Oxygenation

[Andrew]

There is a growing trend to Oxygenate the club environment. Are these the 'Oxygen Bars' that seem to get a negative reaction from some posters?

I cannot see the problem with them. In fact, my local club (non-dance venue) has gone from a smokey old thing to at least a place you can breath well. Real well, actually (too well?)

Is there a problem with adding Oxygen to the Air Con? If so, I would like to know, please ...

[David]

Andrew:

The Oxygen Bar concept has been around for a while. The oxygen isn't added to the clubs atmosphere, it is served via a nose piece while setting at the bar. I don't know if it's still a popular promotion. A club that my brother-in-law runs had one for about six months. It didn't do very well so they removed it.

As for injecting oxygen into the HVAC system, I wouldn't do it. I think that you would be better off by exchanging the interior air with fresh outside air. Our system exchanges 25 to 30% of our interior air every hour. This gets rid of the smoke and stale air.

There has always been a rumor that the Casinos in Vegas inject oxygen into their establishments. I had a cousin that managed a Casino in Vegas a while ago. I asked him about this rumor and he said that it's one of those Urban Lies.

I also know that the Fire Department in the States wouldn't allow it. It is a fire accelerator.

The normal atmosphere is 20.9% oxygen, 70% nitrogen and the remainder consists of other gases.

[Andrew]

Thanks David,

What prompted me to bring this up was a little sticker above the bar that said something like "This Air Conditioning has been purified with O2". It looked genuine.

My favorite dance venue has been rumoured to do this on a larger scale. I know the owners and will ask them next time we meet. For those interested, I will endevor to find out who supplies this facility.

The outside air may not be as clean as one would hope. These clubs are either on main city roads or very near. One club does not permit smoking.

But as for the tubes supplying O2 that one breathes in from the nose -- Wow, must look wierd -- sounds like something out of a Sci-Fi movie set!

[happybaboon]

Casino's used to oxygenate their gaming halls prior to that massive fire that killed a whole lot of people in Las Vegas in the 70's (or close to then) - The oxygen contributed significantly to the blaze, and since that time it's been illegal.

Too much oxygen is hellishly bad for you though - better to suffer through the smoke all the time, because that way you adapt to having less oxygen in your blood (much like people living in places like the Himilayas do). If you suppliment yourself with oxygen, you'll start getting used to having the increased amount in your lungs and your respiration will get lazy... And then you leave the oxygen bottle, walk to the door of the club and fall over panting with altitude sickness.

[Andrew]

Thanks again, guys. I can see now that too much would be a problem but enough to replace what has been consumed by respiration would be about right!