PADI....

An Enriching Experience

One of the most recent specialty diver programs to be introduced into the PADI System is the PADI Enriched Air Diver Specialty course. It is designed to familiarize divers with the procedures, safety protocols, hazards, risks, benefits, and theory of no decompression diving with oxygen enriched air.

Although the course emphasizes the use of Enriched Air 32 (EANx32) and Enriched Air 36 (EANx36), which are the two most common blends of enriched air used by recreational divers (the 32 and 36 designate the percentage of oxygen in the mixture), it also includes training in calculating blends of enriched air up to 40 percent oxygen.

What is enriched air? As you know, air consists of approximately 79% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Enriched air has been enriched with oxygen, so it has more than 21% oxygen. Enriched air is any nitrogen/oxygen gas blend with more than 21% oxygen. You may have heard of enriched air referred to as 'nitrox.' However, the term 'nitrox' also includes nitrogen/oxygen mixes with less than 21% oxygen (commonly used by commercial divers to reduce oxygen exposure when remaining under pressure for several days).

The primary application of enriched air is to extend your no decompression limits beyond those of normal air. It does so by replacing some of the nitrogen you would normally breathe underwater with oxygen. As a result, your body absorbs less nitrogen than you would if you were breathing normal air. This means you'll have longer no decompression limits for each depth than you do using normal air.

During the PADI Enriched Air Diver Specialty course, you'll spend time discussing equipment considerations when diving with enriched air. A few of the topics covered during this portion of training include the requirements and recommendations for scuba equipment used with enriched air with up to 40% oxygen, why enriched air diving requires a dedicated cylinder, and specialized color coding, stickers and tag designations.

Enriched air diving requires additional planning steps, so a great deal of the Enriched Air Diver Specialty course involves proper planning of your dive. You'll learn about equivalent air depths and how these apply to your dive planning. You'll also calculate enriched air blends using the DSAT Equivalent Air Depth Table. Once mastered, you'll apply this information to repetitive dives when using the same enriched air blend, as well as with different enriched air blends. You'll learn the limits associated with oxygen exposure, as well as the hazards of exceeding these limits and become familiar with the signs and symptoms of oxygen toxicity.

Once you've mastered this portion of the course, as well as all other academic portions, you'll be ready to complete the two required enriched air training dives. The primary focus of the dives will be to apply the information learned from the Enriched Air Diver Manual, video, academic sessions, and the practical application sessions.

The PADI Enriched Air Diver Specialty course may be the perfect opportunity for you to extend your bottom times and enjoyment of diving. Stop by your local PADI Dive Center today.