How Does a Smoke Machine Work?
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The Two Types of Smoke Machines
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Smoke, or fog machines come in two primary variations. The common electric smoke machine runs by the vaporization of a variety of fluids such as vegetable oil. These machines use electricity to generate fog or smoke from the liquid inside hem. The second and simpler type of smoke machine uses dry ice to make mist.
Smoke Machines Using Vaporization
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This type of smoke machine runs on electricity. The actual fog or smoke is generated from a water and glycerol or glycol-based fluid or a vegetable oil based fluid. The fluid in the smoke machine is moved over an electrical heating block. This heat applied to the fluid causes it to turn from a liquid to a gas through evaporation. When any substance turns to a gas from a liquid, its volume increases. This increase in pressure causes the vapor to try to escape from the machine. As it flows from the machine, it hits the air around the machine, which is cooler than the inside of the machine. Just like the vapor from your mouth when you exhale in cold air, the vapor from the machine turns to a fog once it leaves the machine.
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Smoke Machines Using Dry Ice
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Dry ice is not really ice; it is actually solid carbon. Because carbon, as you know, is a gas at room temperature, frozen carbon dioxide instantly sublimates when it is exposed to the air in a room. This sublimation causes carbon vapor to form from the solid carbon block. This just in itself can be used as a smoke machine. However, a small fan can also be used to distribute the vapor around a space.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Metoc
