Bühlmann Decompression 01

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Bühlmann Decompression 01 "373*

Decompression 01 Blue

Decompression 01 Black

Decompression 01 Blue

Decompression 01 case-back engraved with the decompression algorithm of Prof. A. Bühlmann

The decompression model and gas mixture procedures developed by Prof. Bühlmann led to to multiple diving records: 1959 Lake Zürich, Switzerland (120M), 1961 Brissago, Switzerland (220M), 1962 Catalina Islands, California (311M), 1966 Porto San Stefano, Italy (220M exposure to saturation), 1969 Alverstoke, UK (350M exposure to saturation) and finally in 1981 the 575M depth record in the Zürich hyperbaric chamber.

From 1964 onwards A.Bühlmann has been concentrating on safe decompression procedures for professional divers on long-term dives to great depths that have allowed the development of new oil and gas fields in the area of the continental shelf.

The results of Bühlmann’s research that began in 1959 were published in his book “Decompression”. This book is regarded as the most complete public reference on decompression calculations and was used soon after in electronic dive computer algorithms.

About Albert A. Bühlmann

35 years of research in diving medicine at the service of safe commercial, military and recreational diving

1952

From 1952, A. Bühlmann headed the research laboratory for cardio-pulmonary function at he University Hospital of Zurich.

Diving medicine

Diving medicine was his hobby. He saw it as a stroke of luck to be able to pursue it in addition to his main areas of pneumology, cardiology and intensive care. 

Swiss quest for depth

As early as autumn 1959, a successful dive to a depth of 120 meters was carried out in Lake Zurich with the simplest of technical aids. The mountain people from Switzerland started their quest for depth!

Extreme breathing

In mid-1960 he gave his inaugural lecture on “Extreme Conditions of Breathing”. He highlighted artificial respiration at high altitude, during flight and while diving.

The GERS record 

In the French Navy hyperbaric chamber of the GERS in Toulon, a record depth of 250M was reached in 1961 using Bühlmann's decompression model and mixed gas procedures. It was a shock to the French doctors & officers. 
 

The Brissago record

On June 28th 1961 Hannes Keller and Damian McLeish dived in Lake Maggiore off Brissago, setting a new world record at 222M following Bühlmann's decompression calculations and gas mixtures. 

The Atlantis

On the 3rd of December 1962, supported by Bühlmann as dive physician, Hannes Keller & Peter Small made the record dive at 311M - 1021FT off the island of Catalina with the Atlantis. 

The laboratory

In 1963 Buhlmann, Shell and Microperi teamed up to establish a pressure laboratory at the University of Zurich to develop procedures for long-term dives at extreme depths required for developing oil and gas fields.

The first Druckkammer

The Druckkammer (Decompression Chamber) allowed to experiment with dives at depths of up to 300m. In the period 1964-66, over 100 long-term experimental tests were carried out in this chamber.

Capshell

Caphsell was a pressure chanmber for live sea tests designed by Shell and Micoperi. From Sept. 14 to Oct. 24, 1966 several experiments down to 220M and long term exposures to saturation, using the decompression tables developed in Zürich, have been successfully performed in the Adriatic sea.

At the Royal Navy

In 1969 the Bühlmann research team has been invited by the Royal Navy in Alverstoke (UK) to demonstrate their ability to perform a saturation diving experiment to 300M. The experiment took eight days and with a descent to 350m the Swiss achieved again a new record.

Altitude diving

In 1969 the 1st Swiss Army diving school was created. In Alpine lakes the sea level tables did not work. Altitude dive decompression tables were calculated by Bühlmann and have been used by the Swiss Army since 1972.
 

The new Druckkammer

The new hyperbaric laboratory in Zurich with the capability to perform dive experiments up to a depth of 1000m became operative 1975. Until February 1981, 115 experiments were performed in this chamber.

Test 373

In January 1981, during test n° 373, the record depth of 575m was reached. During this test new procedures were used to reduce the effects of the high pressure nervous syndrom. Deep diving had reached its limits. Divers were soon to be replaced by robots.

Recreational diving

From 1981 onwards, A. Bühlmann changed the focus of his research to improve decompression tables for recreational diving. His aim was to promote and ensure diving security for the largest number of people.

Decobrain II

In 1985 Divetronic presented the Decobrain II. This hi-tech dive computer used the calculation model ZHL-16 developed by Albert Bühlmann.

ZH-L16A

Bühlmann's goal was to incorporate the empirical results obtained in over 450 overpressure tests into a computer model for the calculation of dives. He succeeded with the ZH-L16A calculation model in 1986. 

The Aladin 

In 1987 Uwatec and Dynatron announced the Aladin diving computer integrating Bühlmann's ZHL-6 calculation model. In 1988 the Aladin Pro was launched.
 

Lake Titicaca

In 1987 a British-Ecudarian-Swiss diving expedition to the Titicaca Lake (surface elevation of 3.812m) successfully uses special Bühlmann decompression tables for high altitude diving.

Muttsee

In the course of 1988, 76 dive tests were carried out in the mountain lakes Muttsee and Lago di Lucendro validating Bühlmann's calculation model and tables used in the newest model of dive computer produced by Divetronic and Uwatec.

"Decompression"

In 1983 Bühlmann wrote his monography, Decompression, regarded as the most complete reference on decompression. New editions followed in 1990 and in 1994. In these new editions the integration of the Bühlmann algorithm in the dive computer has been described by Ernst Völlm. 
 

The legacy

In 1994 the Aladin Air X dive computer was presented. This computer used the latest Bühlmann ZH-L8 ADT calculation model. The 35 years diving medicine and research legacy of A. Bühlmann lives on in these safety tools for divers which are still in use today.

We designed the Bühlmann Decompression 01 like A. Bühlmann would have done. We have integrated 35 years of breathing science, empirical tests and depth records by functionally featuring his algorithm on the uni-directional turning bezel of the watch. This required a special re-design of the circular calculator itself, as well as a new dial and time reading configuration to make the scale usable on a timepiece and safe for diving.

Together with Thomas Bühlman, the son of Alfred Bühlmann, and his team, we have adopted new solutions for a diving watch to make it special, unique and professional. The legacy of Prof. Bühlmann lives on in the Decompression 01.