Rebreather

A rebreather is a type of breathing equipment that provides a breathing gas containing oxygen and recycles exhaled gas. This recycling reduces the volume of breathing gas used, making a rebreather a lightweight and compact breathing set for long durations in environments where humans cannot safely breathe from the atmosphere.

Related Topics:
Breathing gas - Oxygen - Breathing set

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rebreather technology is used in many environments:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• underwater - where it is sometimes known as "closed circuit scuba" as opposed to Aqua-Lung-type equipment, which is known as "open circuit scuba".
• mine rescue and in industry - where poisonous gases may be present or oxygen may be absent.
• space suits - the outer space is a vacuum where there is no oxygen to support life.
• Hospital anaesthesia breathing systems - to supply controlled proportions of gases to patients without altering the atmosphere the staff breathe.
• submarines and hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers - where the gas in the habitat must remain safe. Here the rebreather is big and is connected to the air in the habitat.

As a person breathes, the body consumes oxygen and makes carbon dioxide. A person with an open-circuit breathing set typically only uses about a quarter of the oxygen in the air that is breathed in. The rest is breathed out along with the nitrogen.

Related Topics:
Carbon dioxide - Open-circuit

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

With a rebreather, the exhaled gas is not discharged to waste. The rebreather recovers the exhaled oxygen for re-use. It absorbs the carbon dioxide, which otherwise would accumulate and become poisonous. It adds oxygen to replace what was consumed. Thus, the gas in the rebreather's circuit remains breathable and supports life processes. Nearly always, the oxygen comes from a cylinder, and the carbon dioxide is absorbed in a canister full of some absorbent chemical such as soda lime.

Related Topics:
Carbon dioxide - Poisonous - Soda lime

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
Rebreather: History of rebreathers ►