Underwater Breathing Apparatus

An independent closed circuit regenerative type of breathing apparatus has been developed for isolating the respiratory tract from the ambient medium for use during breathing by personnel working in underwater or polluted atmosphere. An oxygen reducer is used in the design of this apparatus for catering to the required flows of oxygen for breathing during use of the apparatus and thus avoiding oxygen poisoning. The paper describes some of the salient aspects of the breathing apparatus to be deployed for submariners and other diving personnel of the Indian Navy and its potential usefulness as a life saving equipment

Submarine Escape Set Test Facilities

Submarine Escape Set (SES) is used by submariners to escape from a sunken submarine. This set caters for breathing needs of the submariner under water, until he reaches the surface. Evaluation of such life-saving equipment is of paramount importance. This paper describes the submarine escape set and various constructional features and schedules of operation of test facilities designed indegenously and which can evaluate the SES. The test facility is divided into two parts: the reducer test facility, and the breathing bag test facility. The equipment has been rigorously tested and accepted by Indian Navy. Two such test facilities have been developed, one of which is installed at INS Satavahana, Visakhapatnam, and are working satisfactorily