[TheForge] Metal porosity and purging tanks (was: cutting propane cylinders- fuel-air mixture)

[Larry and Pat Brown]

Argon is a good inert gas and it tends to stay put. Fill a can with the gas 
and watch the match go out when you put it in
L Brown


>Inert gases you might have handy include carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and 
>helium.  Steam should not be considered inert because it has a nasty 
>tendency of reacting with metal and fuels at high temperatures and 
>creating other fuels (carbon monoxide and hydrogen, for example).
>
>In a real low-tech situation, you can still easily generate carbon dioxide 
>by reacting washing soda or baking soda with acid, or even by heating a 
>solution of baking soda - the gas given off is carbon dioxide.  I don't 
>suggest these things be done in the tank itself.  Do them in some external 
>"retort" and run a tube into the tank to carry the carbon dioxide.
>
>Bruce
>NJ