A particular kind of emergency breathing apparatus-often placed in mines, caves,

Question

A particular kind of emergency breathing apparatus-often placed in mines, caves, or other places where oxygen might become depleted or where the air might become poisoned-works via the following chemical reaction:
4KO2(s)+2CO2(g)?2K2CO3(s)+3O2(g)
Notice that the reaction produces O2, which can be breathed, and absorbs CO2, a product of respiration. Suppose you work for a company interested in producing a self-rescue breathing apparatus (based on the above reaction) which would allow the user to survive for 10 minutes in an emergency situation.

Part A

What are the important chemical considerations in designing such a unit?

Essay answers are limited to about 500 words (3800 characters maximum, including spaces).

3800 Character(s) remain

Estimate how much KO2 would be required for the apparatus. (Find any necessary additional information. Assume that normal air is 20% oxygen and human breathing rate is about 8 Lair/min. Assume that 4% of the air would need to be replenished with oxygen..)

A particular kind of emergency breathing apparatus-often placed in mines, caves, or other places where oxygen might become depleted or where the air might become poisoned-works via the following chemical reaction:
4KO2(s)+2CO2(g)?2K2CO3(s)+3O2(g)
Notice that the reaction produces O2, which can be breathed, and absorbs CO2, a product of respiration. Suppose you work for a company interested in producing a self-rescue breathing apparatus (based on the above reaction) which would allow the user to survive for 10 minutes in an emergency situation.

Part A

What are the important chemical considerations in designing such a unit?

Essay answers are limited to about 500 words (3800 characters maximum, including spaces).

3800 Character(s) remain

Estimate how much KO2 would be required for the apparatus. (Find any necessary additional information. Assume that normal air is 20% oxygen and human breathing rate is about 8 Lair/min. Assume that 4% of the air would need to be replenished with oxygen..)

Explanation / Answer

Note that there are 2 moles of reactant and 3 moles of product, therefore, there will be a drastic change in moles

2N1 = 3N2

N1 = 1.5N2

Which is a lot if you are modelling this as a gas

Also, you will need to mix the oxygen with a Nitrogen stream or at least a Nitrogen-Oxygen mixture (air)

Humans have a very limiting range of Oxygen % in air to survive. Something about 20-22 % therefore you should consider the composition in the mixture as well.

Assume

%O2 = 20%

Breathing rate is 8 L of air per minute

t = 10 minuts

we will need 80 liters of air

That is

80*0.04 = 3.2 liters of air will be needed to replenish

The amount of Oxygen is 20%

3.2*0.20 = 0.64 liters of Oxygen are needed

PV = nRT

P = 1 atm

V = 0.64 liters

n = ?

R = 8.314

T = 298 assume 25

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