|
|
I agree with Ted, but let's do some math to confirm: First you have to know the rate of sublimation of the CO2. I would guess the CO2 is in a normal cooler and is there to keep something cold, not to cool something off, so would it sublimate at a rate of 1 pound in 4 hours? I don't see how it could be that fast, but I'll use that number. How much air is in the cabin? I'm thinking maybe 60 cubic feet and the air exchange rate would be high, as no airplane is well sealed - 10 changes per hour? The weight of the air going through the cabin at sea level is then about 50 pounds per hour. The CO2 would represent 0.5% or 5,000ppm. That's pretty high, but no where near enough to cause suffocation since the O2 concentration only drops by 0.5%. Stratify the air in the cabin by opening vents at the front and keep the cooler in the back and the level would drop a lot. Someone might know the amount of CO2 normal exhaled by a human and that would be a good comparison. The numbers back up Ted's conclusion.
Gary Casey
Posted for "Ted Noel" <tednoel@cfl.rr.com>:
Suppose you have an steady flow of CO2 into the cabin from the cooler. If
your cabin is sealed, the cabin pressure will rise and the concentration of
CO2 will rise.
BUT...
If you have any reasonable amount of ventilation, the probability that this
will cause a problem is close to nil. And the last time I checked, a Legacy
was unpressurized. I suppose that if you kept the cooler in your lap with the
lid cracked next to your face you might have a problem, but it wouldn't be the
CO2.
In short, relax. CO2 isn't like CO. CO binds almost irreversibly with
hemoglobin, and is deadly in very small concentrations. CO2 is something you
breathe out constantly. It is highly soluble, and it is very easy to get rid
of excess amounts.
Ted Noel MD
N540TF
|
|