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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: kurnal on August 16, 2011, 08:07:46 AM

Title: Is there a practicable alternative for acetylene in the motor trade
Post by: kurnal on August 16, 2011, 08:07:46 AM

Probably the wrong forum for this one but here goes.

With all the concerns over acetylene cylinders and fire, particularly the disruption to the community should an incident occur, is there any realistic alternative to acetylene in the motor trade for focussed heating of seized nuts, brazing and welding of corroded things like exhaust pipes?

Title: Re: Is there a practicable alternative for acetylene in the motor trade
Post by: CivvyFSO on August 16, 2011, 10:42:36 AM

http://www.bakersgas.com/how-to-convert-from-acetylene-to-alternative-fuel.php

Title: Re: Is there a practicable alternative for acetylene in the motor trade
Post by: BLEVE on August 16, 2011, 09:25:41 PM

Quote from: kurnal on August 16, 2011, 08:07:46 AM

Probably the wrong forum for this one but here goes.

With all the concerns over acetylene cylinders and fire, particularly the disruption to the community should an incident occur, is there any realistic alternative to acetylene in the motor trade for focussed heating of seized nuts, brazing and welding of corroded things like exhaust pipes?

Propane will facilitate the tasks described above. Seized nuts sound painful though :'(

Title: Re: Is there a practicable alternative for acetylene in the motor trade
Post by: SamFIRT on August 16, 2011, 09:52:57 PM

I was chatting to one of our HASMAT / DIM Officers the other day and it seems the 24 hour cooling guidance for acetylene is going to be scrapped. Basically if a cylinder passes its wet test then it is safe to be moved; is to be the new guidance; should obviate the need to consider LPG alternatives. Not as much energy in LPG anyway.

I will check at work and get back to you all.

Title: Re: Is there a practicable alternative for acetylene in the motor trade
Post by: kurnal on August 18, 2011, 04:51:16 PM

Thanks to all. The problem with propane is that you cannot weld with it.

Interested in the possible new guidance, looks like another full circle is to be completed.

 

Title: Re: Is there a practicable alternative for acetylene in the motor trade
Post by: Golden on August 18, 2011, 05:16:00 PM

Having read the original research report from the tests completed at Buxton (yawn) the 24 hr period should never have been introduced in the first place, the research was extremely flawed in my opinion and the 24 hr was based on a cylinder exploding overnight when it was unsupervised (if I remember correctly) and there were questions over whether the dam it was held in had developed a leak.

Sorry can't help with the original question!!

Title: Re: Is there a practicable alternative for acetylene in the motor trade
Post by: SamFIRT on August 19, 2011, 05:47:25 PM

Having spoken to the HASMAT/Dim officer in my office he informs me there have been tests completed in Germany and that new guidance is soon to be issued from CLG regarding acetylene cylinders.

It is expected to be as my previous post and that cylinders involved in fire can be removed after they have passed their wet test.

Don’t know when the new FSC is to be released on it though.