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re" gas kiln advice needed

updated thu 31 jul 97

 

Howard on wed 16 jul 97

I have been reading the correspondence on this subject of propane freezing
with interest. The explanation by Gavin Stairs is excellent. One
additional thing that I would like to point out is that this is the
principle on which refridgeration and air conditioning works as freon (or
now some other material) is compressed and then vaporized over and over
again.

I wish to point out another solution to the problem of frozen propane
tanks. There is a type of burner, which is old technology but which is
unknown to most potters. This burner is made so that the propane will
evaporate at the burner instead of in the propane tank. One key to this
burner is a dip tube that goes into the propane tank, so that liquid
propane enters the tube, at the bottom of the tank. Pressure in the tank
forces the liquid to the burner. The liquid propane vaporizes at the
burner where it can ignite just as it does in any other burner. Since no
evaporation takes place in the tank, there is no freezing there. The heat
from the burner prevents any freezing at the source of vaporization.

Axner is not the only source of such a burner but we do offer it and it is
illustrated in our 1997 catalog. We call it the no-freeze burner. We do
NOT manufacture this burner and I do not know all of the subtleties
involved, so for satety purposes, I will caution potters to thoroughly
research this burner prior to fabricating your own.

Anthony Wolking on thu 17 jul 97

Howard and the list,
Is there any more info you could offer on this type of burner, or possibly
how to go about getting info for catalogues. This type of burner would work
great for my purposes yet I am having trouble finding a local supplier that
stocks smaller size tanks that come standard with the dip tube you speak of.
I am considering a 100# tank or a bank of two to four 100# cylinders, but
have only had luck finding 33# toe moter size cylinders with such a tube as
common. Then again most of these are aluminum and therefore double the
price.
I would appreciate any suggestions.

TIA
Anthony Wolking
in Cincinnati

rwolking@aol.com or the list