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Flashback arrestors

WITT Flashback arrestors

WITT® flashback arrestors are used to protect individual cylinders, outlet points and pipelines. They can be used with virtually all technical gases, including acetylene, propane, propylene, ethylene, methane, hydrogen and oxygen.

  • WITT flashback arrestors have achieved the highest certification level worldwide
  • Used by global industrial gas companies, torch manufacturers and end users worldwide
  • Now available with intelligent features that optimise the maintenance of burner systems

For detailed specifications and further information about WITT flashback arrestors, please see the PDF. Contact us and we will help you find the most suitable flashback arrestor for your application.

WITT flashback arrestors are used to protect individual cylinders, outlet points and pipelines. They can be used with virtually all technical gases, including acetylene, propane, propylene, ethylene, methane, hydrogen and oxygen.

Although working with fuel gases is a safe process when carried out by trained personnel, dangerous situations can arise if the equipment is used incorrectly.

Fuel gases should therefore only be used when the relevant safety procedures are understood and followed. Special safety devices such as flashback arrestors and flame arrestors in accordance with DIN EN ISO 5175-1 provide protection against dangerous backfire and flashback.

The flashback arrestors can be installed in any position and are available with various connections as well as in brass or stainless steel. High-quality materials and filters at the gas inlet contribute to a long service life for WITT flashback arrestors / flame arrestors.

They can be installed directly on the torch, on the hose or at the pressure regulator. The highest level of safety is achieved by installing arrestors at both the pressure regulator and the torch. It is important that this protection is used on both the fuel gas side and the oxygen side.

By combining proven safety elements, flashback arrestors provide protection against backfire and flashback.
At the same time, flashback arrestors prevent the formation of dangerous gas mixtures within the pipeline.

The main causes of backfire and flashback
The most common causes of backfire and flashback are faults in the torch equipment and the use of incorrect gas pressures. Approximately 80% of all incidents are caused by human error.

During a backfire, the flame burns back into the torch with a popping sound. The flame is either extinguished or reignites at the nozzle opening. In the event of a sustained backfire, the flame continues to burn back through the torch and may reach the mixing point of oxygen and fuel gas. An initial popping sound is typically followed by a whistling or hissing noise.

A gas mixture in one of the hoses, combined with a backfire when igniting the torch, can result in a flashback. The gas mixture in the hose is caused by reverse flow, i.e. when gas at a higher pressure flows into a hose containing gas at a lower pressure.

During a flashback, the flame travels from the torch back through one of the supply hoses. The flame can travel through the hose at up to twice the speed of sound, making it impossible to react manually in time. If a flashback occurs, the consequences can be very serious – for example, ruptured gas hoses, flames at the pressure regulators or, in the worst case, explosion of the pressurised gas cylinder.

 

Flashback arrestors prevent reverse flow and flashback
High-quality WITT flashback arrestors are proven safety products that reduce the risk of flashback. These small and compact units have helped significantly improve safety in welding and other processes involving fuel gases.
Today, every flashback arrestor contains at least three safety elements: a non-return valve, a flame arrestor and a temperature-activated shut-off valve.

Any reverse flow of gas is stopped by a spring-loaded non-return valve, thereby preventing the two gases from mixing. This prevents the formation of a potentially explosive gas mixture. A filter protects the fine mechanism against contamination.
At the centre of the flashback arrestor is a hollow cylindrical filter made of sintered stainless steel. This is essential for effectively stopping a flashback. Its function is based on the highly porous structure of the filter. As the flame passes through the filter, it loses energy and cools down. In this way, a flashback is extinguished within fractions of a second.

The temperature-activated shut-off valve is the third important safety element. Before the unit reaches a critical temperature, an integrated plastic component melts, immediately activating a spring-loaded valve and automatically shutting off the gas supply. This prevents the critical ignition temperature from being reached upstream of the flashback arrestor. The dangerous flame propagation is stopped before it can cause damage.

WITT flashback arrestors comply with relevant standards, including DIN EN ISO 5175-1
They are tested by approved testing institutes such as IBExU. 100% product testing helps ensure a high and consistent level of quality.

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