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70-454: Lonaconing Furnace , also known as The George's Creek Coal and Iron Company Furnace No. 1, is a historic iron furnace in Lonaconing , Allegany County , Maryland , United States. It is a truncated square pyramid constructed of sandstone , 50 feet (15 m) high, 50 feet square at the base, and 25 feet square at the top. It first produced iron in 1839, then the iron operation was abandoned in

140-417: A blacksmith's workshop but this will name just a few common ones. Hammers can range in shape and weight from half an ounce to nearly 30 pounds depending on the type of work being done with it. Chisels are made of high carbon steel . They are hardened and tempered at the cutting edge while the head is left soft so it will not crack when hammered. Chisels are of two types, hot and cold chisels. The cold chisel

210-413: A boost, where it is added through the turbocharger, to mix with diesel fuel droplets. Propane droplets' very high hydrogen content helps the diesel fuel to burn hotter and therefore more completely. This provides more torque, more horsepower, and a cleaner exhaust for the trucks. It is normal for a 7-liter medium-duty diesel truck engine to increase fuel economy by 20 to 33 percent when a propane boost system

280-457: A chimney, (known as lower heating value ) is −2043.455 kJ/mol. The lower heat value is the amount of heat available from burning the substance where the combustion products are vented to the atmosphere; for example, the heat from a fireplace when the flue is open. The density of propane gas at 25 °C (77 °F) is 1.808 kg/m , about 1.5× the density of air at the same temperature. The density of liquid propane at 25 °C (77 °F)

350-456: A gas, very high pressure is required to store useful quantities. This poses the hazard that, in an accident, just as with any compressed gas cylinder (such as a CO 2 cylinder used for a soda concession) a CNG cylinder may burst with great force, or leak rapidly enough to become a self-propelled missile. Therefore, CNG is much less efficient to store than propane, due to the large cylinder volume required. An alternative means of storing natural gas

420-420: A heavy hammer with a die on its face onto the workpiece. The workpiece is placed into the forge. Then the impact of a hammer causes the heated material, which is very malleable, to conform to the shape of the die and die cavities. Typically only one die is needed to completely form the part. Extra space between the die faces causes some of the material to be pressed out of the sides, forming flash . This acts as

490-466: A mechanical blower or by taking advantage of the Venturi effect . Gas forges vary in size and construction, from large forges using a big burner with a blower or several atmospheric burners to forges built out of a coffee can utilizing a cheap, simple propane torch . A small forge can even be carved out of a single soft firebrick . The primary advantage of a gas forge is the ease of use, particularly for

560-402: A novice. A gas forge is simple to operate compared to coal forges, and the fire produced is clean and consistent. They are less versatile, as the fire cannot be reshaped to accommodate large or unusually shaped pieces. It is also difficult to heat a small section of a piece. A common misconception is that gas forges cannot produce enough heat to enable forge- welding , but a well-designed gas forge

630-703: A relief valve for the extreme pressure produced by the closing of the die halves and is later trimmed off of the finished part. The equipment used in the drop forming process is commonly known as a power or drop hammer. These may be powered by air, hydraulics, or mechanics. Depending on how the machine is powered, the mass of the ram, and the drop height, the striking force can be anywhere from 11,000 to 425,000 pounds. The tools that are used, dies and punches, come in many different shapes and sizes, as well as materials. Examples of these shapes are flat and v-shaped which are used for open-die forging, and single or multiple-impression dies used for closed die forging. The designs for

700-399: A significant risk of fire or explosion. Vendors and advocates of hydrocarbon refrigerants argue against such bans on the grounds that there have been very few such incidents relative to the number of vehicle air conditioning systems filled with hydrocarbons. Propane is also instrumental in providing off-the-grid refrigeration, as the energy source for a gas absorption refrigerator and

770-480: A single piece of cast or forged tool steel. Some anvils are made of only cast iron and have no tool steel face. These are not real anvils, and will not serve a blacksmith as such because they are too soft. A common term for a cast iron anvil is "ASO" or "Anvil Shaped Object". The purpose of a tool steel face on an anvil is to provide what some call "rebound" as well as being hard and not denting easily from misplaced hammer blows. The term rebound means it projects some of

