Oxy-Fuel Cutting Gas Consumption
Cut time, oxygen and fuel consumed, and runtime per cylinder for an oxy-fuel cut from the tip flows, cut length.
Example
You enter
- Cutting-oxygen flow (cfh) 55
- Preheat fuel-gas flow (cfh) 12
- Total cut length (in) 240
- Travel speed (ipm) 16
- Oxygen per cylinder (ft3) 244
- Fuel per cylinder (ft3) 330
You get
- Cut time 15 min
- Oxygen used 13.8 ft3
- Fuel used 3 ft3
- Oxygen runtime per cylinder 4.4 hr
- Fuel runtime per cylinder 27.5 hr
Checked against published worked examples from: Torch maker's tip charts.
Details, formula, and sources
ScopeCut time, oxygen and fuel consumed, and runtime per cylinder for an oxy-fuel cut from the tip flows, cut length, and travel speed. The torch maker's tip chart sets the real flows; compressed-gas and flashback hazards govern.
Formula or tableCut time = cut length / cut speed; oxygen used = oxygen flow x cut time / 60; fuel used = fuel flow x cut time / 60; runtime per cylinder = cylinder volume / flow.
Source and editionTorch maker's tip charts, by name.
Free accessThe flow-to-volume arithmetic is public; the tip chart ships with the torch.
What governsMath aid for personal verification. Stop work and consult the qualified person on site if any number does not match the field condition.
API field namesoxygen_cfh, fuel_cfh, cut_length_in, cut_speed_ipm, oxygen_cyl_ft3, fuel_cyl_ft3, cut_time_min, oxygen_used_ft3, fuel_used_ft3, oxygen_runtime_hr, fuel_runtime_hr
- Default cylinder volumes 244 ft3 oxygen, 330 ft3 fuel; editable to the bottles on handgas supplier cylinder spec
- Acetylene withdrawal limit limited to about a seventh of the cylinder volume per hour or the acetone solvent carries over -- run propane or manifold cylinders for a high drawcompressed-gas safety practice
- Process scope oxygen does the cutting by oxidizing the steel and dominates consumption; oxy-fuel cuts carbon steel only, not stainless or aluminumtorch maker's tip chart