Because of greater availability and reductions in prices between 20, fog machines have become widely used for domestic Halloween presentations.įog machines are also useful for industrial applications including visualizing the flow of air, such highlighting drag over a surface in a wind tunnel or testing for leaks or filter effectiveness in air conditioning installations.Įmergency and military services also use fog machines in their training regimens.īecause of the reflective and refractive qualities of the smoke created by fog machines, they are often used in nightclubs and other entertainment venues to enhance the effects of lighting and laser arrangements, although they are being superseded by haze machines (see also light beam). Fog machines are also frequently used in Halloween displays such as haunted houses or forests. The versatility of fog machines make them appropriate for a wide variety of applications:įog readily assists in creating a specific mood or feeling for a theatrical moment, and is often used in plays, such as Dracula, A Christmas Carol and Macbeth. Uses A heavy duty smoke machine feeding smoke into a blower to generate fog effects for open air location filming. A disadvantage is that it supports combustion, whereas liquid nitrogen inhibits combustion. Its key advantage over liquid nitrogen is that it presents no asphyxiation hazard, since it contains oxygen. Liquid air can be used as a direct replacement for liquid nitrogen in chilled-fog effects and is intended to be used in the same manner in the same equipment. This ratio of nitrogen to oxygen is the same as that of atmospheric air, and indeed liquid air may be fabricated by simply liquefying atmospheric air. Liquid air is composed of N 2 and O 2 mixed in a ratio of 79% nitrogen and 21% oxygen stored as a liquid in insulated cylinders. Liquid air is an alternative to using liquid nitrogen in generating low lying fog effects. In either case, a fan placed at the top of the container directs the fog where it is needed. Liquid nitrogen (N 2) can be used in a similar manner to dry ice. Because at standard temperature and pressure carbon dioxide is a gas, the carbon dioxide sublimates and instantly produces a gas, condensing water vapor and creating a thick white fog. Sublimation of dry iceĭry ice (solid CO 2) effects are produced by heating water to or near boiling in a suitable container (for example: a 55-gallon drum with water heater coils in it), and then dropping in one or more pieces of dry ice. They are typically created by using either dry ice, compressed liquid CO 2, liquid nitrogen, ice or more recently liquid air. Some models of gas propelled fog machine provide control over the output of fog by varying the volume of gas used to propel the fluid.Ĭhilled fog machines are designed to create thick clouds of fog that lie close to the ground and dissipate as they rise. Gas propelled fog machines use an inert gas (most commonly CO 2 or nitrogen) to propel either mineral oil or a glycol based fluid into a heat exchanger where it is vaporized into particles, creating a fog. Some manufacturers have produced accessories and fluids that when combined with an ordinary heated pump machine, create fog effects similar to chilled fog machines. More complex models may include a variety of other features, including variable speed pumps to control the output of fog, timer modules, or components for remote operation and monitoring of the fog machines' status. Very basic models of this type of machine consist of a fluid reservoir, an electric pump to move the fog fluid and heat exchanger which vaporizes the fluid. The most commonly encountered form of heated fog machine is the pump machine. Heated fog machines use either an inert gas or an electric pump to propel mineral oil, propylene glycol, or glycerin and water mixture into a heat exchanger, where the solution is vaporized. Types Heated Interior view of a fog machine, showing the pump and heat exchanger. Upon exiting the fog machine and mixing with cooler outside air the vapor condenses, resulting in a thick visible fog.Ī small fog machine for residential use. This fluid (often referred to colloquially as fog juice) vaporizes or atomizes inside the fog machine. Typically, fog is created by vaporizing proprietary water and glycol-based or glycerin-based fluids or through the atomization of mineral oil. Fog machines can also be found in use in a variety of industrial, training, and some military applications. This artificial fog is most commonly used in professional entertainment applications, but smaller, more affordable fog machines are becoming common for personal use. Device that emits a dense vapor that appears similar to fog or smokeĪ fog machine, fog generator, or smoke machine is a device that emits a dense vapor that appears similar to fog or smoke.
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