According to the flammability factor, acetylene is more flammable than propane. This should make it more harmful than propane. But this isn’t the case. It is because the specific gravity of acetylene is less than that of propane. If there is any gas leak, propane will settle down, but acetylene will rise and mix in the air.
What is the difference between propane and acetylene?
What is the difference between propane and acetylene? Propane generates less than 10% thermal energy, whereas acetylene generates 40% of thermal energy in the inner flame cone. This helps ensure better weld quality and cutting using oxy acetylene. So, there is far more oxygen being consumed when using propane than acetylene.
Which is better to torch with acetylene or propane?
Soldering at home - acetylene or propane?
- Carole Dunn. Big dilemma!
- Ian Johnson
- Mickdc. > Big dilemma! Hotter is not always better !
- MBOSCHERT. I use acetylene/oxygen at home and propane at the shop. >the Little Torch does not do well with acetylene and oxygen.
- David L. Feldman. ...
- MS. >Big dilemma! ...
- David D. Arens. ...
- Alberic. > Big dilemma!
- RAYMOND PAGE
- BBrown1382. I find the set-up perfectly safe. ...
Can You weld with propane?
Yes, you can weld a propane tank provided you have cleaned it out properly before you start welding. Make sure all the gas is out of the tank, and you have thoroughly washed the cylinder with water multiple times. Can you use propane for MIG welding? Propane with a mig welder would result in a nice fireball out the mig torch.
How much does it cost to fill oxygen and acetylene tanks?
What are the costs of filling acetylene and oxygen tanks? Pricing to fill your acetylene and oxygen tanks will vary based on tank size, with larger tanks being cheaper per cubic foot. Your smallest 10 cubic foot tank will cost around $20, #4 tanks at $80, and #5’s upwards of $120.
Why is acetylene such a dangerous gas?
Acetylene poses unique hazards based on its high flammability, instability and unique storage and transportation requirements. Acetylene is highly unstable. High pressure or temperatures can result in decomposition that can result in fire or explosion.
How dangerous is acetylene?
► Acetylene can affect you when inhaled. ► Contact with the liquid can cause frostbite. ► Exposure can cause headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, and passing out.
What's the difference between acetylene and propane?
Acetylene releases almost 40% of its heat in the inner flame cone. Therefore, acetylene is better for cutting than propane. While temperature wise acetylene is hotter than propane the fact is that people are using propane for cutting incorrectly.
Why acetylene is not used as cooking gas?
It is an extremely flammable gas and can form an explosive atmosphere in the presence of air or oxygen.
Which is safer propane or acetylene?
Acetylene will ignite at mixtures from 2.5 percent to 82 percent, while the range for propane is 2.1 percent to 9.5 percent. Based off of these numbers, it's easy to argue that propane is much safer to use than acetylene. However, keep in mind that these are both flammable gases, and both need to be handled with care.
Is acetylene more flammable than propane?
The flammability limit of acetylene in the air is 2.5% to 82%, whereas that of propane is 2.1% to 9.5%. This may lead to a conclusion that acetylene is more dangerous than propane; however, the same is not true.
Is acetylene an explosive?
Acetylene is an extremely flammable gas and can form an explosive atmosphere in the presence of air or oxygen.
Why does acetylene burn so hot?
Acetylene, for example, burns very hot because of the triple bond between the carbon atoms in it. Other factors increasing flame temperature include using pure oxygen rather than air, having just the right amount of oxygen to ensure complete combustion of the fuel, and low heat radiation to the surroundings.
Does acetylene burn without oxygen?
Decomposition is a chemical reaction whereby acetylene breaks down into its constituent elements, carbon and hydrogen. This reaction gives out a great deal of heat, which can cause the gas to effectively ignite without the presence of air or oxygen.
What characteristic of acetylene makes it particularly hazardous?
Acetylene gas is considered to be a hazardous gas. It may react explosively even in the absence of air at elevated pressure and/or temperature. It forms explosive mixture with the air. Acetylene cylinders are to be used and stored only outdoors or in a well ventilated place.
Can you use an acetylene tip with propane?
Here's the rub, you CANNOT use Acetylene Equipment for Propane or Propylene! Sorry about that, but the internal materials are different and Propane will corrode the internal materials that Acetylene equipment is made of (Propylene is around 50% Propane).
At what temperature will acetylene not ignite?
The flashpoint of acetylene is -0.7 degrees Fahrenheit or -18.15 degrees Celsius, which is a long way below the 199.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 93 degrees Celsius top limit for flammability.
What is the temperature of acetylene?
The maximum neutral flame for acetylene in oxygen is about 5720 F, while the temperature for propane is 5112. This does not, however, mean that propane gives off less heat. Acetylene may burn hotter and can even pre-heat metal faster.
Can propane match acetylene?
However, with the proper knowledge, parts and setup, propane can actually match or even outperform acetylene. Obviously, there are a lot of variables involved. The question is not which option is best, but which option is best for you depending on the type of work you want to do and the equipment you want to use.
Does acetylene burn hotter than propane?
However, does acetylene actually burn hotter? The simple answer to this question is yes. The maximum neutral flame for acetylene in oxygen is about 5720 F, while the temperature for propane is 5112. This does not, however, mean that propane gives off less heat.
What is the difference between acetylene and propane?
The British Thermal Unit (BTU) value of acetylene is 1470 per cubic feet, whereas propane has a BTU value of 2498 per cubic feet. Even if acetylene has a higher flame temperature than propane it doesn’t mean that the latter produces any less heat.
