Oxygen

Oxygen

An essential gas in lampworking that can come from high pressure tanks, liquid dewars, or direct from a concentrator. It is a highly reactive gas that may increase the potential and severity combustion with a fuel source. It is mainly used in conjunction with propane or natural gas to power pre mix and surface mix torches.

Forms of Production and Containment

• Oxygen concentrators can purify atmospheric gas in situ while a torch is running. These concentrators come in a variety of production rates and pressures. Some are even capable of filling compressed cylinders with oxygen when a microbooster is used.
• High pressure tanks come in a variety of sizes, but most have compressed oxygen in excess of 2000psi. The tanks, although heavy, are portable unlike large concentrators or liquid tanks.
• Liquid oxygen is available in small dewars or large cylinders full of liquid oxygen. It often has to vent when excess pressure is created by the gas heating up and expanding, thus wasting some gas.