I'm working on a online web page meant for calculating a divers buoyancy characteristics (to predict required weight, required bc capacity). Check it out:
http://cemu.org/scuba/buoycalc.php
The hardest part of this so far has been coming up with wetsuit data... I sent request for information to a variety of manufacturers, and heard nothing back. If any of you could help, it would be much appreciated. Here's what I need:
- Wetsuit brand/model (especially if unique)
- Dry weight
- Size, thickness
- Any large accessories like hoods, vests, would be great as well
And any information on buoyancy characteristics, like how much weight you need to add when changing between suits, or if anyone has measured how many lbs buoyancy a wetsuit has changed under water, that would really help improve the examples.
For anyone who is wondering, here's the approach I'm taking for the calculations:
- Displacement (which can be estimated from the size & thickness)
- Density of gas bubbles (which can be estimated from displacement and weight, as we know solid Neoprene itself is 1.23 g/cm^3) I'm going to forget about any differences in the density of laminates zippers, etc, and just write that off in the margin of error.
- Assumption that the neoprene is fully closed cell
Once we know the displacement and how much of that displacement is gas, we can calculate how much that gas will compress at a given depth, which alters the displacement of the wetsuit, which therefore effects overall buoyancy.
Rob
http://cemu.org/scuba/buoycalc.php
The hardest part of this so far has been coming up with wetsuit data... I sent request for information to a variety of manufacturers, and heard nothing back. If any of you could help, it would be much appreciated. Here's what I need:
- Wetsuit brand/model (especially if unique)
- Dry weight
- Size, thickness
- Any large accessories like hoods, vests, would be great as well
And any information on buoyancy characteristics, like how much weight you need to add when changing between suits, or if anyone has measured how many lbs buoyancy a wetsuit has changed under water, that would really help improve the examples.
For anyone who is wondering, here's the approach I'm taking for the calculations:
- Displacement (which can be estimated from the size & thickness)
- Density of gas bubbles (which can be estimated from displacement and weight, as we know solid Neoprene itself is 1.23 g/cm^3) I'm going to forget about any differences in the density of laminates zippers, etc, and just write that off in the margin of error.
- Assumption that the neoprene is fully closed cell
Once we know the displacement and how much of that displacement is gas, we can calculate how much that gas will compress at a given depth, which alters the displacement of the wetsuit, which therefore effects overall buoyancy.
Rob
