Gravity Zero MK II User manual

MK II Oxygen Rebreather
Closed Circuit System
User Manual
Definitions of Signal Word
Used in this Manual
Danger: This words indicates an imminently hazardous situation, which if not avoided, will
result in death or serious injury.
Warning: This words indicates a potentially hazardous situation, which if not avoided, could
result in death or serious injury.
Caution: This words indicates a potentially hazardous situation, which if not avoided, may
result in minor or moderate injury. It may also be used to alert against unsafe
pratices.
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

. INTRODUCTION
MK II is a new fully closed circuit o ygen rebreather designed by GRAVITY ZERO, Italy, for military and
technical use.
O ygen Rebreather MK II is one of the most compact and lightest weight fully closed circuit o ygen rebreather
on the market.
A special version, called MK II pro is available on request; this version differs from the standard version MK II
in having an innovative soft shield composed of kevlar-cordura wich keeps and protects the polyurethane
rubber breathing bag from possible cutting and abrasion under special operating conditions.
Figure 1- Fully Closed Circuit Oxygen Rebreather MK II
2. TECHNICAL DATA
Manufacturer: GRAVITY ZERO
Order No 1
Working Principle: cyclic
Breathing Gas: pure o ygen
Cylinder (two type available):
volume 2,0 litres 2,0 litres
pressure: 200 bar 200 bar
material: aluminium alloy steel
Breathing Bag Volume: 9,5 litres
Carbon Dio ide Scrubber : soda lime, about 1.30 kg
Duration: according to workload up to 3 hours
Ma imum Depth: 6 metres, (ppO2 1,6 ATA)
Weight: 6 kg, ashore
Dimensions: L 400 mm W 400 mm H 110 mm
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

3. DESCRIPTION
MK II consists of the following main components (see figure 2):
1) Breathing bag. Made with poliurethane rubber sheets high frequency electronically welded. The
breathing bag has been placed in manner to give a small hydrostatic pressure difference as possible,
i.e. low inhalation and e halation resistance.
2) Cylinder. Two cylinder type are available on request:
a) 1,5 litres/200 bar realized in aluminium alloy for decrease the magnetic level
b) 2 litres/200 bar realized in steel alloy
3) Shut-off valve assembly. Open or close the gas flow from the cylinder, includes the manual actuating
type bypass, the pressure reducer and the safety valve
4) Pressure gauge. Test the internal cylinder pressure.
5) Canister. Contains the soda lime wich absorbs the carbon dio ide due to respiration acts. The
canister is made in such way that it becomes completely surrounded by a gas flow that prevents the
soda lime from being cooled down by surrounding water.
6) Hose connector. Carries the inhalation and e halation hose gases in proper manner to and from soda
lime canister .
7) Inhalation and e halation hose. Both hoses are provided with non return valves wich control in
proper manner the flow direction.
8) Mouthpiece. The mouthpiece contains a rotary valve wich isolates the circuit from the atmosphere
when it is in closed position. In the open position, the rotary valve supplies the o ygen to the diver.
9) Harness. The harness (neck strap and waist strap) are easy to adjust to desired lenghts.
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

MK II - Figure 2 , Main Components
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

MK II - Figure 3, Val e Assembly
4. FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
Rebreather is a simply device that capture and recirculate the e aled breath, scrub out the carbon dio ide
produced by the respiratory functions and add o ygen to replenish what comsumed.
O ygen Rebreather MK II is a cyclic type fully closed circuit o ygen rebreather.
Instead of a one-way gas circulation, to and from breathing bag as pendular type, the gas circulates in two
separate directions.
During the respiratory cycle the gas circuit is as in figure 4.
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

MK II - Figure 4, Breathing Loop
High pressure gas (see figure 5) passes from the o ygen cylinder through the bypass valve into the breathing
bag, e panding same and assuming the environmental pressure.
The diver inhales the o ygen from the breathing bag throuhg the inhalation hose and mouthpiece and e hales
the respiration gases throuhg the e alation hose into soda lime canister (the non-return valve contained in
each hose, controls in proper manner the flow direction).
The soda lime absorbs and fi es the carbon dio ide contained in the respiration gases and purifies fully the non
metabolized o ygen.
Therefore the o ygen passes in the breathing bag and the cycle start again.
Actuating the by-pass lever is possible to restore the o ygen metabolized or to inflate quickly the breathing
bag.
An high pressure gauge screwed on valve assembly shows the pressure rate of the cylinder.
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

MK II - Figure 5, Functional Diagram
5. PRE-DIVE PREPARATION
Before every dive with the rebreather MK II it is necessary to check the following points:
Checks and Refills Oxygen Cylinder.
Open the shut-off valve and verify the pressure value on the gauge; If the pressure value is less than 190 bar
refill the cylinder with pure o ygen as follows:
Warning: open slowly the shut-off valve; the high pressure o ygen flow may
burn or e plode
close the shut-off valve
push down the bypass button to assure that the pressure discharge (make sure that high pressure gauge
indicates zero).
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

