earticle

영어

Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless gas generated when carbonic fuel attains an incomplete combustion. As carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air, and 200 - 250 times stronger than oxygen in affinity of hemoglobin, when carbon monoxide is inhaled, this can cause carbon monoxide poisoning as it is easily combined with hemoglobin in blood, and the oxygen transport ability of blood is lost, which leads to a situation of suffocation. An accident took place that involved the death of two divers who wore air containers compressed by using air compressors, and dove into the sea to harvest sea cucumber. In about 10minutes after they started harvesting, they came out to, collapsed on the land, and died. The compressed air they used at that time was very fatal as carbon monoxide accounted for 0.10- 0.25 % of the compressed air. The actual straight distance of the air inlet of air compressor was about 80 cm away from an outlet of exhaust gas, which was very close between inlet and outlet. This indicates that the air compressor was in a structurally deficient state in that some exhaust gas can be inhaled through the inlet as the height of the inlet was the same as that of the outlet. This study herein investigated the chance of containing carbon monoxide in case that air is compressed by air compressor. The air compressor was connected with rubber belt and motor, internal combustion engine that obtains energy by burning gasoline, and carbon monoxide accounted for 0.6 - 1.3 % of exhaust gas of the motor. Carbon monoxide was not detected in the air compressed in a windless condition; whereas carbon monoxide was detected as exhaust gas was intruded through an air inlet due to the effect of wind, and the content of carbon monoxide increased by 0.05 % or above. Furthermore, the content of carbon monoxide increased by 0.25 % or above after about 20 minutes when the air compressor was used indoor, not outdoor, which is a very dangerous situation. Therefore, for safe air compression, an exhaust pipe should be installed so that exhaust gas cannot be intruded into air inlet, and air compression should be conducted outdoor as indoor air compression puts even a person who compresses air into danger. By dong this, accidents can be prevented.