Which has more oxygen: propane or acetylene?
Economy: Propane has greater stoichiometric oxygen requirements than acetylene. For maximum flame temperature in oxygen, the ratio volume of oxygen to fuel gas are 1.2 to 1 for acetylene and 4.3 to 1 for propane. So, there is far more oxygen being consumed when using propane than acetylene.
Why is acetylene used as a welding gas?
Why Acetylene is used as a Welding Gas? There are several reasons why acetylene has become a popular welding gas over propane. Safety: This is one of the prime requirements of any manufacturing process, and welding is no exception. The flammability limit of acetylene in the air is 2.5% to 82%, whereas that of propane is 2.1% to 9.5%. ...
What are the two types of gas used in welding?
The two popular types of gases used for welding includes shielding gases and fuel gases. Helium, carbon dioxide, and argon are a few important types of shielding gases used for welding, whereas propane, acetylene, and propylene are important types of fuel gases.
What is the temperature of propane?
Propane, also referred to as LP gas or Liquefied Petroleum Gas, when mixed with oxygen generates a flame temperature of 2800 degree Celsius. However, acetylene on mixing with oxygen generates a flame temperature of 3100 degree Celsius. High flame temperature and excellent flame impingement characteristics of acetylene are being exploited ...
What gas is used for welding?
This post concentrates on two important types of fuel gases used for welding— propane and acetylene, their advantages, and disadvantages.
Is oxy acetylene better than propane?
Although oxy acetylene combination assures a faster preheating than propane, most of the preheating in welding is performed with propane-oxygen. This is because propane is cheaper and capable of producing a high amount of heat necessary for pre-heat. Welding Process: Firstly: Propane gas cannot be used for gas welding.
Which burns faster, propane or acetylene?
By learning a slightly different technique and picking up the right torch tips, hoses and regulators, you’ll be able to start cutting without too much of a difference compared to acetylene. Acetylene will ignite at mixtures from 2.5% to 82%, Propane is 2.1% to 9.5%. From these figures, Acetylene burns faster than Propane.
What are the disadvantages of oxy-acetylene?
Disadvantages: • Acetylene weld lines are rougher in appearance and need more finishing. • Acety lene is unstable and expensive. • There are more safety issues with oxy-acetylene because there is a naked flame.
What is the temperature of propane in oxygen?
- Maximum neutral flame temperature of propane in oxygen is about 5112 F. But they say that the difference doesn’t matter, what really matters is the thermal output.
Why don't they use acetylene for welding?
They don't do it just because it's cheaper but because the available heat from propane is much higher. If you’d like to have the option of welding with your torch set up, then you should consider acetylene set up.
Does acetylene release heat?
Acetylene releases almost 40% of its heat in the inner flame cone. When you talk to metal workers and welders, you’ll find that many shops and scrap yards use propane, in addition to hobby welders and metal workers. By learning a slightly different technique and picking up the right torch tips, hoses and regulators, ...
Can propane and acetylene cut metal?
There are very different experiences and opinions, but in the case of comparing acetylene and propane as cutting fuels, there’s no denying that both can effectively cut a lot of metal of various thicknesses.
What is the difference between acetylene and propane?
The difference between acetylene and propane is that acetylene has a triple bond between two carbon atoms whereas propane has no double or triple bonds between carbon atoms other than single bonds.
Is carbon a triple bond?
There is a triple bond between the two carbon atoms of this molecule. Moreover, the valency of one carbon atoms is 4. Therefore, each carbon atoms binds to a hydrogen atom via a single bond. The molecule has a linear geometry, and it is a planar structure. Each carbon atom is sp hybridized.
Why switch from acetylene to propylene?
In this post we’ll be covering some of the common reasons to switch from acetylene to propylene to find out if it’s right for you. Longer Lasting Cylinders – Increased productivity & lower labor costs. Each cylinder of propylene simply has more product than a cylinder of acetylene.
Why use propylene for cutting?
Using propylene for cutting results in more BTUs of heat for more effectively heating large parts and thick metals. Also, the chemistry of propylene results in better heat transfer properties than acetylene which means you can increase productivity by producing faster cuts. Safety Benefits.
What gas is used for cutting?
Acetylene has long been the fuel gas of choice for cutting applications, but many welders are switching to an alternative fuel gas called propylene for increased safety and due to the fact that propylene often provides a significant cost savings over acetylene.
How many cubic feet are in a 105 lb cylinder of propylene?
Each cylinder of propylene simply has more product than a cylinder of acetylene. For instance, a single 105lb propylene cylinder is equivalent to five, 330 cubic foot acetylene cylinders. This can significantly decrease both product and delivery costs as well as increase productivity because less time is spent changing out cylinders.
Does propylene cause soot?
In addition, propylene cutting does not produce soot due to the chemistry of the gas that makes it a cleaner burning fuel. More BTUs & Better Heat Transfer – Increased productivity and effectiveness. Using propylene for cutting results in more BTUs of heat for more effectively heating large parts and thick metals.
Is propane safer than acetylene?
Safety Benefits. When considering which fuel gas should be used, safety is at the top of the list. Propylene is generally considered a safer because it is a more stable gas. Acetylene’s stability issues with increased pressure can cause insufficient pressures for heating heads resulting in dangerous flashbacks.
Can weldstar use propylene?
Weldstar can provide nearly any equipment or gases for your specific application— whether you stick with time-tested acetylene, or you’d like to try out propylene. We’d love the opportunity to analyze your current application to see if propylene might be a good fit for you or your organization.
