what the.. heated regulator

[Ranger#1]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Co2-welding-OF-Electrically-Heated-Regulator-Flowmeter_W0QQitemZ170316957702QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item27a7ae8806

 

[AllanD]

CO2 unlike most compressed gasses (excepting Nitrous Oxide, Propane and Butane)
is kept in the cylinder AS LIQUID under pressure (just under 950psi)

Under pressure it's boiling point is higher so it condenses.

If you know anything about gasses letting them boil absorbs
a tremendous ammount of energy (they get really COLD)

this can result in the regulator freezing up with some gasses, particularly if you reach a sufficient flow rate,

basically once the liquid in the tank and meta parts outside the tank
get sufficiently cold the point in the system where the liquified boils moves further and further down the pipe and if CO2 reaches -78degC it simply freezes solid.

Now you have an ice plug in your piping and you can't shut it off...
a heated regulator makes it harder for that to happen.

What most people don't realize about those liquid under gas containers
is that provided you draw the gas off relatively slowly the pressure in
the bottle won't change until all the liquid is gone, and that doesn't
happen until there is less than 5% left in the bottle.

The same thing happens wiht Nitrous Oxide (thus the reason for "bottle heaters")
and in propane if drawn off sufficiently the stuff simply stops boiling... your gas delivery STOPS...

Another reason why down south butane is sometimes sold for people to run stoves furnaces etc... but you ain't never going to see any in Minnesota

Butane boils at 31degF... so at 31F there is essentially NO pressure in the
bottle to force it to feed.

The tell is what gasses are sold by WEIGHT?
Propane
Butane
Nitrous Oxide
Carbon Dioxide.

All others are sold by volume.

AD

 

[Ranger#1]

ooo thats a gold mine ima gonna favorite thiss one

 

[idfeiid]

CO2 unlike most compressed gasses (excepting Nitrous Oxide, Propane and Butane)
is kept in the cylinder AS LIQUID under pressure (just under 950psi)

Under pressure it's boiling point is higher so it condenses.

If you know anything about gasses letting them boil absorbs
a tremendous ammount of energy (they get really COLD)

this can result in the regulator freezing up with some gasses, particularly if you reach a sufficient flow rate,

basically once the liquid in the tank and meta parts outside the tank
get sufficiently cold the point in the system where the liquified boils moves further and further down the pipe and if CO2 reaches -78degC it simply freezes solid.

Now you have an ice plug in your piping and you can't shut it off...
a heated regulator makes it harder for that to happen.

What most people don't realize about those liquid under gas containers
is that provided you draw the gas off relatively slowly the pressure in
the bottle won't change until all the liquid is gone, and that doesn't
happen until there is less than 5% left in the bottle.

The same thing happens wiht Nitrous Oxide (thus the reason for "bottle heaters")
and in propane if drawn off sufficiently the stuff simply stops boiling... your gas delivery STOPS...

Another reason why down south butane is sometimes sold for people to run stoves furnaces etc... but you ain't never going to see any in Minnesota

Butane boils at 31degF... so at 31F there is essentially NO pressure in the
bottle to force it to feed.

The tell is what gasses are sold by WEIGHT?
Propane
Butane
Nitrous Oxide
Carbon Dioxide.

All others are sold by volume.

AD

I'm sure you know this all ready, but for people that don't let me elaborate. Bottle heaters on nitrous systems are to maintain a constant bottle pressure so that extended spray times don't start to run rich because the liquid nitrous is pulled out of the bottle and the pressure drops while fuel pressure stays constant. You need to wait before some of the liquid boils off into the head space of the bottle and re-pressurizes the bottle, heating the bottle accelerates this process. You will also notice that the heaters are connected to a pressure sensor that is generally connected with a T-piece at the opening of the bottle.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I've had the regulator on my co2/argon bottle freeze up on my mig welder when doing a ton of sheet metal work on my mustang. Had to stop for a bit and let it thaw out before I could continue.