Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 7, 297-303, Copyright © 1960 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Flammability of an Azeotropic Mixture of Ether and Fluothane when Vaporized in Oxygen or Air

¹ Certification Officer, Fuels and Mining Practice Division, Mines Branch, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Ottawa, Canada

Five series of tests—four in oxygen and one in air—were made with an azeotropic mixture received from the University Hospital, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. This sample was labelled 69.3 per cent. Fluothane and 31.7 per cent ether by volume. Flame propagation was upward in a glass tube 2 in. in diameter and 5 ft. long, open at the bottom. The ignition source was the spark produced by a 250 va. General Electric ignition transformer, 10,000 volts secondary. All the tests to determine the upper limit of flammability in oxygen were at elevated temperatures and some of th tests to determine the lower limit were at elevated temperatures. The results in oxygen were lower limit, 7.25 per cent; upper limit 67.0 per cent. Tests indicated that the azeotropic mix-ture vaporized in air will not propagate flames and that the liquid has no flash point.

Note:

Prepared for publication in the Canadian Anaesthetists' Society Journal, July, 1960, by permission of the Director, Mines Branch, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Ottawa, Canada.