The Southern Oceanics SM-5A Air Dive System is IMCA D023 compliant and comprises a Type 1400 Offshore Recompression Chamber, a fully equipped dive control station, an emergency HP air storage bank for the divers and Recompression Chamber and an HP oxygen storage bank. The system requires only an external primary LP air supply and electrical power to be fully operational.

The Recompression Chamber is ASME PVHO-1 U-stamp certified and fitted out to a high specification. The medical lock, bunks and control panel are all stainless steel and the chamber is equipped with oxygen and carbon dioxide monitoring, primary and secondary communications, CO2 scrubber, hyperbaric fire extinguisher, caisson depth gauge, emergency power supply and primary and secondary air supplies.

The dive control station comprises a three-diver bulkhead-mounted stainless steel dive control panel with depth monitoring and primary and secondary air supplies for each diver with independent supplies for the standby diver, a communications console with a three-diver rack-mounted communications set and a deck and vessel bridge communications system. A writing surface and deck observation window is also provided for the diving supervisor.

The HP air storage bank comprises two 200 bar air banks, an 80m 3capacity unit for the Recompression Chamber and one 60m 3capacity unit for the divers with HP cross-connects. The diver air storage banks are further divided into 30m 3for the two working divers and 30m 3for the standby diver, each supply with its own piston-sensed regulator with LP cross-connects.

A safety feature of the system is the 40m 3HP oxygen storage bank installed in a flush-mounted external steel locker with ventilation grille to prevent an oxygen build-up inside the container in the event of an oxygen leak.

MJ Information No: 18629