Jumped in with BOTH feet.

[November]

I just wanted to make it clear that I'm not an "explosives guy."  I don't like to be around explosives.  I was required to acquire a BATF explosives manufacturing license only because propellant is classified as a low explosive, and I certainly want to be involved with testing my own engineering.  I will post a link to any videos within this post through editing, rather than cluttering up the thread further.

- red.november

http://www.unclesalmon.com/lib/images/products/garden_sprayer_front_three-quarter.jpg
http://www.unclesalmon.com/lib/images/products/garden_sprayer_rear_three-quarter.jpg
640x480 @ 30 fps (right-click to download & save)
http://www.unclesalmon.com/lib/video/morning_shower_640.mp4

320x240 @ 60 fps (right-click to download & save)
http://www.unclesalmon.com/lib/video/morning_shower_320.mp4

[PizzaPolice]

November

I have yet to meet an EOD or ATF guy that didn't go in for the BOOM factor.  A firefighter that didn't admire a spectacular blaze or a cop that didn't like chasing and catching bad guys.  Show me one trainman that doesn't get a rush when he gives his engine a point.  Engineers of all walks keep a version of their own personal frankenstein someplace in their heads.  A pal of mine works in N.M. and gets paid, as he calls it, to make things blow up bigger, faster, better and cheaper.  Oh yeah, he's a physicist, but he still gets a chubby when his babies go BANG.
I'm just saying - be careful.

[2stone]

You can also use Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol), which is just the oxide of propane.  I actually heat my cold bathroom during the winter, just before I take a shower, using Isopropanol and a garden sprayer (with a brass tip) as a flame-throwing blow torch.  It takes about 1.3 seconds to bring the temperature of the whole bathroom up from 54 F to 86 F.  Just burning the Isopropanol after pouring it out onto a surface isn't enough.  An air-injected Isopropanol flame combusts more completely and produces much higher temperatures.  Even propane can't compete with it.  I would like to point out at this time that I take no responsibility for anyone else's carelessness, and I make no warranty for the performance or safety of anyone else's Isopropanol flame-throwing apparatus.

- red.november

November,
this really intrigues me.

Since I live in Michigan and the weather is getting a little nippy,
I couldn't help but think of your bathroom heating technique when I
came down to the bathroom today.  I predominantly heat with wood,
so of course my bathroom was a little chilly. Just a couple of questions.

I have the hose and several brass tips to choose from, also maybe I
could use acetylene since I have a good supply of that. My concern is:
we have a vinyl shower curtain along with vinyl pulldown window blinds.
Also we have stacks of magazines and my wife likes the towels with allot of
fuzzy nap on them. Do I need to remove all these thing before I try out your
"instant bathroom heating method" (my wife is a little particular) or have you
had good luck in controlling flame bursts.
I realize your post is from a while ago, but it's getting that time of the year again.

thanks in advance,

willard

[November]

Willard,

I wouldn't recommend acetylene for safety reasons.  It is an explosive gas, and any leaks or over-dispensation and you could face structural or even collateral damage.  I also wouldn't recommend it for the soot you'll likely leave behind from incomplete combustion.  I have a rigid vinyl shower curtain that runs on a track, but it doesn't pose a problem if I'm only releasing short bursts.  The idea is to quickly warm the air to a comfortable level, not try to heat it continually.

- red.november

EDIT: Just don't point the flame directly at combustibles.

[2stone]

November,

You certainly have extensive knowledge pertaining to combustible gases,
indeed you are quite accurate in your assessment of the sooting problem
associated with burning raw acetylene. Of coarse I would need to blend it with
oxygen to get that white hot flame. However there is one other problem that
I forgot to mention in the last post. Once I have successfully discharged that white hot
flame burst it would no doubt consume all of the oxygen in the room, which of coarse
needs to be replenished before I can enjoy the comfortable temperature in the bathroom.
My first instinct would be to open up the window and let some new fresh air in. This would
of coarse cool down the room again and could lead to a vicious heating and cooling cycle.

Any thoughts on this problem?

thanks again,

willard

[November]

Willard,

The following is the reaction equation for acetylene-oxygen combustion:

C2H2 + 2.5 O2 -> 2 CO2 + H2O

For every gram of acetylene you'll need 3.0722 grams of oxygen for a stoichiometric combustion reaction.  There are about 8.5 grams of oxygen in a cubic foot of air.  I would imagine your bathroom contains at least 480 cubic feet of air.  That's about 4kg of oxygen in the bathroom.  I highly doubt you will consume all (or anywhere even close to all) the oxygen in your bathroom; unless of course you are delibrately trying to torch your bathroom with over a kilogram of acetylene and you have the bathroom door shut so that no fresh air can get in.

I still consider this all academic though.  I highly recommend not using acetylene.  You won't be able to get the wide flame distribution like you can with an alcohol, at least without blowing up your bathroom.  Acetylene's enthalpy of formation is 226.73 kJ/mol.  With a high positive number like that, you're just asking for trouble when you mix it with oxygen/air for heating an area larger than a welding joint.

- red.november

[2stone]

November,

ahw shucks,

It was worth a try.
Really had my hopes up.

Have to say your first post on the
bathroom heating technique was hilarious.
Had me in stitches for about 15 min.

regards,
willard

[November]

Willard,

I have been around very dangerous (highly combustible & explosive) substances for several projects I've worked on in the past, but I always knew where the limit was, and as a consequence have never been injured.  Not even a scratch.  I've also never damaged anything important either.  I try to pass this message along to others as much as the knowledge of the substances themselves.  From time to time it may sound as though I'm involved in something crazy (like bathroom flame-throwing), but I assess the risks very carefully.  I've worked enough in thermochemistry over the years to have this risk assessment and safety factoring come as second nature.

- red.november

[November]

For those who need visual confirmation of acetylene's explosiveness, I offer the following video picked randomly from YouTube (there are many like it):

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqXPltin_ms" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqXPltin_ms</a>

[2stone]

November,

My discussions on heating my bathroom using
your novel method, were of coarse purely academic.
So I was wanting to up the ante a little bit with acetylene.

Some powerfull stuff, it is by the looks of that youtube video.
There was one video were someone blew up a house trailer.
Don't worry my acetylene is safe in the shop.

willard

[Anis]

PizzaPolice,
   
How big is your oven's internal dimension?  Thanks.

anis

[josteh]

This has to be the coolest forum ever..

[PizzaPolice]

Anis:

It's five feet internal diameter. 

[Anis]

That's unbelievable! how many pizza's have you tried cooking at the same time in that oven?  I imagine more than three would be hard to manage.