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Abstract:
The pressure-flow characteristics of needle valves used on anaesthetic equipment were investigated. It was found that, under normal conditions of use, the valves behaved in a manner similar to convergent nozzles with sonic velocity at the throat. This means that, once the valve has been set, the mass flow rate of gas is effectively independent of the downstream changes in resistance and compliance encountered in normal anaesthetic practice. The error in a preset flow induced by the permissible variations in the upstream pipeline pressure was measured.