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840-422: A visible flame. The enthalpy of combustion of propane gas where all products return to standard state, for example where water returns to its liquid state at standard temperature (known as higher heating value ), is (2,219.2 ± 0.5) kJ/mol, or (50.33 ± 0.01) MJ/kg. The enthalpy of combustion of propane gas where products do not return to standard state, for example where the hot gases including water vapor exit

910-438: Is coal , coke or charcoal the basic design has remained the same. A forge of this type is essentially a hearth or fireplace designed to allow a fire to be controlled such that metal introduced to the fire may be brought to a malleable state or to bring about other metallurgical effects ( hardening , annealing , and tempering as examples). The forge fire in this type of forge is controlled in three ways: amount of air,

980-438: Is 0.493 g/cm , which is equivalent to 4.11 pounds per U.S. liquid gallon or 493 g/L. Propane expands at 1.5% per 10 °F. Thus, liquid propane has a density of approximately 4.2 pounds per gallon (504 g/L) at 60 °F (15.6 °C). As the density of propane changes with temperature, this fact must be considered every time when the application is connected with safety or custody transfer operations. Propane

1050-415: Is a popular choice for barbecues and portable stoves because the low boiling point of −42 °C (−44 °F) makes it vaporize as soon as it is released from its pressurized container. Therefore, no carburetor or other vaporizing device is required; a simple metering nozzle suffices. Blends of pure, dry "isopropane" [isobutane/propane mixtures of propane (R-290) and isobutane (R-600a)] can be used as

1120-486: Is a simple asphyxiant . Unlike natural gas , it is denser than air. It may accumulate in low spaces and near the floor. When abused as an inhalant , it may cause hypoxia (lack of oxygen), pneumonia , cardiac failure or cardiac arrest . Propane has low toxicity since it is not readily absorbed and is not biologically active . Commonly stored under pressure at room temperature, propane and its mixtures will flash evaporate at atmospheric pressure and cool well below

1190-545: Is a three- carbon alkane with the molecular formula C 3 H 8 . It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure , but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is often a constituent of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is commonly used as a fuel in domestic and industrial applications and in low-emissions public transportation; other constituents of LPG may include propylene , butane , butylene , butadiene , and isobutylene . Discovered in 1857 by

1260-524: Is as a cryogenic liquid in an insulated container as liquefied natural gas (LNG). This form of storage is at low pressure and is around 3.5 times as efficient as storing it as CNG. Unlike propane, if a spill occurs, CNG will evaporate and dissipate because it is lighter than air. Propane is much more commonly used to fuel vehicles than is natural gas, because that equipment costs less. Propane requires just 1,220 kilopascals (177 psi) of pressure to keep it liquid at 37.8 °C (100 °F). Propane

1330-581: Is commonly used for camping and recreational vehicles. It has also been proposed to use propane as a refrigerant in heat pumps . Since it can be transported easily, it is a popular fuel for home heat and backup electrical generation in sparsely populated areas that do not have natural gas pipelines. In June 2023, Stanford researchers found propane combustion emitted detectable and repeatable levels of benzene that in some homes raised indoor benzene concentrations above well-established health benchmarks. The research also shows that gas and propane fuels appear to be

1400-454: Is delivered to end-users via small or medium-sized individual cylinders, while empty cylinders are removed for refilling at a central location. There are also community propane systems, with a central cylinder feeding individual homes. In the U.S., over 190,000 on-road vehicles use propane, and over 450,000 forklifts use it for power. It is the third most popular vehicle fuel in the world, behind gasoline and diesel fuel . In other parts of

1470-464: Is far less than current refrigerants, propane was chosen as one of five replacement refrigerants approved by the EPA in 2015, for use in systems specially designed to handle its flammability. Such substitution is widely prohibited or discouraged in motor vehicle air conditioning systems, on the grounds that using flammable hydrocarbons in systems originally designed to carry non-flammable refrigerant presents

