Equipment Operation & Maintenance Flashcards

Which pressure gauge characteristic is MOST critical when selecting gauges for hyperbaric chamber oxygen service?

Answer: Gauges must be rated and cleaned for oxygen service (O2 compatible)

Oxygen-service gauges must be cleaned of hydrocarbons and use compatible materials to prevent ignition from adiabatic compression or contamination.

After completing a hydrostatic test on a repaired hyperbaric chamber hull, the chamber must be:

Answer: Thoroughly dried and purged before returning to service to remove all moisture

Moisture left in the chamber after hydrostatic testing can corrode components, contaminate air supplies, and must be completely removed before return to service.

The minimum safe distance for an oxygen storage rack from the hyperbaric chamber hull, as generally required by NFPA 99, is primarily intended to:

Answer: Limit fire spread from an oxygen-fed fire to the chamber structure

Separation distances protect the chamber structure and occupants from fire and heat if an oxygen-fed fire originates at the storage rack.

A hyperbaric chamber technician observes that the chamber takes significantly longer than usual to reach treatment pressure. The FIRST item to check is:

Answer: Supply valve position and bank pressure to identify a supply-side restriction or depletion

Slow pressurization almost always indicates a supply problem—closed valve, low bank pressure, or regulator failure—which is quickly verified at the supply side.

What does the term 'MAWP' mean in the context of a hyperbaric pressure vessel?

Answer: Maximum Allowable Working Pressure — the highest pressure the vessel is designed to withstand in service

MAWP is the stamped design limit on the vessel; operating above it is a code violation and safety hazard.

Which condition requires a hyperbaric chamber to be taken out of service until inspected by a qualified engineer or inspector?

Answer: Discovery of a crack, weld defect, or visible deformation in the pressure hull

Any structural defect—cracks, weld flaws, or deformation—in the pressure boundary is a critical safety finding requiring engineering evaluation before further use.

When a monoplace hyperbaric chamber is pressurized with 100% oxygen, the operator controls depth primarily via:

Answer: A needle or metering valve on the supply line and a pressure regulator set to the desired treatment depth

A supply regulator preset to the treatment pressure combined with a metering valve delivers and holds chamber pressure at the prescribed depth.