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MIG Welders Typically Use 4 to 6 Times More Gas Than Needed.  SEE PROOF & WHY

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Help the Global Environment

with Our Gas Saver Products

Published articles show the average MIG welder uses over 5 times the amount of shielding gas necessary (See References).  Much of this is due to the large excess gas flow surge that occurs at the weld start.  This excess flow not only wastes gas  it also pulls moisture laden air into the gas stream.  This entrained air produces inferior weld starts with  excess spatter and possibly weld porosity.   Some gas waste may also be due to welders setting excess flow rates which can also pull air into the shielding gas stream for the weld duration.

When using Carbon Dioxide (CO2) shielding wasting 80% of the amount of  gas used unnecessarily increases this "greenhouse gas" escaping into the atmosphere.    Excess CO2 in the atmosphere is attributed to assisting global warming.  For one average industrial MIG welder the excess over what is needed can exceed 140,000 ft3 (CF) of  CO2 per year.  That's about 17,000 pounds (8.5 tons!) of wasted CO2 per welder per year!  (Email for Calculation Details)

 

China Wastes 4 Million Tons of CO2/Year Check it out!

"NEW" A Gas Saving Device That Optimizes Starting is Available for Asia, South America and Europe.

It fits any length hose and is useful in shipyards where long gas delivery hoses are employed.

 Interested?  Email your name and address:

Click ICON

How Much CO2 is in the Air?

Currently there is about 0.035% in the air.  That compares to 0.025 to 0.028% estimated to exist before the Industrial Revolution.  Therefore if we wanted to go back to Pre-Industrial Revolution Levels we'd only have to remove 0.01% from the air!  An interesting technical paper by Lacker, Grimes, Ziock indicates one can capture CO2 and absorb it in chemicals such as Calcium Hydroxide for about $0.001/CF.  Since the cost for welding is about $0.02/CF sounds like a viable option.  They show a device like a cooling tower that can be used to capture air very inexpensively!  Certainly power plants could capture it before it was diluted in the air.

The desirability of doing any of this or defining the magnitude of the problem versus other causes for weather changes is well outside my technical field so I can't intelligently comment.  However it makes sense to save 50 to 60% of the CO2 shielding gas being used (wasted) when welding just as a matter of economics!  It is also very inexpensive with payback measured in months by using our Gas Saver System!  You'll also get better weld starts by avoiding pulling moisture laden air into the weld start area!

Using Argon Shielding? 

When using Argon  shielding gas your still adding to  "Greenhouse Gases."  Production of Argon is very energy intensive.  Significant power is required to compress and liquefy air to extract the ~ 0.9% Argon it contains.  It fact it can not be done economically unless producers can sell the Nitrogen and Oxygen which are 99% of the air! 

Quoting a Universal Industrial Gases, Inc internet source;  "The cost of electricity is the largest single operating cost incurred in air separation plants.  Power cost is usually between one third and two thirds of the total cost of producing gas and liquid products. Large liquid plants may consume tens of thousands of Kilowatts per hour."

Currently 71% of the US production of electricity is being produced by burning coal, oil or natural gas with CO2 a product of this combustion (See Pie Chart.)

Another significant fossil fuel energy use occurs when the shielding gas is transported in trucks to a fabricator.  To deliver 300 to 500 cubic feet of shielding gas, a 150 pound steel cylinder must often be transported in a truck using gasoline or diesel fuel.  The empty cylinder must also be returned for filling.

Bulk gas is more efficient to transport (113 CF Argon/gallon) but still requires the use of a truck powered currently powered by carbon based fuels. 

In addition to significant Argon price increases, now Helium is in short supply. Seems a Helium plant due to come on stream in Algeria is delayed.  US Sources are also having difficulties keeping up with demand.  Unlike Argon which is ~ 0.9% of the air, Helium is a limited world wide resource.  Most of the Helium in the "Universe" was created during the "Big Bang" with a small amount generated in stars!  We obtain Helium as a by product in natural gas production.   Why not extract it from the air where all that is used ultimately goes?  Because it is so light it escapes the earths atmosphere and goes into outer space!  Shortages and allocation are predicted.  If your using any amount of Helium for welding the payback for our Gas Saver System is a "Just Do It" no brainer!  See what a Praxair Executive told a industrial gases and welding distributor organization about the Helium shortage.

Our Gas Saver Products Can Help Cut Shielding Gas Use by 50% or More! 

You Can Help the Environment, Save Energy While Saving Shielding Gas Cost and Improving Weld Quality

   

 

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Purchase Information Flow Rate Limiter

CLICK to see example of a fabricator who now welds 632 parts employing our Gas Saver System with the same amount of gas and flow rate they previously used to weld only 236 parts!

 

Since we have a lot of "Car Buffs" visiting this site, we thought those interested in the environment might also be interested in the first "All Electric Car" with exceptional performance and one that provides excellent range between charges.  How's 0 to 60 in 4 seconds and 250 miles between charges sound?

MORE DETAILS.

Save over $1000 per year per welder and improve weld starts with Payback measured in weeks!!
( * US Patent  # 6,610,957;  "Welding Shielding Gas Saver Device" August 26, 2003,  Patent Pending in other countries)   Other site material presented may be covered under 2006 issued US Patents # 7,015,412 or # 7,019,248 or may be Patent Pending.
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Last modified: 08/15/08

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