Rebreather diving

Rebreather diving is a type of scuba diving where the diver uses a rebreather instead of an open-circuit diving set. As opposed to exhaling exhaled air out into the water, a rebreather reprocesses each breath to make it breathable again.

History

The concept of rebreathing has been around for several centuries. The first true rebreather was invented by Henry Fleuss in 1878, while working for Siebe Gorman in London. His device was made to supply divers with a constant flow of air. It was also used to supply firemen and miners with breathable air in dangerous situations.

Types of Rebreathers

There are three main types of rebreathers: oxygen rebreathers, semi-closed circuit rebreathers, and closed circuit rebreathers.

Oxygen Rebreathers

Oxygen rebreathers carry a supply of nearly pure oxygen which is recycled and breathed by the diver. They are the simplest type of rebreather but have a limited depth range due to oxygen toxicity risk.

Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreathers

Semi-closed circuit rebreathers recycle some of the exhaled gas and add a constant flow of gas into the breathing loop. They are more complex than oxygen rebreathers and can be used at greater depths.

Closed Circuit Rebreathers

Closed circuit rebreathers (CCRs) recycle all of the exhaled gas and add only the gas that is metabolised by the diver. They are the most complex type of rebreather and can be used at the greatest depths.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Rebreather diving has several advantages over open circuit diving, such as longer dive times and a quieter dive experience. However, they are also more complex and require more maintenance and training to use safely.

Safety

Rebreather diving requires special training and certification due to the increased complexity and potential risks. Divers must be trained to manage potential issues such as oxygen toxicity, carbon dioxide buildup, and equipment failure.

See Also

• Scuba diving
• Technical diving
• Underwater diving

Rebreather diving gallery

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  USMC combatant diving (2nd Recon Bn)
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  US Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) divers
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  Passive addition SCR loop schematic
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  Diver using Inspiration rebreather at the wreck of the MV Orotava