The Story of Scuba Equipment

Scuba, the frequently used acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, has undoubtedly opened up the underwater world as a territory for discovery, utilization and recreation. People living in the coastal areas have used diving for gathering food and other items from the water. The earliest divers utilized hollow reed for breathing while underwater. Explorers started using diving bells in 1600s. Since then, scuba developers have introduced various techniques to ensure an extraordinary underwater experience for divers. They have advanced the technology to an incredible extent so humans can enjoy a breathable atmosphere thousands of feet under the ocean.

The Real Scuba

Extended underwater activities could not be regarded as self-contained until 1985, since they required snorkels or air pumps to provide air from the surface. William James, an English scientist invented the very first workable scuba system in 1985. It included a cylindrical air-reservoir belt (pressurized to 450 psi) that was worn around the trunk of the diver. Auguste Denayrouse and Benoit Rouquayrol, two French inventors, patented the Aerophore in 1865. It was a steel air tank (pressurized to 350 psi). The divers wore it on their back. It was connected to a mouthpiece that delivered air to the diver only when he/she inhaled. It was the very first pressure-sensitive, underwater demand regulator. The tank can easily be replenished from the surface, but it holds enough air for short, independent activities.

Introduction of Recycling Systems

The initial scuba systems presented numerous weaknesses. Evidently, air contains a limited amount of oxygen approximately 21%. The carbon dioxide exhaled by the diver would accumulate to lethal levels if the equipment provided only a single air reservoir to inhale and exhale. Moreover, if the air breathed out was vented into the surrounding water to eliminate carbon dioxide, indicative bubbles rose to the water surface exposing undercover military divers to detection. In 1876, Henry A. Fleuss, an English merchant seaman used compressed oxygen and managed to recycle the exhaled breath of the diver through caustic potash to absorb CO2. It was the foremost self-contained system that cleared carbon dioxide and left no bubbles to rise to the water surface. It offered 3 hours of underwater time. Fleusss scuba diving equipment became the prototype of the entire modern military systems.

Reliable Scuba
Fleusss equipment still left a few problems unresolved. According to Laurence Martin, a famous author, the oxygen became highly lethal under pressure. The safe duration of usage decreased with the decreasing depth, which increased the pressure. The high percentage of nitrogen in the air caused a dangerous medical condition known as the bends. Later research showed that replacing a small amount of nitrogen with helium prevented such problems. Presently, scuba divers are given a choice to opt for a gas mixture that suits their diving practices the best. The advanced scuba systems include tailored gas mixtures, highly efficient carbon dioxide absorbers, stronger tanks, reliable gear and improved pressure regulators. In addition to the highly advanced,

modern scuba equipment, you need an in-depth comprehensive training to gain diving competence. Nearly one million scuba diving competency certifications are being issued every year all around the world. For all things scuba diving related in Florida visit http://www.depthperception.com/