At UCC’s hyperbaric test facility in Essex, Connecticut, divers successfully remained in water that was heated in excess of 120o Fahrenheit for over one hour while performing a regimented exercise program. The divers, who were continuously monitored, felt comfortable throughout the entire dive!
UCC’s extensive research led to the development of this specialized equipment that keeps divers cool in extreme water temperatures. In the past, due to heat stress and heat exhaustion concerns, divers stay times were limited to approximately 45 minutes in 98oF water, and then, only with review and approval by the UCC operations department. That time and temperature barrier has been overcome!
The value of our advanced equipment is obvious: time and cost savings for our customers. The time usually required to cool down containment or fuel pool water was, at times, extensive, and translated into wasted money for customers on tight outage schedules and budgets. UCC can now make these dives 24 hours sooner since no cool down time is required.
In the past, water temperatures could not always be reduced due to the inability to realign the cooling system. This prohibited diving and necessitated a remote approach for accomplishing tasks which required more time and money - even for simple tasks such as steam plug installation and removal. Now, UCC can make these dives, saving our customers time and money.
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