Basically, decompression diving is like technical diving because of the depth of the dives made. Traditional recreational diving and scuba diving, in contrast, is done in much shallower water.
Decompression diving comprises the planning and monitoring of the diving depths as indicated by the algorithms or tables of the chosen decompression dive, the equipment available and appropriate to the circumstances of the dive, and the procedures authorized for the equipment and profile to be used.
The procedures used for decompression depend on the mode of diving, the available equipment, the site and environment and the actual dive profile. Standardized procedures have been developed that provide an acceptable level of risk in appropriate circumstances. Different sets of procedures are used by commercial, military, scientific and recreational divers, though there is considerable overlap where similar equipment is used, and some concepts are common to all decompression dive procedures.
Types of Decompression Diving Procedures
Continuous
Continuous ascent for no-stop dives where the necessary decompression occurs during the ascent, which is kept to a controlled rate for this purpose. What is commonly known as no-decompression diving, or more accurately no-stop decompression, can be done only in shallow depths.
Staged
The ascent is interrupted by stops at regular depth intervals, but the entire ascent is part of the decompression, and ascent rate can be critical to harmless elimination of inert gas. If the dive is at very deep depths, saturation decompression occurs, which is then done in a decompression chamber that is part of a saturation system.
Decompression may be accelerated by the use of breathing gases that provide an increased concentration differential of the inert gas components of the breathing mixture by maximizing the acceptable oxygen content.
Equipment directly associated with decompression diving includes:
· Personal Dive Computers with depth gauges and timers, such as the ones manufactured and supplied by Shearwater Research.
· Shot lines, surface marker buoys, and decompression trapezes.
· Diving stages or baskets, wet and dry bells.
· Deck and saturation decompression chambers.
· Hyperbaric treatment chambers.
· Carried by the diver.
· Supplied from the surface through the diver’s umbilical.
· Supplied in the chamber at the surface.
Decompression diving comprises the planning and monitoring of the diving depths as indicated by the algorithms or tables of the chosen decompression dive, the equipment available and appropriate to the circumstances of the dive, and the procedures authorized for the equipment and profile to be used.
The procedures used for decompression depend on the mode of diving, the available equipment, the site and environment and the actual dive profile. Standardized procedures have been developed that provide an acceptable level of risk in appropriate circumstances. Different sets of procedures are used by commercial, military, scientific and recreational divers, though there is considerable overlap where similar equipment is used, and some concepts are common to all decompression dive procedures.
Types of Decompression Diving Procedures
Continuous
Continuous ascent for no-stop dives where the necessary decompression occurs during the ascent, which is kept to a controlled rate for this purpose. What is commonly known as no-decompression diving, or more accurately no-stop decompression, can be done only in shallow depths.
Staged
The ascent is interrupted by stops at regular depth intervals, but the entire ascent is part of the decompression, and ascent rate can be critical to harmless elimination of inert gas. If the dive is at very deep depths, saturation decompression occurs, which is then done in a decompression chamber that is part of a saturation system.
Decompression may be accelerated by the use of breathing gases that provide an increased concentration differential of the inert gas components of the breathing mixture by maximizing the acceptable oxygen content.
Equipment directly associated with decompression diving includes:
- Decompression tables or software used to plan the dive.
- Equipment used to control and monitor depth and dive time, such as:
· Personal Dive Computers with depth gauges and timers, such as the ones manufactured and supplied by Shearwater Research.
· Shot lines, surface marker buoys, and decompression trapezes.
· Diving stages or baskets, wet and dry bells.
· Deck and saturation decompression chambers.
· Hyperbaric treatment chambers.
- Supply of decompression gases, which may be:
· Carried by the diver.
· Supplied from the surface through the diver’s umbilical.
· Supplied in the chamber at the surface.