Ask HN: Will the gas burner continue to work if it is turned upside down?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24251963

by rohan_shah • 6 years ago

1 3 6 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

If I hold a gas stove upside down, will it continue to work normally? Because the gases will want to go "up" but they'll have to come "down" to burn and produce fire.

gus_massa• 6 years ago

I'm not 100% sure, but it should work. Something like https://www.biotoolswiss.com/microbiological-instruments-1/b...

I think the direction of the gas flow is caused mostly by the speed of the gas that exit the pipe, not gravity. The burner in the stove has some air intake to mix some air and make a better flame, but I think it should work upside down (if you fix the moving parts).

Anyway, I couldn't find any experimental verification in a quick search and I'd really love to see one.

Someone• 6 years ago

Why would gases “have to come “down” to burn”?

You need 3 things for a fire: something to burn, oxygen, and heat, so as long as newly released gas comes into contact with burning gas in the presence of oxygen, it will burn.

That need not be near the exit of the gas main (for an extreme example, look at a flame thrower (military ones typically use liquid, but commercial ones typically use gases such as propane)

Efficiency and cleanliness of burning will likely go down, but I would think the design of gas exits isn’t that critical to keep a flame burning. One reason could be that, initially, it isn’t density that controls whether gas goes up or down, but gas pressure.

simonblack• 6 years ago

If it doesn't work, oxy-acetylene workers are out of business.

https://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/~/media/Images/Articles/...

Ask HN: Will the gas burner continue to work if it is turned upside down?

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