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Date:         Wed, 8 Oct 2003 17:03:19 -0400
Reply-To:     David Brodbeck <gull@GULL.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Brodbeck <gull@GULL.US>
Subject:      Re: Coleman Propane Heaters
Comments: To: Jeffrey Earl <jefferrata@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20031008195049.54401.qmail@web14606.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Wed, 8 Oct 2003, Jeffrey Earl wrote:

> I'd be interested to know the difference between an > ODS and a common household CO-detector. Are these > simply two methods of expressing the same thing: not > enough oxygen because it's been displaced by > carbon-monoxide?

Nope, two different issues.

Carbon monoxide, which is a product of incomplete combustion, can kill you even if there's sufficient oxygen in the air. This is because the hemoglobin in your blood, the chemical which transports oxygen, binds more easily with CO than with oxygen. If enough of your hemoglobin is rendered useless by binding with CO, there's not enough to carry oxygen to your brain and you die.

Lack of oxygen in the air, by itself, can also kill you. Lack of oxygen doesn't necessarily mean a surplus of CO, though, because a catalytic heater produces mainly carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor.

There's actually a double whammy if the oxygen level gets low, because if there's too little oxygen in the air for clean combustion the catalytic heater will start producing carbon monoxide. This can kill you quickly because your body is absorbing oxygen less efficiently, *and* there's a shortage of oxygen in the air.

David Brodbeck, N8SRE '82 Diesel Westfalia '94 Honda Civic Si


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