DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE SCRUBBER MATERIAL

STOPPING WATER IN ITS TRACKS

As Dr Bob instructed me a long time ago. For every molecule of CO2 scrubbed there are two molecules of water produced. We also have some water evaporating from our lungs (but not much as we are inhaling almost saturated air) and some other more interesting fluids are expelled with our exhalations. Lastly sometimes there are little leaks. Many systems of water traps are used and some systems have pumps to dump the water. I took a different approach and decided to stop the water where I wanted it, preventing it from being where I didn't want it.

The material I used has been around a long time. It is a nontoxic polymer that loves water. It is used mostly in horticulture...hence its availability at Home Depot. (Dr. Bob will like that.) My system does not require a lathe (sorry Dave). Instead I used the end of a pair of panty hose. That was the perfect mesh reusable bag. I simply put a teaspoon of the watergel crystals in each end and sealed with a ty wrap. In the top of the picture you can see the size of the crystals at the beginning of the dive. In the lower right you can see the crystals after stopping the water in its tracks. On my pool checkout dive today, I used the system and had not a bit of trouble with water. Each reabreather is different. In the RGU I placed the double bag at the bottom of the scrubber. A bag like this could go in the counter lung or anywhere that would not block the airway. One tenth of an ounce of crystals will trap up to 10 ounces of water. Because salt reduces the efficiency, I use two tenths of an ounce to capture the 5 ounces I expect to produce in about an hour of diving. I bought the 2 pound size which should cover 160 hours underwater at least.

Another Clever Solution to Rebreather Diving Problems