[TheForge] Vapor/Gas (Was: Building a propane forge)

[John Husvar]

Keporter@aol.com wrote:
> Dave Brown
> Heritage Smithing
> Green Bay, WI
> That's some coffee, Dave. 
> Bruce
> I'll bet you've already read, Dave's list of propane quotes. I recognize the 
> sources as being the same I used. It begins to look as though I didn't pay 
> enough attention at the time (at least Dave saved me the trouble of looking them 
> up again--thanks Dave).
>   What I see laid out for review, is overwhelming support for your position, 
> and an undercurrent of confusing information. Why did they throw "vapor" into 
> the information stream at all? Why do some of the technical experts that other 
> guys on the group have quoted still insist on the "vapor" distinction? What 
> is the bottom line at the sources (propane industry) end?

Maybe a distinction without a difference as it's beginning to seem now. 
However, I've heard both terms used by propane plant employees and I 
really did think there's a difference.

Could be a terminology specific to workers in that trade. If they use 
both "gas" and "vapor," but define "vapor" as a mist to account for that 
appearance under some conditions, therein could lie the confusion. 
(Thanks to another poster for that idea.)

If something has different appearance in different conditions, it's not 
odd that separate words might be used to describe them, even though they 
are just different aspects of the same thing. (Kind of a trade jargon.)
E.g. You can see the vapor, but the gas is invisible.

> Now, I'm going to have to write these people myself! I really didn't want to 
> go there, but this issue isn't going to go away. If I'm wrong, that's OK, If 
> I'm right, ho-hum. But "it's a mystery" is totally unacceptable. Will post my 
> results.

It'd be interesting to hear their explanation.

Maybe it's not a mystery. It's two groups of several blackboards full of 
calculations, separated by a large space wherein is written: "And here a 
miracle occurs, from which it therefore follows...." :)

Sorry, I happen to have a very warped-minded physicist for a friend.

-- 
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of
arriving safely in one pretty and well-preserved piece.
One should rather skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- "WOW!  WHAT A RIDE!"