The breathing gas mixtures Nitrox, Heliox and Trimix support human life under various diving conditions. Nitrox, a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, is predominantly used for diving at depths of up to 50 metres. Nitrox is often called “enriched oxygen air” with a higher oxygen percentage than that found in the ordinary air. Our diving grade mixtures offer a desired oxygen concentration and therefore a lower percentage of nitrogen in Nitrox to decrease the risk of two nitrogen-related problems: decompression sickness (DCS) and nitrogen narcosis. A common Nitrox composition is 40% oxygen in balance gas nitrogen, also known as EAN40.
Heliox, a mixture of helium and oxygen, for example, 50% oxygen with balance gas helium, allows professional divers to work at greater depths, up to 150 metres, for vital inspection, repair and construction work associated with the offshore oil industry. Heliox can avoid nitrogen narcosis at these depths.
Trimix is a mixture of oxygen, helium and nitrogen. Nitrogen, usually in a small percentage (e.g. 15%), is added to Heliox to create Trimix, in order to lessen the risk of the high pressure nervous syndrome seen with helium breathing. Trimix is used for the deepest dives, usually greater than 150 metres. Heliox and Trimix are strictly for non-recreational use: military, scientific, commercial, and advanced technical diving.
Argon can be used as a deep dive dry suit inflation gas. It can give professional divers good thermal protection against the very low temperature deep in the sea, due to its insulation effect.
To construct or repair offshore pipelines, underwater welding is often required. There are currently two widely used methods: wet welding and dry hyperbaric welding. Dry hyperbaric welding, which produces high quality welds and increases the safety of the welder in deep ocean, can be done using gas - based welding processes, most commonly GTA (TIG) and also GMA (MIG) welding. It is carried out in a chamber sealed around the structure to be welded, and the chamber is filled with breathable gas mixtures of helium and oxygen at the prevailing pressure. For GTA welding, the shielding gas is usually an inert gas such as argon or helium or argon - helium mixtures for the balance of weld quality & welding speed. For GMA welding pure inert gases such as argon, helium, carbon dioxide and gas mixtures of argon and carbon dioxide are used as the shield gas to protect the weld area from surrounding contamination.
These diving gas mixtures from Linde are offered in a range of packaging size from individual cylinders to cylinder quads or packs which are appropriately treated for on-board deck storage or decanting operations for the convenience of the offshore industries.
We aim to promote diving health and safety. To maintain customer safety, diving grade gases will only be supplied to trade addresses, for example: commercial diving operations, offshore contractors, dive clubs, dive shops.