Author: Lawrence Haynes

Lawrence Haynes | 3 minutes | 07/23/2025

What Is Ammonia Used For?

Ammonia has numerous applications, from agricultural fertilizers to refrigeration systems. It also plays crucial roles in manufacturing, food production, and water treatment processes. This guide explores ammonia’s many use cases on a more granular level to show you exactly how this compound is used across industries. We’ll then go over the key safety considerations regarding …

Lawrence Haynes | 7 minutes | 07/21/2025

Why Is Enhanced Oil Recovery Necessary?

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is necessary because conventional extraction methods typically leave 60-80% of oil trapped within reservoirs. By contrast, EOR techniques can access much of this remaining oil to meet global energy demands. The importance of EOR grows as easily accessible oil reserves continue to deplete worldwide. It’s a critical approach for energy companies …

Lawrence Haynes | 3 minutes | 07/21/2025

Is Ammonia Flammable?

Yes, ammonia is flammable – but only under specific conditions and within certain concentration limits. While it’s not as easily ignitable as other industrial gases, understanding its characteristics is crucial for safe handling and storage. This guide explores the specifics of ammonia’s flammability to help you maintain safe usage. You’ll also learn how to handle …

Lawrence Haynes | 3 minutes | 07/17/2025

Where Does Helium Come From?

Helium comes from two main sources: cosmic nucleosynthesis during the Big Bang and radioactive decay of uranium and thorium within the Earth’s crust. However, the helium we use on Earth comes almost entirely from underground deposits formed by radioactive decay—not from the helium produced during the Big Bang.  WestAir supplies helium across California and Arizona. …

Lawrence Haynes | 2 minutes | 07/17/2025

Can You MIG Weld with 100% Argon?

Yes, 100% argon can be used for MIG welding, but only for specific applications like aluminum and nonferrous metals. Using 100% argon for MIG welding steel is generally not recommended because it produces weak, brittle welds with poor penetration.  Why Can’t Pure Argon Be Used for MIG Welding Steel? Using pure argon for MIG welding …

Lawrence Haynes | 5 minutes | 07/16/2025

Is Sulfur Hexafluoride a Greenhouse Gas?

Yes, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is a greenhouse gas – and it’s the most potent one known to science. This colorless, odorless gas has an extraordinary impact on global warming, which is why many commercial users are looking for ways to mitigate its negative effects. In this guide, you’ll learn what makes SF6 such a powerful …

Lawrence Haynes | 3 minutes | 07/16/2025

Is Carbon Monoxide Flammable?

Yes, carbon monoxide (CO) is highly flammable. This colorless, odorless gas burns with a distinctive violet flame and has significant flammability limits between 12.5% and 74.2% concentration in air. This guide explores carbon monoxide’s flammability in more detail. You’ll learn about its properties, applications, and safety guidelines to follow. WestAir supplies carbon monoxide across California and Arizona. …

Lawrence Haynes | 4 minutes | 07/15/2025

Does Propane Go Bad?

Propane does not go bad or expire over time. As a gas stored in pressurized tanks, propane remains stable indefinitely if the container is in good condition and free from leaks or rust. Properly stored propane can last for decades without losing effectiveness. That said, the tanks that store propane do have expiration dates and …

Lawrence Haynes | 4 minutes | 07/14/2025

Is Propane Flammable?

Propane is highly flammable when in its gaseous state – it can ignite at concentrations between 2.1% and 9.6% in air and burns at temperatures over 3,500°F (1,927°C). However, liquid propane (LPG) stored under pressure is not flammable until it vaporizes into gas. In this guide, we’ll explore propane’s flammability characteristics. You’ll also learn about …

Lawrence Haynes | 3 minutes | 07/08/2025

Is Krypton Reactive?

Krypton is not reactive under normal conditions due to its complete valence electron shell, which makes it chemically inert like other noble gases. Still, it can react with fluorine under extreme conditions to form compounds such as krypton difluoride (KrF₂). In this guide, we’ll explore the reactivity of krypton in more detail. You’ll learn about …

Lawrence Haynes | 4 minutes | 07/04/2025

Medical Air vs Medical Oxygen: What’s the Difference?

The key difference between medical air and medical oxygen is that medical air mimics natural atmospheric air for general respiratory support, while medical oxygen is a highly concentrated form used when patients need extra oxygen for critical care. Below, we will go into detail on the differences between medical air and medical oxygen.  WestAir supplies …

Lawrence Haynes | 5 minutes | 07/03/2025

How Do You Know If You Have a CO2 Leak?

You can identify a CO2 leak through specialized detection equipment. As CO2 is colorless and odorless, leaks are impossible to detect with human senses alone until concentrations reach dangerous levels. That being said, you can still recognize physical symptoms of exposure and observe environmental changes.  In this guide, we’ll explore the key methods for identifying …