At what pressure is a neoprene suit fully compressed?

[Scared Silly]

I am kinda of curious to know what might be a good estimate in terms of pressure for say a 5mm neoprene wet suit to be fully compressed?

The reason I ask is because on another thread a diver mentioned needing more weight at altitude than at sea level. I had to think about this comment for a few minutes as it was something that I had never experienced before but understood where they were coming from.

I typically dive a shell dry suit which would not have any change in buoyancy with altitude. However with a neoprene suit there would be a buoyancy change because of the reduction in atmospheric pressure. Even with a change in altitude of 1500m is significant enough to change the buoyancy, ~15% less pressure or a couple of psi. I am just trying to get an idea of how much it might be in terms of suit buoyancy.

Note this discussion has nothing to do with fresh versus salt water. Think of it of diving a fresh water lake at sea level and a fresh water lake in a neoprene suit.

 

[fppf]

Its very hard to say, and I think it will greatly depend on the material.
In any event it will be an exponential decay. As pressure increases the bubbles in the suit will start to reduce in volume. At what point to you call it totally crushed is going to be a matter of opinion, you will hit a point of diminishing returns. That point will depend somewhat on the initial bubble size in the material.

 

[Peter_C]

I am kinda of curious to know what might be a good estimate in terms of pressure for say a 5mm neoprene wet suit to be fully compressed?

I know, I know! 10,924 meters (35,840 feet) below sea level. The water column above exerts a pressure of 108.6 megapascals (15,750 psi)

Do I get a cookie?

 

[fppf]

I know, I know! 10,924 meters (35,840 feet) below sea level. The water column above exerts a pressure of 108.6 megapascals (15,750 psi)

Do I get a cookie?

How about a fruit cake?

:fruitcake:

 

[Gombessa]

From a practical standpoint, the biggest change happens between 0-60ft, and at 70ft the majority of your typical neoprene is compressed to its practical limit. Here's some easy viewing:

[youtubehq]2PQLrcKN2cA[/youtubehq]

 

[H2O 70]

Look at Boyles law. I'd really guess that once you break into that 4ATA, you're not going to notice the actual change.

 

[scubafanatic]

I know, I know! 10,924 meters (35,840 feet) below sea level. The water column above exerts a pressure of 108.6 megapascals (15,750 psi)

Do I get a cookie?

..at those pressures 'neoprene' spontaneously transforms into 'neutronium'.....

 

[Scared Silly]

From a practical standpoint, the biggest change happens between 0-60ft, and at 70ft the majority of your typical neoprene is compressed to its practical limit.

Thanks that is what I was remembering.

 

[drbill]

Of course the cheap stuff used in my most recent 7mm (manufacturer's name withheld) was fully compressed at sea level... most worthless wetsuit I've ever purchased. My custom M&B fared much, much better even after 15 years.

Interesting if "full" compression is reached at 70 ft. I've dived several of mine to depths far in excess of that and they have retained reasonable thermal properties... or was it just my bioprene?

 

[redacted]

As pressure pressure approaches infinity, the volume of a gas approaches zero. Now go drink half your beer per sip until it is all gone.