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1540-415: Is hot enough for any task. A finery forge is a water-powered mill where pig iron is refined into wrought iron . The anvil serves as a workbench to the blacksmith , where the metal to be forged is worked. Anvils may seem clunky and heavy, but they are a highly refined tool carefully shaped to suit a blacksmith's needs. Anvils are made of cast or wrought iron with a tool steel face welded on or of

1610-539: Is known as a BLEVE or boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion . The Kingman Explosion involved a railroad tank car in Kingman, Arizona, U.S., in 1973 during a propane transfer. The fire and subsequent explosions resulted in twelve fatalities and numerous injuries. Propane is produced as a by-product of two other processes, natural gas processing and petroleum refining . The processing of natural gas involves removal of butane , propane, and large amounts of ethane from

1680-457: Is much cleaner than that of coal or unleaded gasoline. Propane's per-BTU production of CO 2 is almost as low as that of natural gas. Propane burns hotter than home heating oil or diesel fuel because of the very high hydrogen content. The presence of C–C bonds , plus the multiple bonds of propylene and butylene , produce organic exhausts besides carbon dioxide and water vapor during typical combustion. These bonds also cause propane to burn with

1750-407: Is no need to convert the raw fuel at the heart of the fire (as with coal), the fire is handled differently. Individual smiths and specialized applications have fostered the development of a variety of forges of this type, from the coal forge described above to simpler constructions amounting to a hole in the ground with a pipe leading into it. A gas forge typically uses propane or natural gas as

1820-519: Is not suited for most vehicle fuels. HD-5 is a specification that establishes a maximum concentration of 5% propene in propane. Propane and other LP gas specifications are established in ASTM D-1835. All propane fuels include an odorant , almost always ethanethiol , so that the gas can be smelled easily in case of a leak. Propane as HD-5 was originally intended for use as vehicle fuel. HD-5 is currently being used in all propane applications. Typically in

1890-741: Is present for complete combustion, carbon monoxide , soot ( carbon ), or both, are formed as well: C 3 H 8 + 9 2 O 2 ⟶ 2 CO 2 + CO + 4 H 2 O + heat {\displaystyle {\ce {C3H8 + 9/2 O2 -> 2 CO2 + CO + 4 H2O + heat}}} C 3 H 8 + 2 O 2 ⟶ 3 C + 4 H 2 O + heat {\displaystyle {\ce {C3H8 + 2 O2 -> 3 C + 4 H2O + heat}}} The complete combustion of propane produces about 50 MJ/kg of heat. Propane combustion

1960-511: Is rated HD-5 (Heavy Duty 5%). HD-5 grade has a maximum of 5 percent butane, but propane sold in Europe has a maximum allowable amount of butane of 30 percent, meaning it is not the same fuel as HD-5. The LPG used as auto fuel and cooking gas in Asia and Australia also has very high butane content. Propylene (also called propene) can be a contaminant of commercial propane. Propane containing too much propene

2030-537: Is that theft is much more difficult than with gasoline or diesel fuels. Propane is also used as fuel for small engines , especially those used indoors or in areas with insufficient fresh air and ventilation to carry away the more toxic exhaust of an engine running on gasoline or diesel fuel. More recently, there have been lawn-care products like string trimmers , lawn mowers and leaf blowers intended for outdoor use, but fueled by propane in order to reduce air pollution . Many heavy-duty highway trucks use propane as

2100-468: Is used for cutting cold metals while the hot chisel is for hot metals. Usually, hot chisels are thinner and therefore can not be substituted with cold chisels. Also, many smiths shape chisels as to have a simple twisted handle as to resemble a hammer, they can be used at a greater distance away from the hot metals. They are very useful and found throughout the world. Tongs are used by the blacksmith for holding hot metals securely. The mouths are custom made by

