OXYGEN ENRICHMENT OF ROOM AIR TO RELIEVE THE HYPOXIA OF HIGH-ALTITUDE

Recently there has been increasing commercial activity at altitudes of 3500-6000 m. Examples include new mines in northern Chile at altitude s of about 4500 m. Because the workers come from sea level, intoleranc e of the high altitude is a major problem. This degree of hypoxia redu ces work capacity, mental efficiency and sleep quality. One novel solu tion is to raise the P-O2 of the room air by adding oxygen to the room ventilation. This is remarkably effective. For example, at altitudes of 4000-5000 m, increasing the O-2 concentration by 1% (e.g. from 21 t o 22%) reduces the equivalent altitude by about 300 m. Thus raising th e O-2 concentration by 5% at the new mines reduces the equivalent alti tude to 3000 m which is easily tolerated. The introduction of oxygen c oncentrators (molecular sieve) which require only electrical power mak es O-2 enrichment feasible. The fire hazard is less than in air at sea level. Everybody now expects that the ventilation of a room will prov ide a comfortable temperature and humidity. Control of the oxygen conc entration can be regarded as a further logical step in man's control o f his environment.