Acetylene
Acetylene (C₂H₂) is a colorless, highly flammable gas. Mostly used for oxy-fuel cutting applications, acetylene has a high heat release in the primary flame and a low heat in the secondary flame. It has the hottest flame temperature of the commercially available fuel gases (6,300 °F/3, 480 °C) and is an excellent choice for welding, brazing and cutting of steel alloys less than 1 inch thickness.

Argon and Liquid Argon
Colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-toxic, Argon (Ar) is a noble gas that comprises 0.93% of the earth's atmosphere. Argon can provide an inert and clean environment free from nitrogen and oxygen for annealing and rolling metals and alloys. In the casting industry, argon is used to flush porosity from molten metals to eliminate defects in castings. In the metal fabrication industry, argon is used to create an inert gas shield during welding. Argon is frequently blended with carbon dioxide (CO₂), hydrogen (H₂), helium (He) or oxygen (O₂) to enhance the arc characteristics or facilitate metal transfer in Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW or MIG).

Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide is a tasteless, colorless, odorless nonflammable gas. Carbon Dioxide is a major part of the basic life cycle in nature. Humans inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, which are in turn used by plants to help them grow. Plants then release oxygen, which is depended upon by humans for survival. Carbon Dioxide is used in many applications:

• Carbonate beverages
• Increase the shelf life of dairy products
• Food chilling and freezing
• Treat industrial and municipal wastewater
• Shielding gas during welding
• Enhance plant growth
• Smother fires without damaging or contaminating materials
• Carbon Dioxide dry-ice pellets can be used in place of solvents when propelled by compressed air.

Compressed Air (not available in bulk)
Compressed Air is a colorless, odorless, nonflammable gas. Industrial air is used in air carbon arc gouging and in plasma arc cutting (PAC) processes.

Helium
Helium (He) is the second lightest elemental gas next to hydrogen. Colorless, odorless, tasteless, nontoxic and chemically inert, helium is nonflammable and has a high thermal conductivity. It is used to create an inert gas shield and prevent oxidation during welding of metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper and magnesium alloys. The addition of helium generally increases weld pool fluidity and travel speed.

Hydrogen
Hydrogen is colorless, odorless, tasteless and nontoxic. Hydrogen is flammable and burns in air with a pale blue, almost invisible flame. Hydrogen is the lightest of all gases. Hydrogen is commonly found in nature as compounds with other elements. It is the most abundant element found on earth. Hydrogen is used in many applications:

• Hydrogenate liquid oils in foods
• Chemical manufacturing of ammonia and methanol
• Hydrogenate nonedible oils for soaps, insulation, plastics, ointments and other specialty chemicals
• Used in the production of semiconductor circuits
• Used in power generation as a heat transfer medium to cool high-speed turbine generators

Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonflammable inert gas. Nitrogen is used in many applications:

• A component in both controlled and modified atmosphere packaging applications
• A pure gas and a component gas in calibration gases
• A component in industrial gas mixtures
• Used in the petrochemical industry for instrumentation
• A component in laser gas mixtures
• Used in many analytical instrument applications
• A carrier gas in gas chromatography
• Used in Mass Spectrometry
• Used in oven cryogenic
• Used to Inert many chemical reactions
• Dries various products or materials

Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) is a colorless, oxidizing, liquified gas with a slightly sweetish taste and odor. Nitrous Oxide is used in many applications:

• Instrumentation gas in optical spectrometry
• Elemental analysis as an instrumentation gas in atomic absorption
• Component in industrial hygiene gas mixtures
• Oxidizing agent of combustion gases for atomic absorption spectrometry
• Medical applications
• Certain food processing applications
• Oxygen source for Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) of silicon dioxide, SiO₂ in semiconductor fabrication

Oxygen
Oxygen is a colorless, odorless, highly oxidizing gas. Oxygen is used in many applications:

• A component in calibration gas mixtures for environmental monitoring systems and industrial hygiene gas mixtures
• Used for instrumentation in the petrochemical industry
• First-aid treatment in cases of heart attack or suffocation
• Treat respiratory disorders
• Anesthetic
• Plasma etching
• Used as a carrier gas in certain deposition or diffusion operations

Propane
Propane (C₃H₈) is a colorless, flammable, liquified gas with a natural gas odor. The flame temperature of the oxy-propane flame is lower than acetylene and Praxair's FG-2™ flames. The primary flame releases low BTU when compared to Praxair's FG-2™ or acetylene, which increases preheat time. Propane is commonly used by scrap yards for cutting carbon steel, where the cut quality is not critical. Where cut quality is not a concern, propane may be a cost-effective fuel gas.

Propylene
Propylene (C₃H₆) is a colorless, flammable, liquified gas with a faintly sweet odor. It has high heat release in its primary and secondary flames. The heat release in the primary flame cone is similar to acetylene. The BTU capacity of the outer flame is superior to that of acetylene. Propylene combines the qualities of an acetylene flame with the secondary heating capacity of propane. The fuel gas burns hotter than propane; however, the cutting speed should be calculated on a case-by-case-basis before choosing this as the most economical choice as your fuel gas.

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Look to nexAir for: Acetylene Argon Carbon Dioxide Compressed Air Helium Hydrogen Nitrogen Oxygen Propane Propylene Need a LIFT from your forklift propane supplier? Call us at 888-nexAir4 to see your whole operation flow better.

We keep industry flowing. Acetylene to propylene, we we’ve got the gas you need. In fact, nexAir serves a wide range of industries from food to metal fabrication to semiconductor manufacturing. Each has its own requirements, and special care is taken to meet those requirements while adhering to the highest safety standards. We can help you find ways to solve problems and increase productivity. We can recommend the best gas for your particular need. We can fine-tune your distribution system. And we can supply gas handling equipment, as well as a range of gas cylinders, containers, and vessels.

Proprietary cylinder-fill plant operation On-site spec gas lab Lab staffed with chemical engineers Licensed by the FDA to fill, test, and distribute medical gases 6-, 12-, and 16-cylinder pallet/skid combo units Tube trailer filling—N2 and N2/He mixtures/pure helium On-site acetylene cylinder requalification ISO 9001—certified   Find out more. For more information, or to request a quote, call our Support Center toll-free at 888-nexAir4 (888-639-2474). Or visit the Contact Us page.