Kirby manual Definitions, Kmacs 5 Kirby Morgan Air Control System

KMACS 5 MANUAL

Section 1.0

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 DEFINITIONS

The following terms may be unfamiliar to the reader. They are defined as they relate to this manual and diving. All parts locations are referenced by LETTER on the diagram, Figure 5, Page 8.

KMACS 5 : Kirby Morgan Air Control System

5.The Trademark name of the device this manual describes. The KMACS 5 contains all of the components necessary to properly control and monitor surface supplied air dives. Included in the KMACS 5 is a two-way voice communicator for talking between the KMACS 5 operator and the diver(s), or diver-to- diver. The communicator operates in both the two wire and four wire mode. The KMACS 5 will supply plenty of air for two surface supplied divers.

Scuba: Self contained underwater breathing appa- ratus.

SSAir Diving: Surface Supplied Air Diving. Diving operation where the diver is supplied breathing air by way of a hose which is part of the diver’s umbilical from the surface. Usually the source of the breathing air is a compressor, but compressed air tanks on the surface can also be used.

Diver’s Umbilical: Several components run together from the KMACS 5, (Dive Control System 2A) to the diver. These components are joined together, usually by tape, forming the umbilical. The most common components used in the diver’s umbilical are: (A) a hose through which the breathing air flows to the diver; (B) a multiconductor wire for communications transmission; (C) another (smaller) hose which is used to show the diver’s depth on the pneumofathometer (see below); (4) a strong line used as a strength mem- ber to prevent strain on the other components of the umbilical. The umbilical should be taped every 10 feet with colored tape to indicate the length of the hose.

High Pressure (H.P.) Hose: A flexible hose de- signed to carry a working pressure of gas (or air) of more than 300 pounds (20.7 bars) per square inch. The rated working pressure is usually indicated on the hose and must not be exceeded. The working pressure of the high pressure hose on the KMACS 5 is 5000 psi (345 bars).

Whip: A hose complete with fittings at each end for use in hooking up two pieces of deck equipment for gas (or air) flow. For instances, the hoses and fittings used to connect the KMACS 5 to the high pressure tanks are called “high pressure whips.”

H.P.: High pressure. Usually any pressure over 300 psi. (20.7 bars).

L.P.: Low pressure. Usually any pressure under 300 psi. (20.7 bars).

Pneumofathometer: (pronounced “new-mo-fath- ometer”) This device measures the diver’s depth. A small hose, which is part of the diver’s umbilical runs from the KMACS 5 to the diver. The hose is open at the diver’s end and attaches with a fitting to a gauge at the KMACS 5. The gauge is calibrated in feet and meters of sea water. A valve is attached between the hose and the gauge so the operator can use a small amount of breathing air to purge water from the small hose. When the valve is shut off, excess air bubbles out of the hose at the diver’s end, and the air left in the hose will be at a pressure equal to the pressure of the water column. This is the exact depth of the diver.

Pneumo: Short for pneumofathometer. Used such as “pneumo-gauge,” “pneumo -valve”, “pneumo- hose”, to describe the parts that make up the pneu- mofathometer subsystem.

Dressed-in:A commercial diver’s suit was origi- nally called a “dress.” Although the name changed

© 2003 KMDSI Document # 041112001