Flamethrower Pressurization

[Atlantis]

I don't plan on building a flamethrower, but I was just wondering if this idea could work. Since it's not safe to use Oxygen in the chamber directly, could you have a piston between the air and the fuel, the air would push the piston and compress the fuel, that way Oxygen would not be able to mix with the fuel. I'm not sure if the fuel would spontaneously combust, because it's physical pressure instead of fluid pressure.

[drac]

The fuel wouldn't combust, because there's no oxygen. That would work, but you need a good seal on the piston.

[BC Pneumatics]

My favorite system for a flamethrower is diesel pressureized with propane.

(I have built 3 like this, all function well.)

[saladtossser]

My favorite system for a flamethrower is diesel pressureized with propane.

(I have built 3 like this, all function well.)

i was just thinking, if CO2 was used, would it effect the fire since it's not pure fuel coming out?

[cannon freak]

I don't know a whole lot about flame throwers but I don't think it would effect it at all unless you were lighting the fuel just as it comes out the barrel, which you probably are then it would put out the flame. If you were shooting at something that is already lit than the CO2 would have enough time to diffuse and not effect the fire.

[Mihlrad]

Depends how much co2, co2 is used for extinguishing fires, so if theres enough then it wont ignite the fuel.

[spudmonkey]

i think the second it gets out of the chamber there will be enough to ignite at least the outer portion of the flame, it might give you better distance if the inner part of the flame doesnt ignite almost instantly

[carlbelcher]

Theoritically the co2 would be forcing the fuel out of the tanks. The co2 would stay in the tanks until all the fuel was forced out. There for the stream of fuel wouldn't contain any co2 until the very last drops of fuel.

Which I don't think you would want to ignite anyway, because if you have ever shot a super soaker you know the last few drops come out in a fine mist, which would make for a pretty nasty fire ball right in your face.

[Atlantis]

Cool, sounds like ym idea would work, you would just need a few O-Rings on the piston. For simplicity's sake, just use a spring to push the piston, you could remove most of the frame from a caulk gun and add a spring to the rod.

[drac]

CO2 is less dense than the fuel, so it will float to the top and all fuel will be expended before the CO2 starts coming out.

[cannon freak]

You could simple put a piston in between the fuel and CO2 that should work.