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Anything About Acetylene

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Nicholas Farr31/12/2010 20:00:57
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Hi,
       I have been following the threads about gas filler valves, it transgressed somewhat into postings about propane cylinders and then on to acetylene and I feel a thread on the subject of acetylene or propane, its usage storage, and safety may be of interest, as many people seem to have them in thier workshop.
 
I have been using oxy-acetylene all my working life, I have reconised qualifications in the use of this equipment.
 
    I have also had BOC training in the inspection and maintainace of "portable" oxy-fuel gas equipment. This does not cover manifold systems, although I do know the basics of them.
 
   In the above mentioned thread Richard Parsons mentioned a copper manifold on acetylene. All the training I've ever had has stated that copper and acetylene together is a no-no. The copper nozzles are not an issue, as it is a mixture of oxygen and acetylene by then and the hazadous reactions don't occur.
 
My question is if anyone else knows about copper manifolds with acetylene, because as far as I've ever been aware copper and and acetylene in contact is potentially hazadous with possible fatal out comes.
 
Anything about the subject of gas equipment primerally for use in the workshop is welcome.
 
Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 31/12/2010 20:03:28

Ian Abbott31/12/2010 20:37:59
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Anything about acetylene.  You mean like filling a balloon and tying it to a (cold) car exhaust manifold?
 
No,not me, I've just been told about it when I was an apprentice long ago. 
 
Sorry, it's the new year spirit, I get a tot of brandy in my milk before bed tonight.
 
Ian 
Nicholas Farr31/12/2010 20:46:45
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Hi Ian, I kinda like your spirit.
 
No! I never got one end of a pipe hot and then filled it with acetylene the other end, too dangerous and noisy.
 
regards Nick.
Jeff Dayman31/12/2010 21:08:24
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"Copper pipe or pipe of other alloys containing more than 60% copper must not be used to pass acetylene. If acetylene is passed through such pipes, copper acetylide can form which is a very unstable compound and may explode spontaneously. Only black iron or steel pipe with threaded or steel welded joints is recommended for pipework for acetylene."
 
The above is an excerpt from my course notes taken in the 1970's for basic welding training prep for trades.
 
Your mileage may vary but I suggest passing pure acetylene through copper is a big no-no.
 
The other rule I remember well from that course is "A before O or up we go" when lighting up. Still a good one.
 
JD
Gray6231/12/2010 21:45:08
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An excerpt from my training notes from many years ago:
Acetylene forms explosive compounds with copper, brass, copper salts, mercury/mercury salts, silver/silver salts and nitric acid. Under no circumstances should acetylene gas come in contact with unalloyed copper, except in a torch. Any contact of acetylene with high-alloyed copper piping will generate copper acetylide, which is extremely reactive and invariably results in a violent explosion. An explosion hazard will also occur if the gas comes into contact with silver bearing materials such as those used in silver-brazed pipeline joints
 
Acetylene is a highly reactive and inherently unstable, and is very sensitive to pressure and temperature and is extremely easy to ignite, the energy capable of igniting acetylene is lower than for any other fuel gas except hydrogen, hence the strict regulations governing the supply and storage of Acetylene gas bottles.
Ian S C01/01/2011 11:09:39
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There was mention of manafolding acetylene cylinders on big jobs, it is important to make sure both cylinders are full, or the full cylinder will empty into theempty one, doing in a few miniuts what takes about 10 12 hours at the filling station. This sets up a dangerous situation. Ian S C
Nicholas Farr01/01/2011 11:42:22
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Hi,
   CoalBurner, you've mention no contact with brass, is this a typo, as the regulators, flashback arresters, pipe fittings, and tourch bodies are brass.
 
   Ian, full or cylinders with equal amounts in, on a manifold sounds logical, as I believe the cylinders have to be refilled at a controlled rate to allow time for the acetylene to desolve into the acetone.
 
   Jeff, your mileage sounds close to mine, I started in 1968.
 
Regards Nick.

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