Industrial Gas – Material Safety Data Sheets
Get access to a full range of industrial gas safety data sheets including Fuel, Laser, Medical, Hospitality and Shielding Gases.
FUEL GASES
Oxy-fuel welding and oxy-fuel cutting are processes that use fuel gases and oxygen to weld and cut metals, respectively. Oxy-fuel processes may use a variety of fuel gases, the most common being acetylene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Acetylene is the primary fuel for oxy-fuel welding and is the fuel of choice for repair work and general cutting and welding. Oxygen is not the fuel, it is what chemically combines with the fuel to produce heat for welding and cutting.
Oxy-acetylene is commonly used for welding in artistic applications, it also lends itself easily to brazing, braze-welding, metal heating (for annealing or tempering, bending or forming), and the loosening of corroded nuts and bolts. Oxy-acetylene welding may also be used in areas where electricity is not readily accessible. This type of cutting is utilized in nearly every metal fabrication shop.
LPG
Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is the generic name for mixtures of hydrocarbons (mainly propane and butane). When these mixtures are lightly compressed, they change from a gaseous state to a liquid. LPG is colourless, odourless and heavier than air. A sulphur based chemical (ethyl mercaptan) is added to give it a smell like rotten cabbage, so that even a very small leak can be easily detected.
LPG burns readily in air and has energy content similar to petrol, which makes it an excellent fuel for heating, cooking and for automotive use such as forklifts. LPG can also be used for brazing and cutting metal (similar to oxy-acetylene), pottery kilns and baking ovens, heating chicken sheds and flame weeding.
BJ Howes Metaland and Avro Metaland supply LPG to the single and fleet forklift operator market. For forklifts operating within enclosed warehouse and loading areas, LPG has the advantage of fewer emissions, and is safe and clean to operate in confined spaces. LPG is also more cost effective and convenient than petrol. Running on LPG results in significantly reduced maintenance costs. We provide lightweight aluminium 15kg cylinders to aid with workplace lifting practices.
Contact your local BJ Howes Metaland or Avro Metaland branch for further information and advice. BJ Howes Metaland and Avro Metaland supply a wide range of fuel gases for all applications, and can provide solutions, both cost effective and technical for all your applications.
We supply some of the highest capacity options in Australia, thereby helping to reduce unit costs, changeover times and labour costs. We also offer potential rental cost reductions.