Stäubli breathing air products improve safety

The Swiss group offers a range of products for breathing applications from line connectors and hoses to filter units. The range is suitable for both masks and ventilated suits and features new designs of filter units, quick release plugs and sockets as well as hoses and hose reels – all of the items required to upgrade an existing compressed air ring main for breathing air applications.

Any connections to the compressed air ring main must be easy to use and secure; Stäubli’s RCS range of couplings is suitable for all types of compressed air lines. Any risk of hose whip on disconnection is eliminated by the company’s two-stage process. The first push on the disconnect button decompresses the downstream pressure without disconnecting the plug and without any risk to the user. A second push on the button safely releases the depressurised plug from the socket.

The system first filters the air up to instrument air quality standard. A filter unit then converts the compressed air to breathing quality. Stäubli has two units in its range – the BQR 50 capable of supplying either four masks or one ventilated suit; and the BQR 150 for up to eight masks or four ventilated suits.

The BQR units block particles down to 0.01µm, a second stage active carbon filter stops oil vapour and mist down to 0.005mg/m3. Warning lights indicates if the filter is becoming clogged.

Both filter units can be equipped with Stäubli AQR sockets for direct connection to the air lines and suits or masks. These connectors provide secure, quick and automatic connection of the breathing air lines to the filter units and then onto the masks or suits. A unique plug profile prevents accidental connection to other circuits.

Equipped hoses and reels complete the breathing air range.

Applications include the nuclear, chemical, military and waste processing sectors.