What is Enriched Air?

 Nitrox is any combination of Oxygen and Nitrogen as an underwater breathing Gas. As you might recall from your Open water course, the air that we breathe contains 21% Oxygen and 79% Nitrogen (ignoring the 'trace' gases). "Enriched Air Nitrox" or EANx for short, is a combination where the percentage of Oxygen is higher than the 21% found in 'normal' air, hence allowing divers to lower the partial pressure of nitrogen in their breathing gas.

This lets divers to breathe comparatively less nitrogen on dives, increasing their bottom time ( N.D.L ) and/or increasing their safety limits when compared to 'normal' air diving.                                                    

What is DISCOVER Enriched Air?

DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX is the first part of a two part certification, allowing you to discover the benefits of enriched air diving without going through the complete PADI Enriched Air Diver course. Once you decide that enriched air diving is for you, you can get your PADI Enriched Air Diver certification by simply completing the second part of the course through.

DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX Online allows you to complete most of the Knowledge Development portion of the course at your own pace. After enrolling in DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX Online, you will have access to a PADI Enriched Air Instructor.  You may contact us by email or phone to get guidance and help with the material you are studying. You may access DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX Online for up to one year from the date of registration.

Once completed, you will receive your DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX certificate of completion and then contact us to complete the remaining course requirements. A PADI Enriched Air Instructor will check your knowledge review and discuss any questions you answered incorrectly. You'll then complete the short practical application session. While it's not required for course completion, we can also arrange for an optional enriched air dive at no extra charge.

Getting started prerequisites: To take DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX Online, you must be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver or have a qualifying certification from another training organization and be at least 15 years of age.

You can also participate in DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX online if you are currently enrolled in the PADI Open Water Diver course. After completing DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX online, you may make an optional enriched air dive and this may be credited towards the PADI Enriched Air diver certification.                                   

 PADI DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX consists of the following segments of the PADI Enriched Air Diver Specialty Course:

1. Knowledge Development 1 - covering enriched air dive planning, care for equipment, hazard management, use and application of enriched air, and completing a Knowledge Review. You'll complete these requirements using DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX online.

2. Practical Application 1 - using an oxygen analyzer to determine oxygen content in an enriched air blend, verification of cylinder content, use of a fill log. You'll complete these requirements with a PADI Enriched Air Instructor.

3. An enriched air dive may accompany the program, but is not required.                                              

Successful completion of DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX will allow you to dive with enriched air blends with up to 32 percent oxygen. You'll be able make enriched air dives within the no-stop limits of the air Recreation Dive Planner (RDP) or an air-based dive computer, to a maximum depth of 30 meters/100 feet (depending on current certification level and experience), under the indirect supervision of a PADI professional (Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor) who is enriched air certified.

After receiving your DISCOVER Enriched Air NITROX certification, you can easily go on to complete the remaining requirements to attain the full PADI Enriched Air Diver certification. By doing so, you learn how to plan your dives accounting for oxygen exposure, and how to use enriched air dive computers and tables for planning dives within no stop limits and oxygen exposure limits.

Can Nitrox be used at depth?

The lower partial pressure of Nitrogen in the breathing mix is the trick. The difference in bottom times in the 18-26 meters range when compared to air diving is notable, increasing the no-decompression limits by about twice or more. But, the deeper a diver goes, the less significant this difference becomes. Nitrox can be used to a depth where the partial pressure of Oxygen is within safe limits (1.4 according to PADI) but, divers should still take into account the potential for nitrogen narcosis. Although divers dive to a certain depth, the lowered rate of Nitrogen makes the body perceive this as being a shallower depth when compared to diving air.

How does Nitrox Work?

The most common EANx mixtures throughout the world are 32 and 36 percent, meaning 32 or 36 percent Oxygen ( O2 ) in the mix. In normal air, there is 21% Oxygen and 79% Nitrogen (ignoring the 'trace' gases). In a 32% mix, the amount of nitrogen is down to 68% whereas in a 36% mix, it is further lowered to 64%. Lowering the Nitrogen content makes our body intake less nitrogen at given depths. Our body 'feels' it is at a shallower depth and the no-decompression limits for that shallower depth are used to set the bottom

 come in contact with high levels of "Pure" Oxygen. Note than this standard may vary from country to country.

 Do I need "Oxygen Serviced" cylinders?

Yes you do. General practice in diving operations is to "partial pressure blend" your mix. In other words, unlike in some American states, we do not use "premixes." Dive centers have to prepare tailor-made mixes for divers which involves filling the tanks first with 100% Oxygen to a calculated limit and then "top it off" with air to get the right mix. At this stage your cylinder and valve come in contact with 100% Oxygen. Oxygen, in contact with hydrocarbons such as silicone grease and oils could lead to serious problems. Because of this your cylinder, valve, o-rings and other components will be cleaned of any 'contamination' while all oils are replaced with O2 friendly greases. From then onwards, you will need to make sure your tank is "oxygen serviced" every year.

 Which course should I take?

We strongly recommend the PADI nitrox course is the most outstanding basic level training package with greater value. The PADI nitrox course incorporates  two dives and can be spread across two days with the first day dedicated to academic training, understanding the basics of breathing enriched air, planning EANx dives and calculating oxygen exposures. You learn the concepts of equivalent air depths (EAD), central nervous system (CNS) exposure and how to gauge your "oxygen time." You also learn about O2 risks and analyzing your own mixtures. The day concludes with a final exam. The course is great value for money, it is supported by a video teaching session prepared by experts. You can also receive a student crew-pack, included in the course price.                                             

 This pack consists of your own user-friendly manual, two separate nitrox RDPs for 32 and 36 percent mixes (which are interchangeable between themselves and your blue air RDP), a waterproof slate which has all useful EAD's and CNS exposure limits.

The second day of the course is devoted to using nitrox in the water. PADI does not require any in-water skills on the two nitrox dives you conduct as the 'skill' requirement is to be able to choose and use your own mix after analyzing it. This is a great advantage as you can combine these nitrox dives with any PADI specialty and conduct the dives of that specialty using nitrox. This is the only course where PADI allows combined dives to take place so if you were ever interested to do more, i.e. learn and conduct a wreck dive and become a specialty diver in that field or try the PADI Photo, deep or other specialties, this is the best option.

  What does the course price of 12 000 Baht include?

The course price includes the student Crew-Pack (manual & three slates) or separately, training and certification fees are included. The certification fees cover your PADI nitrox diver ID card registration with PADI.