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Calibration of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus: Dr. Nour F. Attia

The document discusses calibration of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). It describes how SCBA must be calibrated to ensure the oxygen concentration and air composition inside the oxygen cylinder meets standards. This includes calibrating the oxygen concentration using an oxygen index instrument traceable to international standards. The air composition is also calibrated to validate it meets limits for contaminants. Proper calibration of SCBA is necessary to guarantee the quality of breathing air supplied to firefighters and workers.

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Ahmed Awwad
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317 views14 pages

Calibration of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus: Dr. Nour F. Attia

The document discusses calibration of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). It describes how SCBA must be calibrated to ensure the oxygen concentration and air composition inside the oxygen cylinder meets standards. This includes calibrating the oxygen concentration using an oxygen index instrument traceable to international standards. The air composition is also calibrated to validate it meets limits for contaminants. Proper calibration of SCBA is necessary to guarantee the quality of breathing air supplied to firefighters and workers.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Awwad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Calibration of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus

Dr. Nour F. Attia


Fire & Explosion Protection Laboratory, Chemistry Division, National Institute of
Standards(NIS)
*E-mail address: [email protected]
 The occupational diseases attributed by breathing air contaminated with harmful

dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, and vapors.

 Purifying of air contamination is required.

 Respiratory protection is required which implement convenient respirators.

 The respirators used when the concentration of oxygen in workplace is less than

19.5 % by volume or there is toxic gases, vapors, and particulates.

 There two types of respirators based on the use.

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 Air-purifying respirator : this is a respirator with an air-purifying filter, cartridge,

or canister that removes specific air contaminants by passing ambient air through

the air-purifying element.

 In this type the respirator have container with a filter, sorbent, or catalyst, or

combination of these items, which removes specific contaminants from the air

passed through the container.

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Types of Respirators,(2)
 End-of-service-life indicator (ESLI) : a system that warns the respirator user of

the approach of the end of adequate respiratory protection, for example, that the

sorbent is approaching saturation or is no longer effective.

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Types of Respirators,(3)

 Atmosphere-supplying respirator: this is a respirator that supplies the respirat-


or user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere,
and includes supplied-air respirators (SARs) and self-contained breathing apparat
-us (SCBA) units.

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Types of Respirators,(4)
Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) : is an atmosphere-supplying

respirator for which the breathing air source is designed to be carried by the user.

Supplied-air respirator (SAR) or airline respirator: is an atmosphere-supplying

respirator for which the source of breathing air is not designed to be carried by the

user.

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Breathing air Quality,(1)

 The atmosphere-supplying respirators (supplied-air and SCBA) should be provide with


breathing gases of high purity.

The compressed air, compressed oxygen,


liquid air, and liquid oxygen used for respiration
accords with the following specifications

Compressed breathing
Compressed and liquid air shall meet at least
oxygen shall meet the the requirements for
United States Grade D breathing air
Pharmacopoeia described in
requirements for ANSI/Compressed Gas
medical or breathing Association Commodity
oxygen. Specification for Air, G-
7.1-1989

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Breathing air Quality,(2)

Oxygen content (v/v)


of 19.5-23.5%

Hydrocarbon content
of 5 milligrams per
Compressed cubic meter of air or
breathing air shall less
meet at least the
requirements for
Grade D breathing Carbon monoxide
air described in (CO) content of 10
ANSI/Compressed ppm or less
Gas Association
Commodity
Specification for Air, Carbon dioxide
G-7.1-1989 content of 1,000 ppm
or less

Lack of noticeable
odor

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Breathing air Quality,(3)

Compressed oxygen shouldn't


used in atmosphere-supplying
respirators that have previously
used compressed air.
This in addition to
Oxygen concentrations should be
greater than 23.5% are used only in
equipment designed for oxygen
service or distribution.

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Breathing air Quality,(4)

Cylinders are tested and


maintained as prescribed
in the Shipping Container
Specification Regulations
of the Department of
Transportation (49 CFR
part 180);

Cylinders used to Cylinders of purchased


supply breathing air breathing air have a
to respirators should certificate of analysis from
meet the following the supplier that the
requirements breathing air meets the
requirements for Grade D
breathing air

The moisture content in


the cylinder does not
exceed a dew point of -50
deg.F (-45.6 deg.C) at 1
atmosphere pressure

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Breathing air Quality,(5)

Prevent entry of contaminated air into the air-supply system

Compressors used to
supply breathing air to
respirators are
constructed and Minimize moisture content so that the dew point at 1 atmosphere
situated so as to pressure is 10 degrees F (5.56 deg.C) below the ambient temperature.

Have suitable in-line air-purifying sorbent beds and filters to further


ensure breathing air quality. Sorbent beds and filters shall be
maintained and replaced or refurbished periodically following the
manufacturer's instructions.

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Calibration of Respirator, (SCBA) (1)

Calibration of the oxygen


concentration in the cylinder
using the Oxygen index
Instrument in NIS which
traceable to SI unit, Noteworthy
to note other factors such as
purity of gas, regulator accuracy
and so on of the instrument
should consider in the
Uncertainty budget calculation.
Calibration

Calibration of the composition


of the Air inside the cylinder to
validate the permissible limit
of hazard objects.

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Calibration of Respirator, (SCBA) (2)

13
Thank You

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