Lightweight High-Capacity Oxygen Bottle

About this technology

Overview

Luxfer USA Ltd. produced a lightweight higher capacity oxygen bottle, derived from rocket propellant tank technology. This tank proved an important aid in the 1976 ascent to the summit of Mt. Everest by member of the American Bicentennial Everest Expedition. Individual bottle is aluminum cylinder overwrapped with reinforcing fiberglass filaments. Each bottle is wrapped with 1,670 miles of filament 3 times finer than human hair. Construction reduces weight while providing stronger cylinder. Extra strength permits higher air pressures or more oxygen in same volume. New bottles contain twice as much oxygen and weigh 20% less than previously used steel cylinders.