Oxyacetylene flame cutting is a relevant and widespread industrial process. The basic principles of the process lie in rapid high-temperature oxidation of the cut metal. The kinetics of the process depends, among other things, on the composition of the cut metal, the activity of the reactants. In this present work, a report of the role of carbon on the kinetics of the process is made; effects of the activities of oxyfuel gases on the flame cutting process is also elucidated. This was done by investigation of the effects of carbon content and the cutting pressures on the cutting rates of steels by the oxyacetylene cutting process. Six 10mm steel rods of different wt% C were flame cut using different acetylene and oxygen pressures. The composition of the steel rods used ranged from 0.16 wt% C to 0.33 wt% C, the acetylene pressures used ranged from 3.45 x 10-2 N.m-2 to 5.52 x 10-2N.m-2, while oxygen pressure ranged from 2.76 x 10-1N.m-2 to 3.17 x 10-1 N.m-2. The result shows that the cutting rates decreased with carbon content of the steel as a result of reduction of iron oxide during decarburization reactions; however, cutting rates increased with the oxyfuel pressures as a result of increased activity of oxyfuel gases with increased pressure.
flame cutting; oxyfuel; oxyacetylene; steel oxidation; decarburization
