Smoke Machine



Posted: Friday, January 27, 2006

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Smoke machines, better known as fog machines, have been used in stage shows, rock concerts and movies for decades. These machines produce a smoke-like haze that is a mixture of carbon dioxide and glycol-based compounds.

Smoke machines work by being filled with a mixture called smoke juice, which is pumped by the machine into a temperature-controlled heat exchanger. It is in the heat exchanger that vaporizes the fluid and produces a haze. The smoke juice consists of glycols, food-grade glycerin and varying amounts of distilled water. The smoky effect produced by the machine depends on the concentration of glycerin. If the concentration of glycerin is more than 15%, then the smoke is denser.

Smoke machines are available in different capacities according to where they are going to be used. Machines for home are small, lightweight and mobile. They need continual heating of the smoke juice, and thus can only produce smoke for a couple of minutes at a time. But smoke machines used in theatres and concert halls are heavy-duty and can continuously produce smoke for longer periods of time.

The major output in the smoke produced by smoke machines is carbon dioxide. All the different glycols and glycerin are just reactants to produce carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a harmless gas, if inhaled in small quantities. There are no health disasters known due to carbon dioxide. However, asthmatic patients may find this asphyxiating, and some people are inherently allergic to smoke and smoky atmospheres.

If ethylene glycol is ejected along with the carbon dioxide smoke, then it is a cause of concern. Ethylene glycol is poisonous. It is safer to use smoke juice, which contains only those glycols which have been branded as pharmaceutically safe. Also, some glycols can react with each other to form formaldehyde, which causes breathing problems in smaller quantities. A formaldehyde problem may occur if the smoke machine has been set up without professional assistance.

Another problem that may occur due to smoke machines is interference with vision. The smoke causes low visibility, which may lead to accidents.

Smoke machines require permission from the authorities before they can be used. Also, smoke-machine and smoke-juice manufacturers must get their products checked before sale. Some enterprising people may prepare the smoke juice at home. However, the warranty of the machine is voided if homemade fluid is used in it.

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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Anonymous 4 years 48 days ago.
This is stupid and inaccurate fear-mongering. While the technical details of the machine were correct, the information on the smoke was not. "The major output in the smoke produced by smoke machines is" NOT "carbon dioxide". Carbon dioxide gas is produced by dry ice which makes a cold, low-hanging fog effect. Heated smoke machines produce a fog of evaporated glycol (which is quite unlike smoke and, at worst, has a harmless, temporary effect on some people who might feel dryness of mucus membranes while exposed to heavy concentrations because of glycol's absorption of water). While there are several glycols which are used commercially, for home use, glycerin (glycerol) works well. It is available cheaply at cooking supply shops and can be mixed with water to form a light haze for lasers to a heavy fog for creepy effects. Start at 10% glycerin and work your way up. Got it? Cooking or medical glycerin and water. The end. The reason glycols other than glycerin are used commercially is that glycerin leaves a sticky film on everything after repeated use. This is not a problem for your once-a-month party but quite bad for 3 shows a night. Smoke machines do not get hot enough to convert glycerin to anything harmful so don't be afraid. Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) would be a very poor choice of glycols to make smoke with because of its toxicity... but it is not something that could be done accidentally. Just go buy some glycerin and call it a day. Even better, look on the rest of the Internet and get the correct answer.
» left by Anonymous 3 years 340 days ago.
Yes. I have recently discovered that I am allergic to something in smoke and fog machines. I work in the theatre and was vagueyl panicked that I may be allergic to the carbon dioxide in it! Reasured by the response that it is infact something else! I'm currently looking for a way around this as not working in the theatre is not an option as it is my job! x x
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