Propane torch: design, operating principle, and types

A propane cutting torch is a simple piece of equipment for manually cutting metal using propane as fuel. The cutting process involves combustion of the metal by supplied oxygen, but first by heating the metal surface to the required ignition temperature. Oxides are then removed from the cutting area by a flame jet.

Nowadays, general-purpose propane cutting torches are more commonly used. They can cut steel from 3 to 300 mm thick in any direction, have good kickback resistance, and are easy to handle. An oxy-propane cutting torch consists of a main barrel and a tip.

The barrel is attached to a handle with two nipples, one for oxygen and one for fuel gas. Slightly higher up, the barrel contains oxygen and gas adjustment valves, oxygen and gas mixing chambers, tubes, a cutting head with an internal and external nozzle, and a cutting oxygen supply tube.

An oxy-propane cutting torch will produce high-quality cuts if the nozzle size is correctly selected and the gas supply pressure is appropriately matched to the metal thickness. Insufficient oxygen supply results in incomplete metal oxidation and poor oxide removal, while excess oxygen leads to unnecessary cooling and heat removal from the cutting zone. The purer the oxygen, the cleaner the cut edges and the less slag that is difficult to remove. Cutting speed must be optimal, otherwise the edges will melt or, at low speeds, the cut will be incomplete.

The RZP propane cutting torch can also operate on acetylene or propane-butane. It effectively cuts metal up to 300 mm thick. It weighs just 0.8 kg, has a torch length of 520 mm, and features 100% flameback resistance. High-quality, durable components are ensured by a special oxygen-friendly lubricant. The RZP (2.3) propane cutting torch from the Izhevsk company "JET" is designed for manual cutting of carbon steel and low-alloy steels. It produces high-quality cuts from 3 to 300 mm thick and grooving up to 450 mm. Weighing 0.91 kg, these torches operate on propane-butane, acetylene, and can also be powered by natural gas. The nominal bore of the hoses is dy9 mm, or dy6 on a special order. These cutters have a variety of nozzles, allowing for high-quality cutting of steel of varying thicknesses.

The MAYAK RZP propane cutting torch is also capable of cutting thick steel up to 300 mm. It weighs 0.75 kg and has four internal nozzle sizes and one external nozzle. It has a universal nipple size of 6/9 mm. This torch is designed for cutting low-carbon steel sheets and sections. It features a slotted nozzle, valve-operated gas supply, and high kickback resistance.

The RZP-03M KRASS propane cutting torch runs on propane-butane and successfully cuts sheet and billet low-carbon steel. The torch weighs 0.75 kg and is 475 mm long. It can cut steel from 8 to 300 mm thick. The propane cutting torches listed above do not differ significantly in cut quality or metal cutting capabilities, but they do vary in length, weight, number of included nozzles, and sometimes in the thickness of the metal being cut.