2170-711: Is used for heat and cooking in recreational vehicles and campers . Propane is becoming popular as a replacement refrigerant (R290) for heatpumps also as it offers greater efficiency than the current refrigerants: R410A / R32, higher temperature heat output and less damage to the atmosphere for escaped gasses - at the expense of high gas flammability. Propane was first synthesized by the French chemist Marcellin Berthelot in 1857 during his researches on hydrogenation . Berthelot made propane by heating propylene dibromide (C 3 H 6 Br 2 ) with potassium iodide and water. Propane

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2240-530: Is used. It is cheaper because propane is much cheaper than diesel fuel. The longer distance a cross-country trucker can travel on a full load of combined diesel and propane fuel means they can maintain federal hours of work rules with two fewer fuel stops in a cross-country trip. Truckers, tractor pulling competitions, and farmers have been using a propane boost system for over forty years in North America. The North American standard grade of automotive-use propane

2310-643: The space group P2 1 /n. The low space-filling of 58.5% (at 90 K), due to the bad stacking properties of the molecule, is the reason for the particularly low melting point. Propane undergoes combustion reactions in a similar fashion to other alkanes . In the presence of excess oxygen, propane burns to form water and carbon dioxide . C 3 H 8 + 5 O 2 ⟶ 3 CO 2 + 4 H 2 O + heat {\displaystyle {\ce {C3H8 + 5 O2 -> 3 CO2 + 4 H2O + heat}}} When insufficient oxygen

2380-499: The 1930s included the introduction of railroad tank car transport, gas odorization, and the construction of local bottle-filling plants. The year 1945 marked the first year that annual LP gas sales reached a billion gallons. By 1947, 62% of all U.S. homes had been equipped with either natural gas or propane for cooking. In 1950, 1,000 propane-fueled buses were ordered by the Chicago Transit Authority , and by 1958, sales in

2450-589: The December 2015 EIA figure for the East Coast at $ 2.67 per gallon and the Midwest at $ 1.43 per gallon. As of August 2018 , the average US propane retail cost was approximately $ 2.48 per gallon. The wholesale price of propane in the U.S. always drops in the summer as most homes do not require it for home heating. The wholesale price of propane in the summer of 2018 was between 86 cents to 96 cents per U.S. gallon, based on

2520-528: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) quotes a $ 2.995 per gallon average on the East Coast for October 2013, while the figure for the Midwest was $ 1.860 for the same period. As of December 2015 , the propane retail cost was approximately $ 1.97 per gallon, which meant filling a 500-gallon propane tank to 80% capacity costed $ 788, a 16.9% decrease or $ 160 less from November 2013. Similar regional differences in prices are present with

2590-778: The French chemist Marcellin Berthelot , it became commercially available in the US by 1911. Propane has lower volumetric energy density than gasoline or coal, but has higher gravimetric energy density than them and burns more cleanly. Propane gas has become a popular choice for barbecues and portable stoves because its low −42 °C boiling point makes it vaporise inside pressurised liquid containers (it exists in two phases, vapor above liquid). It retains its ability to vaporise even in cold weather, making it better-suited for outdoor use in cold climates than alternatives with higher boiling points like butane. LPG powers buses, forklifts, automobiles, outboard boat motors, and ice resurfacing machines , and

2660-572: The U.S. had reached 7 billion US gallons (26,000,000 m ) annually. In 2004, it was reported to be a growing $ 8-billion to $ 10-billion industry with over 15 billion US gallons (57,000,000 m ) of propane being used annually in the U.S. During the COVID-19 pandemic , propane shortages were reported in the United States due to increased demand. The " prop- " root found in "propane" and names of other compounds with three-carbon chains

2730-747: The United States and Canada, LPG is primarily propane (at least 90%), while the rest is mostly ethane , propylene , butane , and odorants including ethyl mercaptan . This is the HD-5 standard, (maximum allowable propylene content, and no more than 5% butanes and ethane) defined by the American Society for Testing and Materials by its Standard 1835 for internal combustion engines. Not all products labeled "LPG" conform to this standard, however. In Mexico, for example, gas labeled "LPG" may consist of 60% propane and 40% butane. "The exact proportion of this combination varies by country, depending on international prices, on

