Vaporizers Flashcards
Physical Principles of Vaporizers
Vapor Pressure Latent Heat of Vaporization Specific Heat Thermal Conductivity Ambient Pressure Effects
Vapor Pressure
what temp to they exist in liquid
Contemporary volatile anesthetics exist in liquid state at temperatures at 20 C.
When a volatile anesthetic is in a closed container molecules escape from liquid to vapor phase until the number in vapor phase is constant
These molecules bombard the side of the container and create a saturated vapor pressure
Vapor Pressure Facts
Vapor pressure (VP) increases with temperature but is independent of atmospheric pressure
VP depends only on the physical characteristics of the liquid and its temperature
atmospheric pressure does not effect the vapor pressure
Boiling Point
Boiling point of a liquid is defined as that temperature at which the vapor pressure equals atmospheric pressure
Boiling points for contemporary agents: Desflurane-22.8 C* (note that des requires a special device due to its low boiling point) Isoflurane-48.5 C Halothane-50.2 C Sevoflurane-58.5 C
Latent Heat of Vaporization
When a molecule is converted from a liquid to the gaseous phase energy is consumed
The amount of energy consumed for a given liquid is the latent heat of vaporization
Energy for vaporization must come from either the liquid itself or an outside source
So it is the release of heat
Latent Heat of Vaporization Facts
Heat of vaporization is the amount of calories required to convert 1 g of liquid to vapor without temperature change in the remaining fluid
Thus temperature of the remaining liquid will drop as vaporization proceeds, greatly decreasing subsequent vaporization
As well, VP be lowered unless temperature drop is prevented
(It is very important to maintain the temp of the vaporizer)
Specific Heat
A substance’s specific heat (SH) is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram (1 ml) of a substance by 1degree C.
SH is important when considering the amount of heat that must be supplied to a liquid anesthetic to maintain a stable temp when heat is lost during vaporization
Also manufacturers select materials with high SH to build vaporizers (e.g., copper)
Properties of Gases
Standard Vapor pressures, MAC
Iso 239/ 1.15
Sevo 157/ 2.0
Des 672/ 6.4 (des has a low boiling point)
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal conductivity is a measure of the speed with which heat flows through a substance
The higher the TC the better the substance conducts heat
This is referencing what the vaporizer is actually held in, so copper and bronze move heat well
Thick metal casing help with this conductivity
Anesthetic Vaporizers
bypass circuit- it what goes over the chamber with the agent
Gas as it passes volatilezes the agent
THe amount of gas detemines the concentration
Variable Bypass Vaporizers
Vapor pressures of most anesthetics are much greater than the partial pressure to produce anesthesia
To produce clinically useful concentrations a vaporizer dilutes saturated vapor
Fresh gas flow from flow meter enters the inlet of vaporizer
Concentration control dial splits stream into bypass gas (does not enter chamber it is what is used to dilute the volatile agent) and carrier gas (chamber flow or what gas actually picks up the agent)
Operating Principles of Variable Bypass Vaporizers
so the concentration dial is what actually determines the % of gas going to the patient
Total FGF enters and splits into carrier gas (much less than 20%) and bypass gas (80%)
Two gas flows rejoin at vaporizer outlet
The “splitting ratio” of the two flows depends on the ratio of resistances to their flow (determined by concentration dial) and automatic temperature concentration valve
Variable Bypass Vaporizers and “Flow Over
Carrier gas flows over the surface of the liquid volatile agent in the vaporizing chamber
Increasing contact area between gas and liquid increases efficiency of vaporization
Done by baffles/spiral tracks or wicks
Factors Affecting Vaporizer Output
Flow through the vaporizing chamber Temperature Efficiency of Vaporization Carrier Gas Composition Fresh gas flow Ambient pressure Intermittent back pressure from ventilator
Temperature
As temperature increases, output increases
Output remains the same if some form of temperature compensation occurs
Almost all vaporizers have temperature compensation
- Providing heat to the liquid to minimize the temperature drop
- Increase the flow of fresh gas into the vaporizing chamber to compensate for the reduced vaporization efficiency of the cold fluid