[TheForge] Image posting of Steve's Dedicated side forge

[Jerry Frost]

Dan: Of all the flammable and sometimes just plain scary stuff we have in
our shops, compressed oxygen is THE most dangerous of all. I'd no more
inject oxy into a blower fan than I would toss gas in a burning wood stove.
Heck, just charging the system would be dangerous. We all know not to put
oil on any part of an oxy ace rig yes? Did you know about flecks of dust?
Lint? A spider web? Heck, the spider? Leaving the high pressure side of an
oxy anything torch uncapped is asking for an explosion as soon as you charge
the line. The regulated side of the system isn't nearly so dangerously
ticklish but it can still do bad things.

I have no doubt an oxy propane burner system for forges is very doable, I'm
just not the guy to ask.

As for injecting the propane at the blower, it's not particularly hazardous.
Even if it backfires it can't explode because it's contained, worst will be
a fireball coming out of the blower intake so you kill the gas, THEN the
blower. This is exactly why my forge has 1/4 turn ball valves after the
regulator, You can shut the gas off with a hastily thrown glove if you're a
good shot. Just knock the valve handle to 90* of the line and it's off.

Running a flammable air fuel mix through a pipe is exactly what a gas burner
is. Propane especially doesn't mix easily with air, it needs time and good
turbulence A naturally aspirated burner has several different pressure zones
causing standing waves and other odd little humps and dives in the flow that
help mixing. Introducing the propane into the blower impeller blades
virtually eliminates the need for any fancy effects in the tube. Turn it a
sharp 90 and a back fire won't even get to the blower. I don't knw why
explosive pressure waves don't like going around sharp corners, I can GUESS
but that's just guessing. Gas explosions like tight corners even less.

Jer

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dan Scheid
Sent: Saturday, September 7, 2013 9:05 PM
To: 'Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA'
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Image posting of Steve's Dedicated side forge


Jerry I've been thinking (scary thing)you mentioned  adding the fuel at the
fan. .My lack of experience with blown or fan assisted forges  this scares
me  I think air fuel  in tube... boom. So I went the other way what would
happen if you injected Oxygen at the fan?  Would that increases heat or is
there more than enough o2  in air for our needs?
Dan Scheid