Diving cylinder

Diving cylinder or scuba tank is a gas cylinder used to store and transport high pressure breathing gas as a component of a scuba set. It provides the gas to the scuba diver through the demand valve of a diving regulator.

Design and construction

Diving cylinders are usually manufactured from aluminium or steel alloys and are normally fitted with a cylinder valve to control the gas flow. The design and construction of these cylinders must adhere to safety standards set by organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Use in scuba diving

In scuba diving, the diving cylinder is carried by the diver on his or her back in a diving harness, which is part of the buoyancy compensator device (BCD). The gas in the cylinder is inhaled by the diver through a diving regulator which reduces the high pressure in the cylinder to the ambient pressure at the diver's mouth.

Safety considerations

The use of diving cylinders involves potential risks such as gas contamination, cylinder explosion and oxygen toxicity. Therefore, regular inspection and testing of the cylinders is required to ensure their safety.

See also

• Scuba diving
• Diving equipment
• Diving regulator
• Diving safety

References

Diving cylinder Resources
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