How the Burning Bars and Oxygen Lance Cutting Works

What is a Burning Bar?

Burning Bars or Oxygen Lance are powerful tool to cut thick materials. In order to cut through extremely thick, high-carbon steel plates, piercing them with a burning torch is often the first step of the process. This is done with a device called a “burning bar” or an “oxygen lance.”

The burning bar is essentially a large, hollow rod filled with alloyed wire that works as fuel. The end of the rod is placed against the steel plate that needs to be cut, and then the oxygen is turned on. The oxygen reacts with the alloyed wire fuel, creating a exothermic chemical reaction.

The resultant firing flame of this reaction has a temperature of 7000- 7400° F ( much higher than a oxy fuel flame of around 4000- 5000°F). Burning bar or oxygen lance can be used for cutting ferrous and non-ferrous metals as well concrete.

Once the burning bar has melted through the top layer of steel, it can be used to guide a cutting torch along the path that needs to be cut. This process can be used to cut through several feet of steel in just a few minutes.

Burning Bar/ Oxygen Lance Tube

What are the uses of a Burning Bar?

A burning bar or oxygen lance is a tool that is used to cut through metal especially heavy thickness as well as concrete. The burning bar uses oxygen to create a powerful jet of flame that can cut through even the thickest metal.

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The burning bar can be used to cut through metal that is too thick to be cut with a torch. The oxygen lance is also useful for cutting holes in metals.

How do you use a Burning Bar?

The burning bar is a cutting torch that uses oxygen to create a very hot flame. The heat from the burning bar can cut through metal quickly and easily.

burning bars or oxygen lance cutting
Cutting thick steel with Oxygen Lance (Ref: Smitech)

To use the burning bar, first turn on the oxygen and then light the torch. Hold the torch near the metal you want to cut and start moving it back and forth. The heat from the flame will quickly start to cut through the metal.

You can use the burning bar to cut through thick pieces of metal or cut refractory, gouging ferrous & non-ferrous metals, cutting of concrete, cutting scraps and tap hole opening. l.

Just be careful not to overheat the metal, which can cause it to warp or break.

What is Oxygen Lance or Thermal Lance?

An oxygen lance is a steel pipe filled with alloyed steel wires as fuel that is used to cut through thick pieces of metal.

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The lance is inserted into the holder and the oxygen is supplied to through the tube followed by heating the end with a oxyfuel torch. This result in immediate & rapid burning of alloyed wires creating intense heat flame.

How does a Oxygen Lance cutting process Works?

Oxygen lance cutting is a process that uses oxygen to cut through metal. A burning bar is inserted into the holder, and oxygen is passed through the bar. The oxygen reacts with the metal inside the bar, causing it to burn. The burning bar is then directed to the material to be cut.

The oxygen lance cutting process can be used to cut through thick pieces of metal. It is a fast and efficient way to cut metal, and it produces less smoke or fumes.

What are the oxygen lances are made of?

Oxygen lances are made of alloyed steel wires (high iron) sometimes mixed with aluminum wires to increase efficiency, and they vary in diameter from 1/2 inch to 1 inch. The length of the oxygen lance also varies, usually 3 to 4 meter long.

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What is the temperature in a Oxygen Lance?

oxygen lance or burning bars has a temperature of 7000- 7400° F during cutting.


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