2800-429: The anvil, there is sometimes a "horn" that is used for bending, drawing out steel, and many other tasks. Between the horn and the anvil face, there is often a small area called a "step" or a "cutting table" That is used for cutting hot or cold steel with chisels, and hot cut tools without harming the anvil's face. Marks on the face transfer into imperfections in the blacksmith's work. There are many types of hammer used in

2870-432: The availability of components and, especially, on the climatic conditions that favor LPG with higher butane content in warmer regions and propane in cold areas". Propane is bought and stored in a liquid form, LPG. It can easily be stored in a relatively small space. By comparison, compressed natural gas (CNG) cannot be liquefied by compression at normal temperatures, as these are well above its critical temperature . As

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2940-438: The bottom fuller has a square shank which fits into the hardy hole in the anvil while the top fuller has a handle. The work is placed on the bottom fuller and the top is placed on the work and struck with a hammer. The top fuller is also used for finishing round corners and for stretching or spreading metal. The hardy tool is a tool with a square shank that fits in a hardy hole. There are many different kinds of hardy tools such as

3010-577: The circulating refrigerant in suitably constructed compressor-based refrigeration. Compared to fluorocarbons, propane has a negligible ozone depletion potential and very low global warming potential (having a GWP value of 0.072, 13.9 times lower than the GWP of carbon dioxide) and can serve as a functional replacement for R-12 , R-22 , R-134a , and other chlorofluorocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in conventional stationary refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Because its global warming effect

3080-549: The dies have many aspects to them that must be considered. They all must be properly aligned, they must be designed so the metal and the flash will flow properly and fill all the grooves, and special considerations must be made for supporting webs and ribs and the parting line location. The materials must also be selected carefully. Some factors that go into the material selection are cost, their ability to harden, their ability to withstand high pressures, hot abrasion, heat cracking, and other such things. The most common materials used for

3150-619: The dominant source of benzene produced by cooking. In rural areas of North America, as well as northern Australia, propane is used to heat livestock facilities, in grain dryers, and other heat-producing appliances. When used for heating or grain drying it is usually stored in a large, permanently-placed cylinder which is refilled by a propane-delivery truck. As of 2014 , 6.2 million American households use propane as their primary heating fuel. In North America, local delivery trucks with an average cylinder size of 3,000 US gallons (11 m ), fill up large cylinders that are permanently installed on

3220-431: The fire as well as feeding and deepening the coke heart. The smith can also adjust the length and width of the fire in such a forge to accommodate different shapes of work. The major variation from the forge and fire just described is a ' backdraft ' where there is no fire pot, and the tuyere enters the hearth horizontally from the back wall. Coke and charcoal may be burned in the same forges that use coal, but since there

3290-566: The floor to the pilot light on the furnace or water heater, and results in an explosion or fire. This property makes propane generally unsuitable as a fuel for boats. In 2007, a heavily investigated vapor-related explosion occurred in Ghent, West Virginia, U.S., killing four people and completely destroying the Little General convenience store on Flat Top Road , causing several injuries. Another hazard associated with propane storage and transport

3360-411: The force of the blacksmith's hammer blows back into the metal thus moving more metal at once than if there were no rebound. A good anvil can project anywhere from 50 to 99% of the energy back into the workpiece. The flat top, called the "face" is highly polished and usually has two holes (but can have more or less depending on the design). The square hole is called the hardy hole, where the square shank of

3430-408: The freezing point of water. The cold gas, which appears white due to moisture condensing from the air, may cause frostbite. Propane is denser than air. If a leak in a propane fuel system occurs, the vaporized gas will have a tendency to sink into any enclosed area and thus poses a risk of explosion and fire. The typical scenario is a leaking cylinder stored in a basement; the propane leak drifts across

3500-435: The fuel and air in the fire to suit particular kinds of work. Often this involves adjusting and maintaining the shape of the fire. In a typical coal forge, a firepot will be centred in a flat hearth. The tuyere will enter the firepot at the bottom. In operation, the hot core of the fire will be a ball of burning coke in and above the firepot. The heart of the fire will be surrounded by a layer of hot but not burning coke. Around

