th of February and the 22th of March 1988, offshore Marseille.
After hydrogen adaptation of the D. P. DSV "ORELIA", with mobilisation on board of the required equipment :
Six divers (4 belonging to Comex and 2 to the French Navy) have been selected for this HYDRA VII ofshore operation.
OPERATION SCHEDULE :
Works performed (27 hours underwater in total) :
a) Connections of two 12" pipe-joints with a flanged spool piece.
b) Connection of a flexible "COFLEXIP 6" with a GRAYLOCK type flange.
Conclusion were:
- Divers easy evolution on the workplatform underline proves the previous onshore physiological comfort observed.
- Work capacity and efficiency of the deep divers increase with hydrogenated breathing mixtures.
Research carried out since 1983 has demonstrated that divers breathing hydrogenated gas mixtures are less affected by pressure : - No clinical signs of the High Pressure Nervous Syndrome appears.
- The respiratory resistances are considerably reduced.
To allow industrial application of this new diving technology the specific diving equipment should be developed.
The programme will be carried out in three phases :
PHASE 1 :
Engineering study and adaptation to hydrogen of individual diving equipments.
- Open-circuit breathing apparatus.
- Semi-closed-circuit breathing apparatus.
- Closed-circuit breathing apparatus.
- Hyperbaric tests of selected equipments on ventilatory simulator.
- Evaluation of emergency breathing system prototype and tests in hyperbaric
conditions.
- Divers thermic protection. Optimization of diving clothes with reduced flow
of hot water, and cold water tests in atmospheric and hyperbaric pools.
PHASE 2 :
Automatization of gas dehydrogenator :
- System definition.
- System components research and selection :
* pressure sensors
* electronic regulators
* microprocessors
* regulation valves
- Design and construction of the system prototype based on differential
pressure control and monitoring.
- Design and construction of the system prototype based on hydrostatic or
absolute pressure control and monitoring.
PHASE 3 : test dives in the sea to 520 meters'depth to evaluate the equipments and technics in actual conditions gas mixtures :
- Divers selection and training
- Diving site selection
- Work platform construction
- Mobilisation on board of the DSV ORELIA of specific materials and equipments and gases
- HYDRA VIII dives at 520 meters depth.
The purpose of this operation is to accomplish at least 60 hours cumulated
with two teams of 3 divers at a rate of one dive per day for each team.
The total duration of HYDRA VIII is approximatively 30 days including of 6 to 9 days spent at the maximum depth.
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Coordinator
13321 MARSEILLE
France
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