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Positive Pressure SCBA Overview

An SCBA is a self-contained breathing apparatus worn by rescue workers and firefighters to provide breathable air in dangerous atmospheres. It consists of an air cylinder, pressure regulator, and face mask connected together on a carrying frame. The air cylinder stores compressed, filtered air rather than oxygen. When breathing, the regulator reduces the air pressure and feeds it into the mask. SCBA masks can be full face or just cover the nose and mouth. The air cylinder typically lasts 30-45 minutes depending on the wearer's exertion level. Positive pressure SCBA systems are preferable as they prevent contaminated air from leaking into the mask if it does not fit perfectly.

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Abraham DeVilliers
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804 views2 pages

Positive Pressure SCBA Overview

An SCBA is a self-contained breathing apparatus worn by rescue workers and firefighters to provide breathable air in dangerous atmospheres. It consists of an air cylinder, pressure regulator, and face mask connected together on a carrying frame. The air cylinder stores compressed, filtered air rather than oxygen. When breathing, the regulator reduces the air pressure and feeds it into the mask. SCBA masks can be full face or just cover the nose and mouth. The air cylinder typically lasts 30-45 minutes depending on the wearer's exertion level. Positive pressure SCBA systems are preferable as they prevent contaminated air from leaking into the mask if it does not fit perfectly.

Uploaded by

Abraham DeVilliers
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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  • Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): Provides detailed information about the components, usage, and safety considerations of a self-contained breathing apparatus, emphasizing positive and negative pressure systems.

SELF CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS

1. A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), sometimes referred to as a compressed


air breathing apparatus (CABA) or simply breathing apparatus (BA), is a device worn
by rescue workers, firefighters, and others to provide breathable air in an immediately
dangerous to life or health atmosphere.
2. An SCBA typically has three main components: a high-pressure cylinder, a pressure
regulator and an inhalation connection (mouthpiece, mouth mask or face mask),
connected together and mounted to a carrying frame.
3. SCBA is filled with filtered, compressed air, rather than pure oxygen.
4. Typical SCBA systems have two regulators; a first stage
to reduce the pressure of air to allow it to be carried to the
mask, and a second stage regulator to reduce it even
further to a level just above standard atmospheric pressure.
This air is then fed to the mask via either a demand valve
(activating only on inhalation) or a continuous positive
pressure valve (providing constant airflow to the mask).
5. SCBA has
i) a full face mask
ii) regulator
iii) air cylinder
iv) cylinder pressure gauge
v) remote pressure gauge (sometimes with an integrated PASS device)
vi) a harness with adjustable shoulder straps and waist belt which lets it be worn on
the back.
6. Our cylinder is having volume capacity of 6 litre. The duration of the cylinder can be
calculated with this formula:
𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒓𝒆 ∗ 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒂𝒓
𝑫𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 = − 𝟏𝟎 𝒎𝒊𝒏
𝟒𝟎 𝒍𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝟏 𝒂𝒕𝒎/𝒎𝒊𝒏

(the 10 is subtracted to provide a safety margin)


6∗300
so, a 6-liter cylinder, of 300bar, is = − 10 min =35 minutes working duration.
40
7. The relative fitness, and especially the level of exertion of the wearer, often results in
variations of the actual usable time that the SCBA can provide air, often reducing the
working time by 25% to 50%.

Positive pressure (preventing inward leaking)


i) Open circuit SCBAs utilize either "positive pressure" or "negative pressure"
operation.
ii) A negative pressure system relies on the internal pressure of the mask dropping to
below the ambient pressure to activate flow. if the mask does not seal perfectly,
some leakage of ambient gas into the mask will occur, which can be a problem
with toxic or irritant smoke and fumes.
iii) A positive pressure system slightly pressurises the interior of the mask and
activates flow when the pressure difference is reduced, but still above ambient. If
the mask leaks, there will be continuous flow to maintain the pressure, and no
inward leakage is possible. With a good fit this is economical on gas and prevents
contamination. If the mask falls off the regulator will continuously expend gas
trying to raise the pressure, and may use up a significant amount of gas before it is
corrected.
iv) Although the performance of both types of SCBA may be similar under optimum
conditions, this "fail safe" behaviour makes a "positive pressure" SCBA preferable
for most applications. As there is usually no air usage penalty in providing
positive pressure, the older "Negative pressure" type is, in most cases, an obsolete
configuration and is only seen with older equipment. However, some users refuse
to use this technology as in case of a damage or loss of the facepiece the air will
be released uncontrolled. The leakage rate can be so high that a fully charged
SCBA will be drained in less than three minutes, a problem that does not happen
with "negative pressure" SCBA systems.

SELF CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS 1. A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), sometimes referred to as a compressed ai
iii) A positive pressure system slightly pressurises the interior of the mask and activates flow when the pressure differen

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