[TheForge] Re: RE: Petrogen Torch Yak

Tue Aug 17 10:43:11 EDT 2004

Ray,

Have you ever seen or used "burning bars" for demolition work.  The are a
thin steel tube packed with steel wire.  The small size is about 3/8 dia and
3 feet long and the large size go up to about 1 inch diameter and 20 feet
long.  They have a crimp on one end so the wire doesn't fall out.  The tube
is connected to just oxygen -- no fuel gas at all. While they are pack with
wire there is enough space between the wires for oxygen to flow.  You
"start" them with a regular torch -- just bring the end up to a hot yellow
heat -- then turn on the oxygen.  The tube and wire are consumed in the
process and generate a great deal of heat while excess oxygen is supplied
like a oxygen lance.  They will blow through lots of things cutting steel,
rebar and concrete.  They are not for the faint of heart.  Oh, and the
quality of the cut is not very good.

Dave Smucker
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <debmiller at fuse.net>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 7:47 AM
Subject: [TheForge] Re: RE: Petrogen Torch Yak

> My understanding of the petrogen torch is that it was developed for the
Department of Energy for use in the dismantling of nuclear weapons sites,
like Fernald, etc. I have not personally used one but had previously
reviewed their performance for possible purchase by GE for use in large
scale demolition projects. We were taking down 50 plus year old building
with thick steel plate shielding, 3 foot thick concrete walls that were
almost solid rebar, etc.
>
> The cutting speeds are incredible, fuel costs are(were) cheap and the
cutting capacity is unbelievable. I will see if I can dig up the DOE site
that had a pdf file of an extensive study performed comparing the petrogen
to acetylene.
>
> As far as safety, gasoline is not flammable, only the vapors. So the unit
keeps the fuel in liquid form all the way up to the mixing chamber in the
torch head. Then it is vaporized and mixed with O2 and baby does it burn.
Gasoline is 125,000 BTU/gallon!!!!
>
> That's a ton of heat!!
>
> Ray Miller
> Cincinnati
> >
> > From: "Michael H. Murphy" <blacksmith at comcast.net>
> > Date: 2004/08/16 Mon PM 06:00:05 EDT
> > To: "'Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> > Subject: RE: [TheForge] allstate oxy-propane torch
> >
> > After reading through this whole thread (and getting some good info out
of
> > it), I figured this one would really get everyone going.  N.B. I've
never
> > tried it, nor talked to anyone who has, so I'm not claiming anything.
> >
> > http://www.petrogen.com/
> >
> > Murf
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:theforge-
> > > bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce Freeman
> > > Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 3:35 PM
> > > To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
> > > Subject: Re: [TheForge] allstate oxy-propane torch
> > >
> > > I went to the site and found the table.  I did not find any
explanation
> > > of what they MEAN by oxygen to fuel gas ratio.  As I and others have
> > > pointed out, it certainly is not the stoichiometry of the respective
> > > reactions.  It may be "correct", but we have to know what it means to
> > > judge that.
> > >
> > > Bruce
> > > NJ
> > >
> > > >>> "terry l. ridder" <terrylr at blauedonau.com> 8/16/2004 3:16:48 AM
> > > >>>
> > > hello;
> > >
> > > no the table is correct:
> > > reference for the table are:
> > >
> > > twi world centre for materials joining technology
> > > oxyfuel cutting - process and fuel gases
> > > http://www.twi.co.uk/j32k/protected/band_3/jk49.html
> > >
> > > the usa affiliate is edison welding institute at www.ewi.org
> > >
> > > college chemistry book
> > >
> > > every one   carbon  atom needs 2 oxygen atoms to form CO2.
> > > every two hydrogen atoms  need 1 oxygen  atom to form H2O.
> > >
> > > propane == C3H8
> > > oxygen  == O2
> > >
> > > C3H8(g) + (5)O2(g) == (3)CO2(g) + (4)H20(g)
> > >
> > > the above equation is balanced.
> > >
> > > acetylene == C2H2
> > > oxygen    == O2
> > >
> > > C2H2(g) + (2.5)O2(g) = (2)CO2(g) + H2O(g)
> > >
> > > the above equation is balanced.
> > >
> > > propylene == C3H6
> > > oxygen    == O2
> > >
> > > C3H6(g) + (4.5)O2(g) = (3)CO2(g) + (3)H2O(g)
> > >
> > > the above equation is balanced.
> > >
> > > On Sun, 15 Aug 2004, James Binnion wrote:
> > >
> > > james> Terry your chart is wrong or has a typo.
> > > james>
> > > james> Acetylene:
> > > james> Theoretical Oxygen Ratio,  by  volume 2.5 : 1
> > > james> Torch Oxygen Ratio, by Volume 1.1 : 1
> > > james>
> > > james> Propane:
> > > james> Theoretical Oxygen Ratio,  by  volume 5 .0: 1
> > > james> Torch Oxygen Ratio, by Volume  3.5 : 1
> > > james>
> > > james> Source for Torch Oxygen Ratio, by Volume
> > > james> Oxygen Cutting; Meyer; Green et. al.; Welding Handbook, Vol. 2,
> > > 8th
> > > james> ed., pg. 454,  American Welding Society
> > > james>
> > >
> > > --
> > > terry l. ridder ><>
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