Breathing gas heater

Claim 2

A portable gas heating system for attachment to a pressurized gas source to provide heated breathing gas to a diver''s mouth and head and to reduce the body''s thermal heat loss in a cold aqueous environment by utilizing a small heat input where thermal loss is the greatest comprising: a Vortex tube which separates high pressure gas from a diver''s tank into cold and hot streams; metal tubing connected to said Vortex tube which carries the cold stream of separated gas to an outer section for exposure to the aqueous environment and for heat absorption and to an inner section into a heat exchanger for further thermal energy addition before being mixed with the hot stream and breathed by the diver; a double walled insulated chamber containing said Vortex tube and the inner section of said metal tubing which maintains a heated fluid so that all thermal energy therein is conducted to the gas passing through it in the metal tubing; a heated fluid which is contained in the double walled insulated chamber For heating the cold stream of gas prior to breathing selected from the group consisting of fresh water, sea water and ethylene glycol; fins surrounding said Vortex tube for heat transfer which dissipate heat of the hot stream of gas passing through the Vortex tube prior to mixing with the heated cold stream; a valve means connected to the outlet of said Vortex tube and the outlet of said inner section to control gas flow and temperature which allows optimum setting of cold stream volume and hot stream volume and mixes the two streams prior to breathing; tube means to supply gas to the heater and carry gas for breathing that are adaptable to standard diving equipment to make the unit a plug-in system; and, a protective housing to improve continuity of the heater''s design and protect the exposed coiled tubing from damage while allowing ambient water to pass through for heat transfer with the cold stream inside the tubing.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the insulated chamber''s inner walls are highly reflective to minimize radiation heat loss.

Claim 4

The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the double walled insulated chamber is molded from a foamed thermoplastic.

Claim 5

A portable gas heating system for attachment to a pressurized gas source to provide heated breathing gas to a diver''s mouth and head and to reduce the body''s thermal heat loss in a cold aqueous environment by utilizing a small heat input where thermal loss is the greatest comprising: a Vortex tube which separates high pressure gas from a diver''s tank into cold and hot streams; metal tubing connected to said Vortex tube which carries the cold stream of separated gas to an outer section for exposure to the aqueous environment and for heat absorption and to an inner section into a heat exchanger for further thermal energy addition before being mixed with the hot stream and breathed by the diver; a double walled insulated chamber containing said Vortex tube and the inner section of said metal tubing with highly reflective inner walls minimizing radiation loss which maintains a heated fluid so that all thermal energy therein is conducted to the gas passing through it in the metal tubing; a heated fluid which is contained in the double walled insulated chamber for heating the cold stream of gas prior to breathing selected from the group consisting of fresh water, sea water and ethylene glycol; fins surrounding said Vortex tube for heat transfer which dissipate heat of the hot stream of gas passing through the Vortex tube prior to mixing with the heated cold stream; a valve means connected to the outlet of said Vortex tube and the outlet of said inner section to control gas flow and temperature which allows optimum setting of cold stream volume and hot stream volume and mixes the two streams prior to breathing; tube means to supply gas to the heater and carry gas for breathing that are adaptable to standard diving equipment to make the unit a plug-in system; and, a protective housing to improve continuity of the heater''s design and protect the exposed coiled tubing from damage while allowing ambient water to pass through for heat transfer with the cold stream inside the tubing.

Claim 6

A portable gas heating system for attachment to a pressurized gas source to provide heated breathing gas to a diver''s mouth and head and to reduce the body''s thermal heat loss in a cold aqueous environment by utilizing a small heat input where thermal loss is the greatest comprising: a Vortex tube which separates high pressure gas from a diver''s tank into cold and hot streams; metal tubing connected to said Vortex tube which carries the cold stream of separated gas to an outer section for exposure to the aqueous environment and for heat absorption and to an inner section into a heat exchanger for further thermal energy addition before being mixed with the hot stream and breathed by the diver; a double walled insulated chamber containing said Vortex tube and the inner section of said metal tubing with highly reflective inner walls minimizing radiation loss which maintains a heated fluid so that all thermal energy therein is conducted to the gas passing through it in the metal tubing; a heated fluid which is contained in the double walled insulated chamber for heating the cold stream of gas prior to breathing selected from the group consisting of fresh water, sea water and ethylene glycol; fins surrounding said Vortex tube for heat transfer which dissipate heat of the hot stream of gas passing through the Vortex tube prior to mixing with the heated cold stream; a valve means connected to the outlet of said Vortex tube and the outlet of said inner section to control gas flow and temperature which allows optimum setting of cold stream volume and hot stream volume and mixes the two streams prior to breathing; tube means to supply gas to the heater and carry gas for breathing that are adaptable to standard diving equipment to make the unit a plug-in system; and, a protective housing to improve continuity of the heater''s design and protect the exposed coiled tubing from damage while allowing ambient water to pass through for heat transfer with the cold stream inside the tubing.

Claim 7

A portable gas heating system for attachment to a pressurized gas source to provide heated breathing gas to a diver''s mouth and head and to reduce the body''s thermal heat loss in a cold aqueous environment by utilizing a small heat input where thermal loss is the greatest comprising: a Vortex tube which separates high pressure gas from a diver''s tank into cold and hot streams; metal tubing connected to said Vortex tube which carries the cold stream of separated gas to an outer section for exposure to the aqueous environment and for heat absorption and to an inner section into a heat exchanger for further thermal energy addition before being mixed with the hot stream and breathed by the diver; an Insulated chamber containing said Vortex tube and the inner section of said metal tubing which maintains a heated fluid so that all thermal energy therein is conducted to the gas passing through it in the metal tubing; a heated fluid which is contained in said insulated chamber for heating the cold stream of gas prior to breathing; heat transfer means which dissipates heat of the hot stream of gas passing through the Vortex tube prior to mixing with the heated cold stream; a valve means connected to the outlet of said Vortex tube and the outlet of said inner section to control gas flow and temperature which allows optimum setting of cold stream volume and hot stream volume and mixes the two streams prior to breathing; tube means to supply gas to the heater and carry gas for breathing; and, a protective housing to protect the exposed coiled tubing from damage while allowing ambient water to pass through for heat transfer with the cold stream inside the tubing.

Claim 8

A portable gas heating system for attachment to a pressurized gas source to provide heated breathing gas to a diver''s mouth and head and to reduce the body''s thermal heat loss in a cold aqueous environment by utilizing a small heat input where thermal loss is the greatest comprising: a Vortex tube which separates high pressure gas from a diver''s tank into cold and hot streams; metal tubing connected to said Vortex tube which carries the cold stream of separated gas to an outer section for exposure to the aqueous environment and for heat absorption and to an inner section into a heat exchanger for further thermal energy addition before being mixed with the hot stream and breathed by the diver; an Insulated chamber containing said Vortex tube and the inner section of said metal tubing which maintains a heated fluid so that all thermal energy therein is conducted to the gas passing through it in the metal tubing; a heated fluid which is contained in said insulated chamber for heating the cold stream of gas prior to breathing; heat transfer means which dissipates heat of the hot stream of gas passing through the Vortex tube prior to mixing with the heated cold stream; a valve means connected to the outlet of said Vortex tube and the outlet of said inner section to control gas flow and temperature which allows optimum setting of cold stream volume and hot stream volume and mixes the two streams prior to breathing; tube means to supply gas to the heater and carry gas for breathing; and, a protective housing to protect the exposed coiled tubing from damage while allowing ambient water to pass through for heat transfer with the cold stream inside the tubing.