From:	Sebastian Wiers m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject:	fun with O2
Date:	Sat, 25 Sep 1999 00:30:37 -0500

> >P.S. Oxygen does not burn, and cannot be ignited. It is, by definition,
> >and
> >oxidizer, and its presence in large amounts makes other things burn
somewhat
> >more easily. It is NOT explosive, nor is pumping a bunch of oxygen into
a
> >room liable to cause an explosion.
>
> "Large amounts" = O2 levels are raised to make it about 25% of the
> atmosphere, then the conditions become *much* more explosive.

What do you mean by "explosive"? AFAIK, the larger risk is spontaneous
combustion of oils
and such, or rapidly spreading fires. Note that theres similar problems
just in raising air pressure, as it increases oxygen per volume; this
problems arise in hyberbaric chambers, bridge cassons, and maybe some mines,
but I don't know if even that causes explosion so much as fires you can't
put out, plus the rapid buildup of heat. Of course, take that to an
extreme, and you have an explosion, I guess.
My experiences in filling 5 gallon metal buckets with Plexiglas "lids"
with oxygen from my welding torch and then tossing in various flaming
objects were not "explosive". In fact, I was pretty disappointed- maybe I
did something to loose oxygen containment, or didn't flush enough
atmospheric gas?
[Standard idiocy disclamers for dupication of above procedure and info
below]
More fun in the welding shop: you can supposedly improvise a "burning bar"
by packing a thin walled iron or aluminum tube (like conduit, although most
conduit is to large in diameter to be sane for this use) with steel wool,
and feeding oxygen in one end at high pressure (use a regulator starting
45lbs / 3 atmosphere / 1500 bar (?), then go up, maybe WAY up, from there).
Basically, you'd supposedly get a (rapidly shortening) tube that blows
really hot burning
steal and gobs of oxygen at the target- can you say "thermite torch"? The
combination of directed high pressure oxygen and really intense heat will
cut almost anything, or at least will in the case of a REAL burning bar;
I've never been dumb enough to try this, though I'd love an excuse! It
would not be cheap (lots of O2 and steel wool). I assume it would also be
hellishly bright, at least as bright as electric welding

Mongoose