Performance of a Portable Oxygen Breathing System at 25,000 Feet Altitude

Details

• Creators:
  Garner, R. P. ; Murphy, R. E. ; Hudgins, C. B ; Mandella Jr, Joseph G.
• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Office of Aerospace Medicine
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Altitude
  • Portable equipment
  • Hypoxia
  • Oxygen equipment
  • Medical equipment
  • Aviation medicine
  • Decompression
  • Human subject testing
  • Physiological aspects
  • Supplemental Oxygen
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT/FAA/AM-98/27
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
• Abstract:
  A portable oxygen system utilizing open port dilution rebreathing mask technology was tested for its ability to deliver an adequate supply of oxygen at an altitude of 25,000 feet above sea level. Twenty-two subjects, 11 females and 11 males, participated in the study. Blood oxygen saturation (SaO2) baseline levels for hypoxic exposure were established for each subject. Altitude testing consisted of the subject being placed in a hypobaric chamber and it being decompressed to an altitude of 25,000 feet. Immediately after the start of the decompression, the subject was instructed to don the oxygen mask and start the flow of oxygen from the portable cylinder. Oxygen flow to the mask was continuous at 4 liters per minute. Once at altitude, the subjects pedaled a cycle ergometer at a resistance of 15 watts for five minutes. SaO2 and other physiological variables were monitored throughout the altitude exposure. SaO2 levels were maintained at ground level values for all subjects throughout the altitude exposures. At no point during the testing did oxygenation levels approach baseline levels for hypoxic exposure. The portable oxygen system tested provided protection from hypobaric hypoxia at an altitude of 25,000 feet.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57914/dot_57914_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 461.12 KB]
• Collection(s):
  FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:8ce00b0cf681800714db1e6296ed5421f647478533174e070ae217932fff7ff7