Portable oxygen

[ncdmtb]

I don't have experience with this yet, so any advice on this topic would be much appreciated.

My airplane came with a portable oxygen bottle. Via a T-splitter, the is one hose with a cannula attachef and a second with an oxygen mask. What do I need to do, if I want to fit the bottle for pilot + 3 passengers. Is there a splitter that I can attach with 4 outlets that can be turned on/off? That way, if I fly by myself I just turn the other 3 off. If I fly with passengers, I could turn them on accordingly.

Is that how it would be done in practice?

How do others do ths?

[DrBill]

You really need a regulator with 4 ports so that each persons tube is at a constant pressure.  With an "E" your flying will not be high enough to require a mask so cannula is the best solution AND  OXIMIZER cannula use about 1/4 the O2. You can buy the regulator separately to add to your tank. I would not fly with a system as you describe where you're sharing a single output line unless I was alone and pinched off the mask.

I have a 4 port system and 4 oximizer cannula.  Each cannula has a valve to reduce the o2 flow and you adjust the valve based upon altitude  OR need (I have a pulse Oximeter to monitor blood O2 level). Without the valve, I got about 4 hrs out of a 30 cu ft tank.

BILL

[bumper]

In determining which type of O2 system performs best, you might have a look at this recent test (yet to be released by the FAA but posted with permission from them) comparing Mountain Highs EDS and Precise Flights O2 conserving systems. Scroll down to page 18 and 21 if you just want to see the results. An eye opener for sure.

 

http://www.craggyaero.com/User%20Guides/CAMI%20Testing%20of%20Pulse%20Oxygen%20Systems.pdf

 

bumper

[DrBill]

That's a great report of Pulse Demand Systems...For the newcomer, here is the definition of Pulse demand systems which are the latest technology and the highest price:

From the report page 1

Pulse oxygen systems deliver a pulse or bolus of oxygen during inhalation through a nasal cannula or oro-nasal mask. The design

and function of pulse oxygen systems contains elements of continuous flow and diluter demand oxygen delivery systems

The old style system, which I use is constant flow

From page 3 regarding the current technology:

In general aviation aircraft, either continuous flow or diluter demand oxygen systems are

generally used to provide supplemental oxygen. In continuous flow systems, the use of a nasal

cannula for oxygen delivery is allowed up to altitudes of 18,000 feet MSL, and oro-nasal masks

are permitted up to 25,000 ft MSL.

You can read more about the flow rates etc on page 3.

This is a nice piece of reference material. Thanks to BUMPER for posting the link !

 

BILL

[N201MKTurbo]

Interesting.

I have found that I have to set my PF unit to the 25k setting to get 90% SPO2 at 16k feet.

There is no reason to not have a pulse ox on board and do whatever is required to keep your SPO2 above 90%.