Air Reserve Tanks

Another very important element in Hookah air system is the reserve tank. The reserve tank is very essential because it accomplishes some very important functions.

Reserve tanks work as air tanks that offer a constant volume of air all the time. If a person is going to be diving under heavy exertion and are going to be needing more air, the great amount of air in the reserve tank is what supplies the air that is needed. If a person were to breathe directly from the compressor, the rate of inhalation could overcome the air volume given by the compressor and the person would not be able to get the necessary amount of air.

The reserve tanks also work as a cooling and condensation container. The air coming out of a Hookah compressor is actually hot and can reach temperatures of up to 190 degrees.

While the air goes into the reserve tank, it also cools and expands. The expansion process also condenses most of the water that is inside the compressed air. Due to the small size of these compressors, they do not have the capability of getting rid of the moisture from the air and therefore, they deliver air with a good amount of moisture in it. The process of expansion in the reserve tank lets the water condense and it makes sure the diver does not breathe as much of the moisture in the air.

The reserve tank is also useful because it holds back surges from the compressor or any decrease in the speed it runs at. In many occasions the engine of the compressor will not run evenly because of the moisture in the gasoline. The reserve tank is able to make up for this by giving an even flow of air.

One other thing the reserve tank does and one of its most important functions is that it has enough pressurized air in it to give the person or diver a couple minutes of breathing time in case the compressor or engine stops working. It is certainly not a fun experience when one of these items breaks down especially when working in the water, but it is something that could happen. If the engine were to fail and the diver did have a reserve tank in the system, a diver could lose all his air immediately and this could cause him to panic and would not be a pleasant experience.