Life Regulators

LIFE® Corporation OXYGEN REGULATORS ARE THE ONLY ALUMINUM-BODIED REGULATORS TO PASS THE NEW STRINGENT ASTM STANDARD TEST METHOD

THIS STANDARD TEST METHOD HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND RECOMMENDED BY THE FDA.

The LIFE® Corporation patented, compact and lightweight flow control regulator were the ONLY aluminum body with brass internal component regulators not to explode nor propagate flame.  

"Rapid compression" and "promoted ignition at the regulator inlet" testing procedures of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) were designed to evaluate oxygen regulator ignition sensitivity and fault tolerance. 

In a test conducted at an independent testing facility, specializing in forensic engineering and accident reconstruction, the LIFE CGA 870 Oxygen Regulator series was proven to be the vital link to safe, non-fire and non-explosive high pressure oxygen systems for the emergency oxygen first aid responders. The grueling test objective was to determine if ignition and/or combustion would occur within an oxygen component when it is subjected to rapid pressurization up to a ludicrous 3,600 PSI at an incredible 120 cycles with heated (144F) oxygen. 

 If that wasn't damaging enough, the next test literally tried to blow up the regulators by placing an "ignition pill" (consisting of an explosive combination of iron powder, aluminum powder and rubber cement in a nylon casing) at the inlet of the regulator at 3,000 PSI. According to the test facility, an acceptable result is consumption or melting of the filter without propagation to the main body or adjacent metallic materials. The only aluminum-bodied regulator to remain intact, pass the brutal tests and still perform to exacting flow standards was the LIFE® regulator.  

This is the long awaited, positive development the industry needed after the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) advisory and a subsequent recall of another manufacturer's line of aluminum regulators.   

The advisory was issued following tragic reports of fires and explosions, which the FDA and NIOSH believe may be related to the use of aluminum in certain types of regulators when used in high-pressure oxygen systems.  In February of 1999, the FDA and NIOSH published a Public Health Advisory entitled "Explosions and Fires in Aluminum Oxygen Regulators."  The advisory stated that since 1994, several fires had occurred in certain aluminum-bodied regulators, which resulted in severe burns to 11 healthcare workers and patients.   

Since the release of that advisory, more fires have occurred. This series of events prompted the FDA to request ASTM, with input from NASA, NIOSH and the FDA, to develop a credible, universal performance standard, using a promoted ignition test, to assure safer performance of oxygen regulators, regardless of their material composition, under less than ideal circumstances. 

It's important to note, that LIFE® Regulators, in use in oxygen systems around the world, have never been involved in any reported incidents of fire or explosion and have never been part of any recall! In fact, during the last 18 years in which LIFE® Corporation has supplied regulators containing aluminum, we have never received a report of our regulator exploding or burning. 

So why is it that the regulators manufactured by LIFE® Corporation are the ONLY aluminum regulators to not only pass, but to not explode or burn in qualification testing designed to meet the tough, new ASTM standard test methods?  

Our aluminum oxygen regulators do not contain the same design characteristics as those regulators that were being recalled. Patent-applied Flame Arrestor Inlet Seal, unique to the industry and a life-saving design for our customers, the regulators' inlet is designed to prevent fire propagation by dissipating heat.  

The Flame Arrestor series is used around the world in most all military and commercial aircraft fuel vent systems to prevent external flame propagation into the fuel cells.   

In addition, our design clearly minimizes the contact area between aluminum and oxygen, and where they do meet, we've electrolytically applied an oxide coating (military-grade anodize) to the aluminum body making it all but impossible to propagate any kind of combustion.  And we believe we are one of the few manufacturers to exclusively utilize NASA specified elastomer and polymer inlet seals and piston seats for pure oxygen environments.  

Our concern for safety does not stop with the design or its features.  Our regulators are oxygen cleaned, assembled, tested and packed in clean rooms so that we can supply a new standard of performance and quality-assurance.