Week 3 - Cylinders/Pipelines and Breathing Circuits Flashcards
What are the methods of gas classification?
- State of matter in cylinder (non-liquified compressed gas or liquified compressed)
- Uses (anesthesia, therapeutic, laboratory)
- Flammability (non-flammable, supports combustion, flammable)
Compressed Gas (Non-liquified) vs Compressed Gas (Liquified)
Compressed Gas Non-Liquified: remains a gas at ordinary temperatures and under pressure of 2000 - 2500 psig (at very low temp become “cryogenic liquids”)
Compressed Gas Liquified: becomes liquid in a container at ordinary temperatures and pressures from 25 - 2500 psig
What are the service pressures of common gases at 70*F?
Oxygen = 1800 - 2400 psig Nitrogen = 1800 - 2200 psig Helium = 1600 - 2000 psig Air = 1800 pisg
What temperature and service pressures are the liquified compressed gases?
Carbon Dioxide (<88*) – 838 psig
Nitrous Oxide (<98*) – 745 psig
What are the levels of flammability?
- Non-Flammable: will NOT burn, support combustion, explode (some gases can extinguish flames)
- Combustion Supporting: increase the rate and intensity of anything that’s burning or could burn, combustible material ignited in pure O2 or N2O environment may be explosive, minimum of 15 ft from flame
- Flammable: can be readily ignited, explosive in the presence of oxygen
What are the common cylinder sizes and capacities for O2?
E cylinder – 660L, 1900psig
H cylinder – 6900L, 2200 psig
What are the anesthetic gases supplied in cylinders and pipelines?
Air Oxygen Nitrous Oxide Carbon Dioxide Helium Heliox
Properties of Anesthetic Gases – Air
- Readily available
- Can be compressed from the atmosphere, dried and purified by chemical and mechanical means
- May also be synthetically produced from the already purified major components nitrogen and oxygen
Properties of Anesthetic Gases – Helium
- Chemically inert, lighter than air, colorless, odorless, nonflammable, will NOT support life
- Main source is from natural gas wells
Properties of Anesthetic Gases – Oxygen
- Gas in a cylinder because critical temperature is below room temp
- Colorless, odorless, tasteless, supports life
- Non-flammable but supports combustion
- Liquid at -300*F
- When combined with most elements produce ___oxides
- Most commercial O2 produced by liquefaction and separation
Properties of Anesthetic Gases – HeliOx
Helium-Oxygen mixture
- Pre-mixed 40% O2 or 20% O2
- Reduces airway resistance
- Reduces airway fires during laser surgery
Properties of Anesthetic Gases – Nitrous Oxide
Molecular Wt: 44 Boiling Point: -88*C Vapor Pressure: 39000
- Liquid at room temp (critical temp is above room temp)
- Room temp N2O condenses into a liquid at 747 psig
- Produced by thermally decomposing ammonium nitrate (common ingredient used in fertilizers and explosives)
How many liters does a full E cylinder of N2O hold? How much does it weigh? What does the cylinder gauge read? What about when no liquid remains?
Full:
Holds 1590L of gas Weighs 20.7 lbs Gauge reads 747 psig
When NO Liquid remaining:
Contains 250L Weighs 14.2 lbs Gauge will start to read lower than 747
Properties of Anesthetic Gases – Carbon Dioxide
- Colorless, odorless, acidic taste, will not support life
- Non-flammable and does NOT burn
- Solid form (dry-ice) coverts from solid to gas at atmospheric pressure and room temp without going liquid
- Collected as waste gas from burning of other combustibles, purified and liquified
How does the FDA regulate gases?
Regulates the supply and sale of medical gases and medical gas delivery systems
How does the US DOT regulate gases?
Publishes requirements for the manufacturing, labeling, filling, transportation, storage, handling, and maintenance of cylinders and containers for the storage of medical gases
How does the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulate gases?
Regulates matters affecting safety and health of employees in all industries, including employee safety when dealing with waste anesthetic gases
How dos the US Pharmacopeia and National Formulary regulate gases?
Sets standards for purity of medical gases (FDA enforces)
What other associations publish safety measures?
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Compressed Gas Association (CGA)
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
International Standards Organization (ISO)
What are gas cylinders made of and how are they sized?
Usually made of chrome molybdenum (Chromoly) alloy — Aluminum in MRI scanner
Sized from A-J (A & H not in medicine)
E = most common in healthcare
What is stamped on the side of a gas cylinder?
Cylinder specs Individual serial number Manufacturer Date of manufacture Date of retesting Color coded and labeled
What are the 7 required DOT cylinder markings?
- DOT type and material
- Serial number
- Purchaser, user, and manufacturer
- Manufacturer’s mark
- Manufacturer’s identifying symbol
- Retest date, retester, ID symbol, 110% filling, 10 year test interval
- Neck ring owner’s ID
Psi vs Psig
vs Psia
Psi = Pounds per square inch
Psig = Pounds per square inch gauge (difference between measured pressure and the surrounding atmosphere) (most gauges will read zero at atmospheric pressure)
Psia = Pounds per square inch absolute (Psig + local atmospheric pressure)
1 atmosphere = ? kPa ? mbar ? mmHg ? cm H2O ? Psi
1 atm = 100 kPa 1000 mbar 760 mmHg 1030 cm H2O 14.7 Psi
What is the Bourdon Pressure Gauge?
- measures pressure of GAS remaining in cylinder
- made of a small hallow metal tube, soldered at one end, bent into a curve, and linked to a clockwork
- increase in pressure cause tube to straighten, decrease to regain its curve
- movement transmitted to clock mechanism and accompanying scale
- gauges calibrated in kPa but psi also used
The E cylinder with the ____ pressure will supply gas to the machine.
highest
What is cylinder pressure an indicator of?
indicator of content volume – only if the contents are all in a gaseous state, NOT a liquid state
If contents is partially liquid, (like N2O) the pressure will remain constant until the last of the liquid is evaporated, then the pressure will fall rapidly
What is the Pin Index Safety System (PISS)?
Each gas CYLINDER has its own unique PIN position
- 2 pins in anesthesia machine
- 2 holes in cylinder valve
PINS should NOT allow wrong cylinder to be mounted – however the system is not failsafe
What are the Index Pins for oxygen, nitrous oxide, and air
Oxygen = 2, 5
Nitrous Oxide = 3, 5
Air = 1, 5