3570-455: The fuel. One common, efficient design uses a cylindrical forge chamber and a burner tube mounted at a right angle to the body. The chamber is typically lined with refractory materials such as a hard castable refractory ceramic or a soft ceramic thermal blanket (ex: Kaowool ). The burner mixes fuel and air which are ignited at the tip, which protrudes a short way into the chamber lining. The air pressure, and therefore heat, can be increased with

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3640-411: The hardy tool fits. There are many different kinds of hardy tools. The smaller hole is called the pritchel hole, used as a bolster when punching holes in hot metal, or to hold tools similar to how the hardy tool does, but for tools that require being able to turn a 360-degree angle such as a hold-down tool for when the blacksmith's tongs cannot hold a workpiece as securely as it needs to be. On the front of

3710-457: The hot cut hardy, used for cutting hot metal on the anvil; the fuller tool, used for drawing out metal and making grooves; bending jigs - and too many others to list. A slack tub is usually a large container full of water used by a blacksmith to quench hot metal. The slack tub is principally used to cool parts of the work during forging (to protect them, or keep the metal in one area from "spreading" for example, nearby hammer blows); to harden

3780-511: The mid-1850s, the Loncaconing Furnace complex included a top house, molding house, engine house, and two hot-air furnaces for heating the blast. None of these ancillary structures remains. It played a significant role in demonstrating that both coke and raw bituminous coal could be used as fuels in the manufacture of iron. It is known as "the first coke furnace, whose operation was successful, erected in this country." Lonaconing Furnace

3850-511: The propane consumed each year, with about 70% of that coming from Canada via pipeline and rail. The remaining 30% of imported propane comes to the United States from other sources via ocean transport. After it is separated from the crude oil, North American propane is stored in huge salt caverns . Examples of these are Fort Saskatchewan , Alberta ; Mont Belvieu, Texas ; and Conway, Kansas . These salt caverns can store 80,000,000 barrels (13,000,000 m ) of propane. As of October 2013 ,

3920-514: The property, or other service trucks exchange empty cylinders of propane with filled cylinders. Large tractor-trailer trucks, with an average cylinder size of 10,000 US gallons (38 m ), transport propane from the pipeline or refinery to the local bulk plant. The bobtail tank truck is not unique to the North American market, though the practice is not as common elsewhere, and the vehicles are generally called tankers . In many countries, propane

3990-425: The raw gas, to prevent condensation of these volatiles in natural gas pipelines. Additionally, oil refineries produce some propane as a by-product of cracking petroleum into gasoline or heating oil. The supply of propane cannot easily be adjusted to meet increased demand, because of the by-product nature of propane production. About 90% of U.S. propane is domestically produced. The United States imports about 10% of

4060-437: The retail cost of propane was approximately $ 2.37 per gallon, or roughly $ 25.95 per 1 million BTUs. This means that filling a 500-gallon propane tank, which is what households that use propane as their main source of energy usually require, cost $ 948 (80% of 500 gallons or 400 gallons), a 7.5% increase on the 2012–2013 winter season average US price. However, propane costs per gallon change significantly from one state to another:

4130-490: The smith in various shapes to suit the gripping of various shapes of metal . It is not uncommon for a blacksmith to own twenty or more pairs of tongs; traditionally, a smith would start building their collection during the apprenticeship. There are various types of tongs available in the market. (1) flat tong (2) rivet or ring tong (3) straight lip fluted tong (4) gad tong Fullers are forming tools of different shapes used in making grooves or hollows. They are often used in pairs,

4200-402: The steel; to tend a coal or charcoal forge; and simply to cool the work quickly for easy inspection. In bladesmithing and tool-making the term will usually be changed to a "quench tank" because oil or brine is used to cool the metal. The term slack is believed to derive from the word "slake", as in slaking the heat. Drop forging is a process used to shape metal into complex shapes by dropping

