o2 Question

[ScottM]

I am a scuba instructor and have my own O2 kit already that I use for oxygen first aid resulting from pressure injuries. The kit has a demand valve regulator with an orifice to have a constant stream of O2 at a variety of rates up to 15lpm.

I would also like to use this kit in the plane for some higher altitude ops.
When using O2 in the cockpit what rate setting should I use? Is a nasal canula acceptable to use or is there something else that pilots like to have?

Scott

 

[bbchien]

I am a scuba instructor and have my own O2 kit already that I use for oxygen first aid resulting from pressure injuries. The kit has a demand valve regulator with an orifice to have a constant stream of O2 at a variety of rates up to 15lpm.

I would also like to use this kit in the plane for some higher altitude ops.
When using O2 in the cockpit what rate setting should I use? Is a nasal canula acceptable to use or is there something else that pilots like to have?

Scott

Scott, check to see first that the regulator is vented on the back side. Closed regulators are OK at sea level, but change the differential pressures on the diaphragm at altitude.

CAMI has an ancient publication (don't have it handy) which suggests 3L/min at 15K, 2 L at 12K. However there was no data to back this suggestion. Since Pulse Oximeters have gotten cheaper, a lotta guys use them to tell- dial to 90%.

Flow rates are significantly lower with reservoir type cannulas- oxymisers, etc. I can use 1.5 L from an oxymiser up to 16,000 with a saturation of 90%.
Straight hospital cheapies require more.