# Pyrolizing using high pressure burner and a pan with lid



## autumnwillow (Sep 13, 2017)

So I bought this high pressure burner and used an old aluminum pan, I put all these stone setter wastes in this aluminum pan, covered it and fired up the high pressure burner stove. As soon as smokes starts to appear, I light the smoke and it ignited resulting to no foul fumes at all.
After about 30 mins the smoke was no longer igniting, so I figured the pyro is almost complete. Well, I waited another 15 mins and noticed that the bottom of the aluminum pan is starting to melt. So I stopped, separated the gold from it and threw the aluminum pan.
Lesson learned, don't use aluminum pan for pyro.

I know about aluminum melting point being low, but I didn't know that a high pressure stove could actually reach that temp. What where they planning to cook on that kind of temp?

Anyway, so I bought this stainless pan. Upon looking at the box its actually a 3ply clad, stainless aluminum then stainless. It is how actually most stainless pans are manufactured for better heat distribution.

Definitely I don't think this stove can melt stainless, but what will happen to the aluminum that was sandwiched?
If it melts will it deform? Expand and explode?


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## g_axelsson (Sep 13, 2017)

Unless you plan to cook food at read glowing temp an aluminium pan works just fine, it is when you cook them dry the temperature rises above melting point.

If you are afraid of explosion from the aluminium expanding there is a simple way to avoid any risk, just punch a hole on the bottom part so any pressure can release.
The pans I have seen doesn't seems to be welded, only brazed. In that case it will probably fall apart when you get close to the melting point of aluminium.

When you have overheated a pan you can usually remove the aluminium slab by whacking it from the inside with a hammer... done that a couple of times.

A thin-walled stainless steel pan is not good for too much incineration if you incinerate acidic substances or copper salts, it will attach the bottom and in time eat through it... Yeah, I learned that the hard way.
If you can find a frying pan in stainless steel it will last a lot longer.

Göran


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## kernels (Sep 13, 2017)

I have melted the Aluminium off the bottom of stainless pans a couple of times. What usually happens is that you go to pick up the hot pan and the top lifts off with the molten Al pool sitting in the stainless steel bottom. At this point the stainless pan works pretty well going forward. 

Why not just get a cast iron pan ?


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## Topher_osAUrus (Sep 13, 2017)

Or why not try to find some old pyroceram? That stuff is pretty resilient


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## autumnwillow (Sep 14, 2017)

Punching a hole in the bottom of the pan would leak some of the gold?
Cast iron will just oxidize.
Pyroceram not sure if it can handle 600-800degC.

I think a titanium pan would be ideal.

Oh well, I guess I'll try to fire up in this stainless/aluminum pan that I bought.


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## autumnwillow (Sep 14, 2017)

The box says safe until 400degC.

And now I think this will happen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBS5m0Qx9e0

Its brand new and I bought it as a set because I couldn't find any thick stainless pans with cover. 
Didn't know much about how these pans were made until I took it home and read the labels in the box.

I think I'll just return this one and tell the sales person that its not good for pyro. :lol:


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## Topher_osAUrus (Sep 14, 2017)

autumnwillow said:


> Pyroceram not sure if it can handle 600-800degC.
> .



You can melt aluminum in pyroceram very easily.

It can get glowing red hot and just shrug it off.

Theres a few cool pictures of it I posted some time ago.
One where a pyro pan has a chunk of ice in it, and it being hit by a torch on the bottom.
Another where its melting aluminum in it.

Id have to double check to be sure, but I think it can handle immediate temperature swings of 1800 degrees F without breaking


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## g_axelsson (Sep 15, 2017)

autumnwillow said:


> Punching a hole in the bottom of the pan would leak some of the gold?
> Cast iron will just oxidize.
> Pyroceram not sure if it can handle 600-800degC.
> 
> ...


Only punch a hole in the bottom part of the steel clad, not the pan. And only if it seems to be no other way where the molten aluminum could escape. The pan in the video was open to the sides so no way there could be any pressure built up.
My current 1.5l stainless pan has the bottom part curving up around the edge so there is nowhere I can see the aluminium directly so that might be closed up, but probably not.

At elevated temperature even stainless will oxidize.

Göran


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## autumnwillow (Sep 15, 2017)

The pan on the video actually just had an aluminum base. Not a 3ply stainless/aluminum/stainless clad.
I'd rather not risk it, I'll just use this set that I bought for cooking food.
I think I'll just pyrolize in a crucible once my furnace is finished.


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## Topher_osAUrus (Sep 15, 2017)

autumnwillow said:


> The pan on the video actually just had an aluminum base. Not a 3ply stainless/aluminum/stainless clad.
> I'd rather not risk it, I'll just use this set that I bought for cooking food.
> I think I'll just pyrolize in a crucible once my furnace is finished.



Maybe this is too fanboy of me,but I dont use metal pans in my kitchen anymore. Corning only.
I cook a lot of acidic foods, and didn't like the idea of eating aluminum or Teflon pieces. I still have a couple cast iron skillets, but they rarely get used. 

Overboard? Probably, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.


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## g_axelsson (Sep 15, 2017)

autumnwillow said:


> The pan on the video actually just had an aluminum base. Not a 3ply stainless/aluminum/stainless clad.
> I'd rather not risk it, I'll just use this set that I bought for cooking food.
> I think I'll just pyrolize in a crucible once my furnace is finished.


Check the video again...

Göran


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