The Air Reserve Tank Info

This very important piece of equipment performs four vital functions:

1. The reserve tank operates as an air "reservoir," that supplies a constant volume of air at all times. If you are diving under heavy exertion and demanding a greater amount of air, the large volume of air in the reserve tank will supply the reserve air required. If you were breathing directly from compressor itself, your rate of inhalation might actually surpass the air volume provided by the compressor, and you would not get a sufficient amount of air.

2. The reserve tank functions as a cooling and condensation vessel. Few divers realize it, but the air emerging from a Hookah compressor is quite hot, and can actually reach temperatures as high as 190 degrees. As the air enters the reserve tank, it will expand and cool. This expansion process will also condense most of the water contained in the compressed air. Hookah compressors, because of their small size, do not have the capability to remove the moisture from the air and hence, they deliver air with an appreciable moisture content. The expansion process in the reserve tank allows the water to condense, ensuring that the diver breaths less moisture in the air.

3. The reserve tank also suppresses surges from the compressor or any temporary decrease in running speed. Often a the compressor's engine will run uneven due to moisture in the gasoline. The reserve tank can compensate for this by delivering an even flow of air.

4. And finally, the most important function of all. The reserve tank will contain enough pressurized air to give the diver a couple of minutes breathing time, should his compressor, or engine failure run out of fuel. Equipment breakdown is not a pleasant thing to consider while working underwater, but is always a possibility. In the event of an engine failure without a reserve tank in the system, a diver could experience an immediate loss of air that could lead to desperation and panic. Any experienced diver will tell you, that panic is the leading cause of drowning incidents.

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