Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Oxygen Cylinders
Oxygen is stored within cylinders of
various sizes and pressures ranging from
2000- 2640 PSI. (Pounds Per square inch)
Oxygen cylinders are forged from solid
armor plate steel. No part of the cylinder
may be less than 1/4 thick.
Cylinders are then tested to over 3,300 PSI
using a (NDE) hydrostatic pressure test.
Oxygen Cylinders
Cylinders are regularly
re-tested using
hydrostatic (NDE)
while in service
Cylinders are regularly
chemically cleaned
and annealed to relieve
jobsite stresses
created by handling .
Cylinder Transportation
Never transport cylinders without the safety
caps in place
Never transport with the regulators in place
Never allow bottles to stand freely. Always
chain them to a secure cart or some other
object that cannot be toppled easily.
Oxygen Cylinders
Oxygen cylinders
incorporate a thin metal
pressure safety disk
made from stainless steel
and are designed to
rupture prior to the
cylinder becoming
damaged by pressure.
The cylinder valve should
always be handled
carefully
Regulator Hoses
Hoses are are fabricated from
rubber
Oxygen hoses are green in
color and have right hand
thread.
Acetylene hoses are red in
color with left hand thread.
Left hand threads can be
identified by a grove in the
body of the nut and it may
have ACET stamped on it
Acetylene Gas
Virtually all the acetylene distributed for welding and cutting use
is created by allowing calcium carbide (a man made product) to
react with water.
The nice thing about the calcium carbide method of producing
acetylene is that it can be done on almost any scale desired.
Placed in tightly-sealed cans, calcium carbide keeps indefinitely.
For years, miners lamps produced acetylene by adding water, a
drop at a time, to lumps of carbide.
Before acetylene in cylinders became available in almost every
community of appreciable size produced their own gas from
calcium carbide.
Acetylene Cylinders
Acetylene is stored in cylinders specially designed
for this purpose only.
Acetylene is extremely unstable in its pure form at
pressure above 15 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch)
Acetone is also present within the cylinder to
stabilize the acetylene.
Acetylene cylinders should always be stored in the
upright position to prevent the acetone form
escaping thus causing the acetylene to become
unstable.
Acetylene Cylinders
Cylinders are filled with a
very porous substance
monolithic filler to help
prevent large pockets of
pure acetylene form
forming
Cylinders have safety
(Fuse) plugs in the top and
bottom designed to melt at
212 F (100 C)
Acetylene Valves
Acetylene cylinder shut
off valves should only be
opened 1/4 to 1/2 turn
This will allow the
cylinder to be closed
quickly in case of fire.
Cylinder valve wrenches
should be left in place on
cylinders that do not
have a hand wheel.
Flame Settings
There are three distinct types of oxy-acetylene
flames, usually termed:
Neutral
Carburizing (or excess acetylene)
Oxidizing (or excess oxygen )
The type of flame produced depends upon the
ratio of oxygen to acetylene in the gas mixture
which leaves the torch tip.
Flame definition
The neutral flame (Fig. 4-1) is produced when the ratio of oxygen to
acetylene, in the mixture leaving the torch, is almost exactly one-toone. Its termed neutral because it will usually have no chemical
effect on the metal being welded. It will not oxidize the weld metal; it
will not cause an increase in the carbon content of the weld metal.
The excess acetylene flame (Fig. 4-2), as its name implies, is created
when the proportion of acetylene in the mixture is higher than that
required to produce the neutral flame. Used on steel, it will cause an
increase in the carbon content of the weld metal.
The oxidizing flame (Fig. 4-3) results from burning a mixture which
contains more oxygen than required for a neutral flame. It will oxidize
or burn some of the metal being welded.
Quiz time
The regulator diaphragm is often made from
_______?
A: reinforced rubber
B: malleable iron
C: tempered aluminum
D: stainless steel
Quiz time
The hose nuts for oxygen and acetylene
differ greatly, because the acetylene hose
nut has.
A: a left hand thread.
B: has a grove cut around it.
C: may have ACET stamped on it.
D: All of the above.
Quiz time
An oxygen cylinder must be able to
withstand a ________ pressure of 3300 psi
(22753 kPa) to be qualified for service.
A: atmospheric
B: hydrostatic
C: hydroscopic
D: vapor
Quiz time
Why is the area above 15 psig often marked
with a red band on a acetylene low pressure
regulator ?
Answer
Acetylene pressure above 15 psig is unstable
and should not be used
Quiz time
True or False ?
A flint and steel spark lighter is the generally
used to light the oxyacetylene flame.
Answer: True
Quiz time
Acetylene cylinder fuse plugs melt at a
temperature of ________ F or 100C
Answer
212F
Quiz time
What is the maximum safe working gauge
pressure for acetylene gas?
A: 8 psig (55 kPa)
B: 15 psig (103 kPa)
C: 22 psig (152 kPa)
D: 30 psig (207 kPa)
Quiz time
The color of and oxygen hose on a
oxyacetylene welding outfit is ______?
Answer
Green
Quiz time
The type of safety device is used on a
oxygen cylinder.
A: A fusible plug
B: A check valve
C: A pressure safety disk
D: A spring loaded plug
Quiz time
True or False ?
The regulator is closed when the adjusting
screw is turned out.
Answer: True
Quiz time
The color of and acetylene oxygen hose on
a oxyacetylene welding outfit is ______?
Answer
Red
Quiz time
No part of an oxygen cylinder walls may be
thinner than _______?
A: 1/4in (6.4 mm)
B: 3/8in (9.5 mm)
C: 3/16in (4.8 mm)
D: 7/32in (5.6 mm)
Quiz time
To prevent the occurrence of flashbacks, a
________ should be installed between either
the torch and hoses or regulators and hoses.
A: a two way check valve.
B: flame screen.
C: flashback arrestor.
D: three way check valve.
Quiz time
What type of safety device is used on a
acetylene cylinder.
A: A spring loaded plug
B: A pressure safety disk
C: A fusible plug
D: A check valve
Quiz time
Mixing _______ and water will produce
acetylene gas.
A: calcium carbide
B: potassium carbonate
C: carbon dioxide
D: acetylene carbide
Modern Welding
York County School of Technology