Gas Cutting - JKP

Gas cutting process
2009
The gas cutting process
A ring of pre-heat flames in the cutting

nozzle raises the temperature to around
850ºC for steel
At this temperature spontaneous oxidation

takes place in the presence of pure oxygen
This oxygen is provided through a central

orifice in the nozzle and is called the
cutting oxygen
The heated steel is converted into a fluid

iron oxide slag which is blown downwards
through the bottom of the plate by the
cutting oxygen jet.
To produce a clean cut edge.

Cutting Process
CUTTING OXYGEN
FUEL GAS AND

DIRECTION OF CUT PREHEAT OXYGEN
MIXTURE
PRE-HEAT FLAME
DRAG LINES
CUTTING STREAM
Structure of a flame
The inner cone is the flame front where the premixed fuel gas
and oxygen react. This cone contains the unburned fuel gas
oxygen mixture.
Primary flame (or inner cone)
Nozzle
Secondary flame (or outer cone)
FGF-5
Heating effect of fuel gases
OXY-ACETYLENE OXY-LPG
HEAT CONCENTRATION HEAT CONCENTRATION

TOTAL 54,772 Kj/m3 TOTAL 95,758 Kj/m3
PRIMARY 18,890 “ PRIMARY 10,433 “
SECONDARY 35,882 “ SECONDARY 85,325 “
FLAME CHARACTERISTICS
HEAT RELEASE IN INNER CONE
(% OF TOTAL HEAT)
OXY-ACETYLENE - 34
OXY-PROPANE - 10
INNER OXY-LPG - 11
CONE
OXY-ACETYLENE
OXY-LPG
OXY-PROPANE
HEAT INTENSITY Mj/m3 /sec
61
39
34
ACETYLENE
LPG
PROPANE
FUEL GAS
Comparative fuel gas performance
 Oxy-acetylene can put in twice as much heat as compared to
LPG/Propane.
 Consequently quicker pre-heating to oxidation temperature at

start and also as cut progresses resulting in
- Faster piercing
- 15-45% higher cutting speeds than LPG/ Propane
- Less distortion
- Cuts through rust and mills scale better
- Generally gives superior cutting quality
 Oxy-Acetylene is the only flame which can weld steel.

Effect of Purity of Oxygen in Gas
Cutting
4
3.7
O 2 c o n s u m p tio n /
3.4
m e tre c u t
3.1
2.8
2.5
100 99.5 99 98.5
Oxygen Purity
Drop on O2 purity from 99.5 % to 98.5 % for cutting 25 mm plate results in

• 20 % increase in oxygen flow requirement
• 15 % decrease in cutting speed
• 40 % increase in O2 consumption per metre cut
CUT QUALITY STANDARDS
 Profile of the cut face
 Smoothness of cut face
 Top edge melt
 Slag adherence
 Drag
Example of a good quality cut
CUTTING DEFECTS
 Wavy profile
 Fluted cut
 Widening or convergent kerf
 Top edge melt
 Heavy slag
 Cracking
If the pre-heat temperature is too high it can have an effect on the
top edge of the cut. Too fierce a flame can cause melting of the face
or upper edge, this defect is called 'top edge melt'.
Diagram of top edge melt

As well as the roughness of the cut face, drag lines across the
surface of the cut can give the operator an indication if the
cutting speed is correct and the right cutting oxygen velocity is
being used.
Diagram showing drag lines on cut surface

Hazards in gas welding &
cutting
Major Hazard - Risk of explosion or sudden spread of fire

involving oxygen & fuel gas cylinders.
Fuel Gases -
 Acetylene ( unstable structure - tendency to spontaneously
decompose )
 Propane
 LPG( Propane + Butane)
 Natural Gas ( Methane )
 Hydrogen
Other Hazard - Risk of asphyxiation in the case of Argon & CO2

BACKFIRE
Flame burns back into the torch, it can be the sign of some
fault in the equipment or the gas supply
• Symptoms
Characterised by a sharp bang
• Causes
wrong pressure settings, or cylinder running too low
Pressure drops due to length, bore, or constriction of
the hose,Dirt, or carbon blocking flow through torch /
mixer or nozzle
Equipment becoming overheated
• Action
Turn off oxygen first, then cool and clean equipment
Hose Check Valve
Stainless steel disc
Normal
Gas from
Valve seating regulator
Torch fitting
Back
pressure
One way valve

closed
Flashback
 A flame and it’s pressure wave (75x gas pressure in bar)
travel back through the torch and into the gas system.
Flame
 Symptoms
Pressure MIXED
A bang Wave GAS
Hose Direction of Flashback
Toward Regulator
 Cause
Improper purging & pressures of O2 & DA lines
The flame speed is too fast to be blocked by the check valve in the
hose and
proceeds right past it through the hose to the FBA
Operating Principle of FBA’s
Gas flow
Pop-up button
from regulator
stopped
Flame stopped
by sintered
metal filter Slam-shut valve
prevents flame
Pressure wave moving to regulator
activates valve
FLASHBACK FLASHBACK
FLAME PRESSURE WAVE
Flame precedes pressure wave front
flame speed at 2400m/sec
The flame has bypassed the check valve in the hose
before the pressure wave has a chance to close the
slam shut valve in FBA
NOZZLE MIX SYSTEM
Cutting oxygen
Heating oxygen
Acetylene
Mixer
Cutting oxygen
Pre-heat flame
T-CQ3-16

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Gas cutting process

A ring of pre-heat flames in the cutting

At this temperature spontaneous oxidation

This oxygen is provided through a central

The heated steel is converted into a fluid

To produce a clean cut edge.

FUEL GAS AND

Primary flame (or inner cone)

Secondary flame (or outer cone)

HEAT CONCENTRATION HEAT CONCENTRATION

 Consequently quicker pre-heating to oxidation temperature at

 Oxy-Acetylene is the only flame which can weld steel.

Drop on O2 purity from 99.5 % to 98.5 % for cutting 25 mm plate results in

 Smoothness of cut face

 Top edge melt

 Widening or convergent kerf

 Top edge melt

Diagram of top edge melt

Diagram showing drag lines on cut surface

Major Hazard - Risk of explosion or sudden spread of fire

Other Hazard - Risk of asphyxiation in the case of Argon & CO2

One way valve

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