Breathing air compressors are important in maintaining quality air for SCUBA divers and firefighters. They fill the tanks that operators use, but how do they work? This video explains how one SCUBA diver uses an air compressor on board a boat to get the most out of his breathing tank.
Breathing air compressors differ from other air compressors because they fill tanks that are used by people for breathing. The air quality needs to be top-notch. Through a series of mechanisms that pressurize, cool, and separate moisture over and over, the air becomes breathable.
This SCUBA diver uses an air compressor onboard a sailboat, which is unusual to have available on such a small craft. They have improvised a series of batteries to allow them to power the unit in a confined space for their needs. A rod is inserted in the air intake, but they need to make sure they are away from running engines to avoid carbon monoxide issues.
A fill hose is then attached to the SCUBA tank to make it ready to receive air from the compressor. Everything is powered up and the compressor fills the tank with usable air. The SCUBA diver monitors various metrics the entire time to make sure it’s all good. For more information, check out the video above.