CHAPTER IX
OXYGEN PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF CARBON
Until recently the methods used for removing carbon deposits from gas engine cylinders were very impractical and unsatisfactory. The job meant dismantling the motor, tearing out all parts, and scraping the pistons and cylinder walls by hand.
The work was never done thoroughly. It required hours of time to do it, and then there was always the danger of injuring the inside of the cylinders.
These methods have been to a large extent superseded by the use of oxygen under pressure. The various devices that are being manufactured are known as carbon removers, decarbonizers, etc., and large numbers of them are in use in the automobile and gasoline traction motor industry.
_Outfit._--The oxygen carbon cleaner consists of a high pressure oxygen cylinder with automatic reducing valve, usually constructed on the diaphragm principle, thus assuring positive regulation of pressure. This valve is fitted with a pressure gauge, rubber hose, decarbonizing torch with shut off and flexible tube for insertion into the chamber from which the carbon is to be removed.
There should also be an asbestos swab for swabbing out the inside of the cylinder or other chamber with kerosene previous to starting the operation. The action consists in simply burning the carbon to a fine dust in the presence of the stream of oxygen, this dust being then blown out.
_Operation._--The following are instructions for operating the cleaner:--
(1) Close valve in gasoline supply line and start the motor, letting it run until the gasoline is exhausted.
(2) If the cylinders be T or L head, remove either the inlet or the exhaust valve cap, or a spark plug if the cap is tight. If the cylinders have overhead valves, remove a spark plug. If any spark plug is then remaining in the cylinder it should be removed and an old one or an iron pipe plug substituted.
(3) Raise the piston of the cylinder first to be cleaned to the top of the compression stroke and continue this from cylinder to cylinder as the work progresses.
(4) In motors where carbon has been burned hard, the cylinder interior should then be swabbed with kerosene before proceeding. Work the swab, saturated with kerosene, around the inside of the cylinder until all the carbon has been moistened with the oil. This same swab may be used to ignite the gas in the cylinder in place of using a match or taper.
(5) Make all connections to the oxygen cylinder.
(6) Insert the torch nozzle in the cylinder, open the torch valve gradually and regulate to about two lbs. pressure. Manipulate the nozzle inside the cylinder and light a match or other flame at the opening so that the carbon starts to burn. Cover the various points within the cylinder and when there is no further burning the carbon has been removed. The regulating and oxygen tank valves are operated in exactly the same way as for welding as previously explained.
It should be carefully noted that when the piston is up, ready to start the operation, both valves must be closed. There will be a considerable display of sparks while this operation is taking place, but they will not set fire to the grease and oil. Care should be used to see that no gasoline is about.
INDEX
Acetylene filtering generators in tanks piping properties of purification of Acetylene-air torches Air oxygen from Alloys table of Alloy steel Aluminum alloys welding Annealing Anvil Arc welding, electric machines Asbestos, use of, in welding
Babbitt Bending pipes and tubes Bessemer steel Beveling Brass welding Brazing electric heat and tools spelter Bronze welding Butt welding
Calcium carbide Carbide storage of, Fire Underwriters' Rules to water generator Carbon removal by oxygen process Case hardening steel Cast iron welding Champfering Charging generator Chlorate of potash oxygen Conductivity of metals Copper alloys welding Crucible steel Cutting, oxy-acetylene torches
Dissolved acetylene
Electric arc welding Electric welding troubles and remedies Expansion of metals
Flame, welding Fluxes for brazing for soldering Forge fire practice tools tuvere construction of welding welding preparation welds, forms of Forging
Gas holders Gases, heating power of Generator, acetylene carbide to water construction Generator location of operation and care of overheating requirements water to carbide German silver Gloves Goggles
Hand forging Hardening steel Heat treatment of steel Hildebrandt process Hose
Injectors, adjuster Iron cast grades of malleable cast wrought
Jump weld
Lap welding Lead Linde process Liquid air oxygen
Magnalium Malleable iron welding Melting points of metals Metal alloys, table of Metals characteristics of conductivity of expansion of heat treatment of melting points of tensile strength of weight of
Nickel Nozzle sizes, torch
Open hearth steel Oxy-acetylene cutting welding practice Oxygen cylinders weight of
Pipes, bending Platinum Preheating
Removal of carbon by oxygen process Resistance method of electric welding Restoration of steel Rods, welding
Safety devices Scarfing Solder Soldering flux holes seams steel and iron wires Spelter Spot welding Steel alloys Bessemer crucible heat treatment of open hearth restoration of tensile strength of welding Strength of metals
Tank valves Tapering Tables of welding information Tempering steel Thermit metal preheating preparation welding Tin Torch acetylene-air care construction cutting high pressure low pressure medium pressure nozzles practice
Valves, regulating tank
Water to carbide generator Welding aluminum brass bronze butt cast iron copper electric electric arc flame forge information and tables instruments lap malleable iron materials practice, oxy-acetylene rods spot steel table thermit torches various metals wrought iron Wrought iron welding
Zinc