• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

Aerating wort with oxygen and open flame kerosene heater

ImperialStout

Brewer
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Just got, rather made, an oxygen aerating wand to use with an oxygen welding tank. Heat garage with a portable open flame kerosene heater. What precautions should I take to prevent the wort from bursting into flame? Plan to aerate at most 90 seconds. Kerosene heater is about 10 feet from the brewing bench.  Garage is 5K CF (21x28x9). Will have a through-the-wall ventilation fan installed before brewing next time. It draws about 800 CFM. Am thinking need to do nothing. Any excess oxygen bubbling out of the wort, which I keep to a minimum, will be vented outdoors in short order. Just the same, wanted to know what your experience has been with open flame heating and aerating with oxygen.
 
Oxygen needs some sort of fuel in order to combine with carbon and burn.  By itself, it's not flammable.  In the presence of concentrated oxygen, things will burn vigorously if there's a source of ignition.  Things like wood, gasoline etc burn well with oxygen because carbon atoms from the fuel are combining with oxygen atoms to make CO2.  Water does not make for a good fuel, even combined heavily with oxygen, because water contains oxygen already, well bound to two hydrogen atoms. 

I don't think it's possible to catch your beer on fire.  If it were, I'm a pyro like maine homebrewer.  I'd have to try it.  8)
 
Well that makes sense, thanks. The oxygen I am using is from an oxy / acetylene welding set up. I know from experience you can't ignite just the oxygen with the striker. As you said, oxygen needs fuel to burn and it makes the fuel, in this case acetylene, burn hotter. Oxygen by itself it won't burn. Guess brewers who use oxygen are safe. Makes my wife a little happier too.
 
Back
Top