Gas cutting is one of the most popular methods of cutting metals, especially steel. It involves bringing the gas mixture stream (propane-oxygen) to a high speed, which causes oxidation and melted metal to be cut through the thickness and the throwing of the oxidation reaction and the molten metal of the cutting area. Cutting area is heated to a suitable temperature by the heat of burning propane.
Oxygen cutting is used to separate items of steel with thickness from 3,0 mm to ok. 200 mm, it can be done manually or by mechanized. This cutting method uses high quality CNC machines which allows for much better quality compared with the activity of manual torch. This process is carried out using a special torch which mix a burning gas with oxygen in the proper proportion, which creates a flame to heat and focus stream of cutting oxygen to the cutting area.
Oxygen cutting shall be of high purity – even more than 99,5% because it determines the efficiency and quality of the process. Lowering the oxygen content of 1% decrease the cutting speed by over 15% and increase the oxygen consumption by abort 25%. Propane as a burning gas has many advantages – is relatively cheap and gives much heat outside flame.
Heater flame has folllowing tasks:
- Eliminate pollution from the cut surface (rust, paint) and unveiling of a clean metal surface, which is necessary for the smooth beginning and lasting process,
- Provide a sufficiently high temperature of metal – more than 950oC to initiate the process,
- Bring additional thermal energy to sustain cutting process,
- Provide a protective coating from air for the oxygen flow.