| Fluorine is a remarkable element. In its
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| | keep moving parts from friction while not
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| elemental state, it is highly reactive
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| | succumbing to the fierce oxidization and
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| and toxic. However, when tightly bonded
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| | other violent reactions that characterize
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| to other molecules and elements, it
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| | many such gases.
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| becomes almost totally non-reactive,
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| | Life support systems that carry oxygen
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| taking on remarkable properties that have
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| | (and often nitrogen, too) in medical
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| made the manufacture of almost totally
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| | applications must meet the highest
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| inert lubricants possible. These
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| | standards of oxygen safety. Only totally
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| lubricants not only include high
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| | inert substances are allowed, even inside
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| temperature grease and oil but also
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| | sealed bearings and the other hardware of
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| several types of wax.
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| | an oxygen delivery system. Oxygen
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| Fluorine and hydrogen fluoride have a
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| | compatibility of halocarbon synthetic,
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| remarkable affinity for calcium and
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| | inert oils and waxes has been
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| silicon. This property allows these
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| | investigated and approved for use by
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| simple fluoro-acids to do very useful
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| | notoriously picky EU investigation
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| things, such as etch glass (which is made
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| | bodies. These arbiters of oxygen safety
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| from silicon-based silica) in an
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| | concerned themselves with all types and
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| industrial setting. It also makes it very
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| | sizes of oxygen delivery systems.
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| dangerous. That very same acid can burn
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| | Oxygen safety, especially in extreme
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| right through your arm and straight to
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| | circumstances such as those often
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| your bones.
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| | encountered by portable oxygen units,
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| Of course, most people don't handle
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| | depends upon it. Consider how such tanks
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| highly reactive fluorochemicals at any
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| | can be inadvertently knocked around and
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| point in their lives. This is reserved
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| | tossed about while being delivered.
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| for a very small number of researchers
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| | Though the larger bullet shaped tanks are
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| and technicians who are well aware of the
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| | usually not moved about much, the smaller
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| danger such compounds of fluorine pose to
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| | tanks that people with emphysema, asthma
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| human health.
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| | or cystic fibrosis often carry around on
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| The fluorine compounds that most people
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| | carts are the ones that have the highest
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| come into contact with are very solidly
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| | likelihood of suffering damage that could
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| bonded to other chemicals before most
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| | be catastrophic if the correct inert
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| people ever come near. As such, they are
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| | lubricants weren't used on newly exposed
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| mostly inert by definition - something
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| | surfaces.
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| that petroleum-based hydrocarbons
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| | Industrial gas supplies (whether noble or
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| certainly cannot claim.
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| | highly reactive gases) are not usually
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| Among the most useful attributes of
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| | nearly as mobile or prone to shock
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| fluorochemical based oils are their
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| | damage. However, large tanks can go
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| ability to remain non-reactive in even
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| | unmaintained for a long time. Along with
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| the most critical and potentially
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| | the use of non-reactive, synthetic
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| reactive situation involving gases such
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| | lubricants, it is recommended that any
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| as pure, high-pressure oxygen situations
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| | gas tank be maintained on a regular
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| or other cryogenic gases that are
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| | schedule, by trained professionals.
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| commonly used for a wide array of
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| | It doesn't matter whether you risk
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| functions.
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| | blowing yourself up a little or a lot -
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| Anyone familiar with the highly reactive
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| | such inspections can spot areas that are
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| nature of gases under high pressure or
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| | in actual danger from explosion or
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| stored as super-cold liquids knows that
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| | springing a leak in a line that's been
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| every single surface that such gases come
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| | compromised at connection points,
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| into contact, whether on purpose or
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| | fittings or bearings. High-pressure
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| accidentally in the case of mechanical
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| | oxygen compatible systems usually have
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| failure of the delivery device
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| | authorized service personal that show up
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| components, must not be composed of
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| | on a fixed schedule to care for and
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| reactive substances.
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| | maintain the inside, outside and feeder
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| The gas most commonly used and stored in
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| | lines, as per oxygen safety guidelines.
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| this way is oxygen. Though perhaps most
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| | Those who care for their own portable
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| often found in medical applications,
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| | gear should be very careful not to
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| SCUBA divers, mountaineers and high level
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| | attempt to tinker with it but instead
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| athletes all use portable liquid oxygen
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| | take the apparatus in for regular
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| tanks to deliver pure gaseous oxygen.
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| | inspections or tune-ups.
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| Safety with such devices goes well beyond
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| | The use of fluorochemical non-reactive
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| a smoking ban.
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| | and inert oils in high pressure and high
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| Since mechanical devices are responsible
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| | performance gas delivery systems has
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| for mixing and delivering oxygen or other
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| | revolutionized the applications that can
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| reactive gasses under high pressure, an
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| | safely utilize high pressure gases. The
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| oxygen compatible delivery system
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| | added safety has likely saved scores of
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| requires inert oils such as the
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| | lives since inert lubricants became
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| completely fluorinated or
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| | commonplace in industry and hobby
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| polychlorotrifluoroethylenes (PCTFE)
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| | equipment.
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| based oils, lubricants and waxes that
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