unscrew the gauge hose nut with the spanner wrench size no 28, PN 400-900, and remove the gauge
complete fom the rebreather
connect the high pressure refilling hose to refilling connection
open the shut-off valve
follows the relevant instructions to refilling the cylinder.
Warning: verify the cylinder test date; discharge and replace if necessary
Checks and Fill Soda Lime Canister
unscrew the lock screw of the hose connector
remove the hoses connector complete with corrugated hoses and mouthpiece from the breathing bag.
remove the soda lime canister from the breather bag (to remove canister, take it firmly with the filler plug
in vertical position and rotating slowly the canister draw it.
Warning: make sure don’t damage the breathing bag torus gasket
unscrew the canister plug and fill, using a funnel, with the appropriate soda lime (fill the canister a bit at
a time and tap the sides of the canister to ensure that it is packed with no gaps).
Caution: soda lime dust is caustic and can cause chemical burns
Warning: if the soda lime isn’t packed tightly in the canister this can lead to “channelling”, where the e aust
gas passes trough the scrubber without coming into full contact with the carbon dio ide absorbent.
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018
Figure 6 a, Refilling Soda Lime

screw the plug, verify the canister O ring (discharge and replace if necessary) and put the canister into
the rebreathing bag.
verify the seating of canister, put down with care the canister and insert the torus gasket in the seating
install the hoses connector complete and turning gently the same assuring that the gasket goes into filter
seating.
lock with the screw
Final Check
Once you have completely assembled the rebreather, test it to ensure there are no leaks
make sure that the four way valve is turned in closed position (lever in down position)
slowly open the shut-off valve
push down the bypass button and inflate moderately the breating bag
submerge the rebreather in a tub of water and looking for leaks
if a leak is detected, it is necessary locate and repair it before the dive
Leaks can occur any number of places; check the breathing bag and hoses for punctures; check all the fitting
and hoses connector to make sure they are properly closed.
6. DIVE
Donning the Rebreather
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018
Figure 6 b, Tapping Soda Lime Canister

insert the neck strap on the neck
insert the waist strap
adjust and put the breathing bag at the same height of diver’s counterlungs
On Surface
open shut-off valve
put the four way valve lever in up position
inflate a little bit the breathing bag actuating the bypass button
put mouthpiece and rotate the four way lever in down position
inhale with mouth and e hale with nose within the breathing bag is empty
rotate the four way valve lever in up position and leave mouthpiece.
This operation clean the bag from the other gases inside
Danger: it is very important to make properly this operations to make sure that no nitrogen gas is again in the
breathing bag.
Dive with Rebreather
put mouthpiece with the four way valve lever in up position
e hale all the air from the counterlungs trough the four way valve
rotate the four way valve lever in down position
inflate a little bit the breathing bag actuating the bypass button
start the dive and during the first breath e hale from nose (in this manner the nitrogen gas into the
counterlungs is completely blow away)
inflate when necessary, to compensate the o ygen usage, actuating the bypass button
Danger: it is very important to make properly this operations to make sure wich no nitrogen gas is again in
the respiratory circuit.
7. MAINTENANCE
Post Dive
rinse with fresh water the rebreather with the four way valve lever in up position
draw out the canister fom the breathing bag
empty the canister from soda lime
rinse the canister with fresh water and blow out residual soda lime granules from canister
rinse with fresh water hoses connector complete of hoses and four way valve
disinfect this assy with a bactericide solution and rinse again
rinse into the breathing bag, disinfect with a bactericide solution and rinse again
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

allow to dry all the components at a shady place before assembly
lubricate ONLY with YNX grease, as illustrated in figure 7.
MK II - Figure 7, Lubrication Chart
Caution: all the components must be grease only with YNX grease. Any other kind of oils and greases may
burn or e plode in contact with a pure o ygen flow
Biennial Maintenance
Test the cylinder
Overhaul the shut-off valve (manufacturer workshop)
Overhaul (Every Four Years)
Major overhaul of complete rebreather (manufacturer workshop)
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

Breathingh Bag Repair
Material and tools required:
emery cloth grain size 100*
Aquasure adhesive*
brush*
cleaning gasoline
poliurethane rubber patch*
punches and scissor
a) inflate the rebreathing bag, locate and mark the damaged area
b) roughen with emery cloth
c) clean with gasoline and let dry for fifteen minute about
d) roughen and clean the patch
e) coat with Aquasure adhesive the surfaces of patch and breathing bag
Caution: Aquasure adhesive contains toluene. Use only in well ventilated area. Avoid prolonged breathing of
vapors do not use near heat or flames. Do not ingest. If swallowed do not induce vomiting. Seek
medical aid immediately. Avoid contact with skin or eyes. Keep out of reach of children.
f) place patch in position and press on firmly
g) complete hardening takes place after one day.
h) test repair prior to use
Hoses Repair
Material and tools required:
Aquasure adhesive*
emery cloth grain size 100*
brush*
cleaning gasolin
a) locate the puncture on the damaged hose
b) roughen with emery cloth
c) clean with gasoline and let dry for fifteen minute about
d) coat with Aquasure adhesive the surface roughened with a thickness of about 1,5 mm
e) complete hardening takes place after one day.
f) test repair prior to use
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

Caution: Aquasure adhesive contains toluene. Use only in well ventilated area. Avoid prolonged breathing of
vapors do not use near heat or flames. Do not ingest. If swallowed do not induce vomiting. Seek medical aid
immediately. Avoid contact with skin or eyes. Keep out of reach of children
MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018

MK II O ygen Rebreather User Manual - Revision 01/2018 - Copyrights : Dr Fabrizio Pirrello © 2001- 2018
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