4270-598: The tools are carbon steel and, in some cases, nickel-based alloys. The materials that are used most commonly in drop forging are aluminium, copper, nickel, mild steel, stainless steel, and magnesium. Mild steel is the best choice, and magnesium generally performs poorly as a drop forging material. Various gods and goddesses are associated with the forge in a number of mythologies, such as the Irish Brigid , West African Ogun , Greek Hephaestus and Roman Vulcan . Propane Propane ( / ˈ p r oʊ p eɪ n / )

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4340-403: The unburnt coke will be a transitional layer of coal being transformed into coke by the heat of the fire. Surrounding all is a ring or horseshoe-shaped layer of raw coal, usually kept damp and tightly packed to maintain the shape of the fire's heart and to keep the coal from burning directly so that it "cooks" into coke first. If a larger fire is necessary, the smith increases the air flowing into

4410-526: The volume of fuel, and shape of the fuel/fire. Over thousands of years of forging, these devices have evolved in one form or another as the essential features of this type of forge: During operation, fuel is placed in or on the hearth and ignited. A source of moving air, such as a fan or bellows, introduces additional air into the fire through the tuyere. With additional air, the fire consumes fuel faster and burns hotter (and cleaner - smoke can be thought of as escaped potential fuel). A blacksmith balances

4480-547: The world, propane used in vehicles is known as autogas. In 2007, approximately 13 million vehicles worldwide use autogas. The advantage of propane in cars is its liquid state at a moderate pressure. This allows fast refill times, affordable fuel cylinder construction, and price ranges typically just over half that of gasoline. Meanwhile, it is noticeably cleaner (both in handling, and in combustion), results in less engine wear (due to carbon deposits) without diluting engine oil (often extending oil-change intervals), and until recently

4550-543: Was derived from " propionic acid ", which in turn was named after the Greek words protos (meaning first) and pion (fat), as it was the "first" member of the series of fatty acids . Propane is a colorless, odorless gas. Ethyl mercaptan is added as a safety precaution as an odorant , and is commonly called a "rotten egg" smell. At normal pressure it liquifies below its boiling point at −42 °C and solidifies below its melting point at −187.7 °C. Propane crystallizes in

4620-443: Was developed by Frank Peterson and its patent was granted on July 2, 1912. The 1920s saw increased production of LP gases, with the first year of recorded production totaling 223,000 US gallons (840 m ) in 1922. In 1927, annual marketed LP gas production reached 1 million US gallons (3,800 m ), and by 1935, the annual sales of LP gas had reached 56 million US gallons (210,000 m ). Major industry developments in

4690-529: Was during this time that Snelling — in cooperation with Frank P. Peterson, Chester Kerr, and Arthur Kerr — developed ways to liquefy the LP gases during the refining of gasoline. Together, they established American Gasol Co., the first commercial marketer of propane. Snelling had produced relatively pure propane by 1911, and on March 25, 1913, his method of processing and producing LP gases was issued patent #1,056,845. A separate method of producing LP gas through compression

4760-656: Was found dissolved in Pennsylvanian light crude oil by Edmund Ronalds in 1864. Walter O. Snelling of the U.S. Bureau of Mines highlighted it as a volatile component in gasoline in 1910, which marked the "birth of the propane industry" in the United States. The volatility of these lighter hydrocarbons caused them to be known as "wild" because of the high vapor pressures of unrefined gasoline. On March 31, 1912, The New York Times reported on Snelling's work with liquefied gas, saying "a steel bottle will carry enough gas to light an ordinary home for three weeks". It

4830-517: Was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This article about a Registered Historic Place in Allegany County , Maryland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Forge A forge typically uses bituminous coal , industrial coke or charcoal as the fuel to heat metal. The designs of these forges have varied over time, but whether the fuel

4900-467: Was relatively low-cost in North America. The octane rating of propane is relatively high at 110. In the United States the propane fueling infrastructure is the most developed of all alternative vehicle fuels. Many converted vehicles have provisions for topping off from "barbecue bottles". Purpose-built vehicles are often in commercially owned fleets, and have private fueling facilities. A further saving for propane fuel vehicle operators, especially in fleets,

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