A system useable in a jet aircraft having installed therein a pressurized
oxygen supply which feeds oxygen into the interior of the plane when it
flies at high cabin altitudes, the system indicating the changing status
of the supply as oxygen is drained therefrom. The system includes a
pressure transducer coupled to the supply and means associated with the
transducer to determine the lapse rate at which the pressure of the
supply is reduced as oxygen is drained therefrom to yield a first signal
representing this pressure lapse rate, and to concurrently determine the
lapse rate at which the number of liters of oxygen in the supply is
reduced as oxygen is drained therefrom to yield a second signal
representing the liter lapse rate. These signals are applied to a
microprocessor in whose data base is entered the total oxygen inventory
of the supply and the oxygen demand of the plane in which the supply is
installed. When oxygen is being drained from the supply, the
microprocessor calculates and reads out the prevailing supply pressure,
the number of liters remaining in the supply, and the time in hours and
minutes remaining before the supply is exhausted based on the current
rate of oxygen consumption.The invention provides both a method for
calculating the oxygen required, as well as a real time monitoring and
calculating system for emergency conditions. The invention is applicable
to any pressurized gas system, such as for divers, compressed gas cooking
or vehicles, therapeutic oxygen, and the like.