Shelter in Place During Radiation Emergency -- How Much Air Do You Need?

I would like someone to do a study on volume of air, estimated infiltration rates even in a taped off room, respiration rate and volume and percent oxygen in the exhaled, and depletion times to say 17% O2, 15% O2, 12% O2. Should be easy enough to handle in a spreadsheet.
Anyone game to try that one?

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AirSepTech

May 24, 2017 at 3:13 pm · Reply

What do you think will work, as a guide?
There are a lot of variables, too many to be exact/safe without monitoring. People,,,their individual physical health, is a big unknown.
Co can kill you with 20% O2 available, it inhibits O2 exchange.
Co2 is widely variable, some can handle 5000-10000ppm, others???
There is a lot to it, and an enclosed space increases humidity, a very small space becomes miserable quickly. An open flame in a small space, is foolish.
4 exchanges per hour is 'minimum', although homes range 1-2/hr
A 10x10x8 foot room is 800cuft.
A bathroom 'fart fan' moves 50-70cuft/min
So 15min of run time an hour. How many people? hahaha
This may help:
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/air-change-rate-room-d_867.html
Less than 18-19% O2 is not do-able for most people.
Less than 19.5% is not allowed under OSHA guidance.
Less than 17% mental impairment begins, for healthy people.
http://sciencing.com/minimum-oxygen-concentration-human-breathing-15546.html
I got plenty more if you need it.
All bets are off if someone has bad gas, methane while not poisonous per se, does displace O2.

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stock

May 24, 2017 at 3:22 pm · Reply

Air, thanks for the information, I will start a draft article with that.
At 8000 feet, there is about 25% less oxygen. I have skied at such heights, hiked heavy packs through Haleakala at higher heights, and never had a problem.
So 15% (25% less than starting point of 21%) should be manageable for most people, especially if just sheltering in place.