Nitrox Gas Blender and Advanced Gas Blender Courses
Preparing breathing gases safely and accurately is an important part of diving, particularly when using nitrox and trimix. Understanding how these mixtures are produced, the equipment involved, and the safety procedures required is valuable knowledge for divers and dive industry personnel alike.
Great Lakes Tech Diving offers TDI Nitrox Gas Blender and Advanced Gas Blender training, combining classroom instruction with practical, hands-on experience.
Students will perform actual gas blending operations, applying the calculations, procedures, and safety principles covered during the course.
Students may enroll in the Nitrox Gas Blender course alone or complete both Nitrox Gas Blender and Advanced Gas Blender during the same training session.
Who Should Take These Courses?
Gas blender training isn't just for people who work in dive shops or plan to operate their own blending equipment.
Many divers rely on someone else to prepare their breathing gases. Understanding how those gases are produced gives you a better appreciation of the procedures involved, potential sources of error, and the importance of properly analyzing and verifying every cylinder.
These courses are valuable for:
- Recreational divers who regularly use nitrox.
- Technical divers who use nitrox and trimix.
- Divers interested in understanding how their breathing gases are prepared.
- Dive shop employees and others involved in gas filling operations.
- Divers considering setting up their own blending equipment.
You don't have to become a gas blender to benefit from understanding gas blending.
TDI Nitrox Gas Blender
The TDI Nitrox Gas Blender course teaches the principles, equipment, and procedures involved in preparing nitrox breathing mixtures safely and accurately.
Students learn not only how to calculate and produce a desired mixture, but also why proper equipment, oxygen handling procedures, and gas analysis are essential.
Course topics include:
- Oxygen characteristics and safe handling procedures.
- Oxygen-compatible equipment and oxygen cleanliness.
- Common nitrox blending methods.
- Gas blending calculations.
- Cylinder filling equipment and procedures.
- Analysis and verification of finished gas mixtures.
- Safe operating practices and recordkeeping.
Hands-on training: Students will perform actual nitrox blending operations under instructor supervision, applying the calculations and procedures covered during classroom instruction.
Prerequisite: Minimum age 18.
Course fee: $325, including TDI eLearning and certification fees, subject to successful completion of all required course objectives and performance requirements.
TDI Advanced Gas Blender
The TDI Advanced Gas Blender course builds on the knowledge and skills developed in the Nitrox Gas Blender course, introducing the additional considerations involved in preparing helium-based breathing mixtures, including trimix.
Students learn how to calculate and prepare mixtures containing oxygen, nitrogen, and helium, with an emphasis on safe blending procedures, accuracy, and efficient use of breathing gases.
Course topics include:
- Properties and applications of helium in diving.
- Trimix blending calculations.
- Partial-pressure blending techniques.
- Calculating and preparing gas top-offs.
- Equipment and procedures used in trimix blending.
- Analyzing and verifying finished gas mixtures.
- Practical considerations for accurate and efficient blending.
Hands-on training: Students will perform actual trimix blending operations under instructor supervision, applying the calculations and procedures covered during classroom instruction.
Prerequisites: Minimum age 18 and certification as a TDI Nitrox Gas Blender.
Course fee: $325 individually, or $450 when combined with Nitrox Gas Blender. Fees include TDI eLearning and certification fees, subject to successful completion of all required course objectives and performance requirements.
Practical, Hands-On Training
Gas blending is a practical skill, and these courses go beyond classroom instruction.
Students will work with actual gas blending equipment and perform blending operations under instructor supervision. They'll apply what they've learned about gas calculations, equipment, blending procedures, and mixture analysis to produce breathing gases.
The practical exercises reinforce the classroom material and provide firsthand experience with the procedures and precautions involved in preparing nitrox and trimix.
Even if you never intend to blend your own gases, participating in the process provides valuable insight into how the breathing mixtures you use are prepared.
Regardless of who prepares your breathing gas, you are responsible for independently analyzing and verifying the mixture before diving.
Upcoming Gas Blender Training
Saturday, March 6, 2027
Both TDI Nitrox Gas Blender and Advanced Gas Blender training will be offered on March 6, with the goal of completing both courses that day. Sunday, March 7, is reserved as a contingency date if additional training time is required.
Students may choose either of the following enrollment options.
Option 1: TDI Nitrox Gas Blender
Course fee: $325
Includes classroom instruction, TDI eLearning, and supervised hands-on nitrox blending exercises.
Option 2: Combined TDI Nitrox Gas Blender and Advanced Gas Blender
Combined course fee: $450
Complete both courses during the same training session, including practical nitrox and trimix blending exercises.
The combined option represents a $200 savings compared with taking the courses individually.
Course Fees and Certification
Course fees include TDI eLearning, classroom instruction, hands-on gas blending exercises, and certification fees.
TDI certification is awarded upon successful completion of all required course objectives and performance requirements. Certification is not guaranteed by attendance or payment of the course fee.
Registration and Information
Whether you're interested in blending your own gases, working in a dive shop, or simply gaining a better understanding of the breathing gases you use, these courses offer valuable knowledge and practical experience.
Contact Great Lakes Tech Diving for registration or additional information.
rick5440@gmail.com