Fire effects. Please answer!

[Wannabe Walt]

I was wondering... how do they do the fireball in Fantasmic! when the dragon catches the lake on fire? Also, how do they do the torches in IllumiNations: RoE? Aren't they fully submerged before they come up? How do they get the water out so the flame will work? The IllumiNations:RoE advertisements say that is has Digital Wizardry... do they mean like the Globe or what?

 

[The_CEO]

They use natural gas in the water and it catches on fire. Hence as long as they have a Gas Feed.. There is fire!

 

[dreammaker]

Originally posted by Wannabe Walt
I was wondering... how do they do the fireball in Fantasmic! when the dragon catches the lake on fire? Also, how do they do the torches in IllumiNations: RoE? Aren't they fully submerged before they come up? How do they get the water out so the flame will work? The IllumiNations:RoE advertisements say that is has Digital Wizardry... do they mean like the Globe or what?

I am 99% sure when they say Digital they mean the globe, but it could also be the entire control and sound system...since digital seems to be the big buzz word these days!

If you look, the torches are up and burning well before show time...they are gas powered, because they go out in perfect sync with the start of the show. Same with the lake.

 

[isnet396]

Originally posted by Wannabe Walt
I was wondering... how do they do the fireball in Fantasmic! when the dragon catches the lake on fire? Also, how do they do the torches in IllumiNations: RoE? Aren't they fully submerged before they come up? How do they get the water out so the flame will work? The IllumiNations:RoE advertisements say that is has Digital Wizardry... do they mean like the Globe or what?

A fireball effect is achieved when ignited gas is expelled under bursts of high pressue. I believe in Fantasmic, this gas has some sort of Coffee Bean extract to it for whatever reason. Torches in RoE are gas powered, not sure how they connect the globe barge thinger to a gas line, but its done somehow. "Digital Wizarddry" refers most likely to how the enitire show is computer controlled, and designed.

 

[Mission: SPACE]

Re: Re: Fire effects. Please answer!

Originally posted by isnet396
Torches in RoE are gas powered, not sure how they connect the globe barge thinger to a gas line, but its done somehow.

I'm pretty sure the globe barge has gas/propane on board... they had an article in Disney Magazine once before about IllumiNations, and I was almost certain it mentioned something about it being onboard. I could easily be wrong though.

 

[Wannabe Walt]

Thanks for the replies! They've really helped!

 

[Mikejakester]

Yeap yeap. I think The_CEO is right on, on this one.


I think they use Natural Gas. There is always a funny smell before the dragon comes out.

All I know is that it has be less dense than water so it can float on top of it in order to have oxygen to burn. The fireball is just a release of a large amount of flamable substance( or natural Gas if thats what they use) on a short burst.

 

[csaguy]

the gas

Yes, they use propane. Having designed and built many types of burner systems, I can tell. Also propane is heavier than air. It spreads over the water "like water" on the ground. Ignite it in one place after it has spread out and the flames will follow the the paths.

Bob

 

[BenS]

If you look at the water before it catches fire you can see it bubbling.

(And before you rush to the main site note that this can not be seen on video.)

 

[AFROTCEngineer]

Working as a volunteer firefighter on a military instilation I have had some experience with some of the tecnology that they use to create pyro effects. At one of our training site we have a huge cargo style plane rigged with liquid propane jets that shoot out of a 4 to 8 inch deep lake. A spark plug (we use an airplane one) then ignites the gas that is being put up through the water. It can be used to create the effect of fire on the water. Its a very controllable method as well as very safe. Its near impossible to put out with water and safe to work around. The water around the pyro rigging also cools the system so it can be fired up. The bubbles are the gas coming up through the water. I am not for sure this is what they use but its my best guess. I've seen several pictures of disney's explosions during rides and also seen them first hand. I am basing my assumption off of the trademark flame given off and the relatively clean smoke (greyish). Its not a petrolum based fuel because the smoke cloud isnt black. Anyone else think this is right or am I totally off?

 

[marchofthecards]

EPCOT Illuminations: ROE

Hello there!

Next time you are at EPCOT, and have just seen ROE, try try to hang back and be the last ones to leave the showcase.

Apparently they must fill the barge with fuel for the show to work as we see it, however when it was all built and arranged, they discovered they didn't need all that fuel capacity, but they still have to fill it none the less for it to work. When the last boat has safely gone to one of the shores around the lake and they have the all-clear, they ignite the remaining fuel left to empty the barge, and it is one mighty blast of fire, you can feel the heat on your face, and all most have to turn away slightly.

It is like there is never a final finale with Disney, even after the main of the guests have gone, there is something that goes off with a bang! Does the show have an end, we have to ask?

Simes

:animwink:

 

[MGMBoy]

It IS Propane used @ Fantasmic! behind the theatre there is a tank about the size of a 15 passanger van that provides the needed effect. You can also tell where the primary point of the underwater feed is by the significantly higher flames in 2-3 points on the water. I can say though that when that tank starts pumping out fuel it sounds like a plane taking off. LOTS of sound.

 

[Fantasmic]

Re: Re: Fire effects. Please answer!

Originally posted by isnet396
I believe in Fantasmic, this gas has some sort of Coffee Bean extract to it for whatever reason.

It's actually coffee creamer !

 

[pyrotech]

the burning lake effect in Fantasmic, is Natural gas.

It is not actually lit by the dragon, as weather conditions can affect the lenght /duration of the flame.

If you watch closely it is ignited at just above water level by a fail safe.

The gas main can be clearly seen if you arrive early for the show.

 

[marni1971]

There is a lot of background info for both Illuminations shows on this site (WDWMagic) - go to the main page, look for Illuminations under Epcot, then look for the tech stuff, backstage pics etc. near the top of the screen. Very interesting!

 

[Coasterbp]

Re: the gas

Originally posted by csaguy
Yes, they use propane. Having designed and built many types of burner systems, I can tell. Also propane is heavier than air. It spreads over the water "like water" on the ground. Ignite it in one place after it has spread out and the flames will follow the the paths.

Bob

Acutally, it is NOT propane, and it's NOT propane for the very reason that you just descibed. It's methane. Let me explain.

Propane is heavier than air, like you said. If they were to have a problem, (read: gas leak) all that gas is going to sit on top of the water, like you said, and go nowhere but accumuate. If, all of a sudden, it were to ignite, that's going to be one BIG HOT mess with lots of burning children and melted plastic flashlight wand thingys everywhere.

Methane, on the other hand, is lighter than air, and if it doesn't ignite, simply goes up into the atmosphere and dissapates.

The fire you see from the dragons mouth is indeed created by igniting coffee creamer.

The fireball is piece of product that gets shot out the mouth of the dragon, much like any of the other fireworks product you see during the show. It's just shot down and out, instead of up.

Enjoy.

 

[phlydude]

Just keep in mind natural gas and propane are not the same thing. Propane has 4 times the pressure than natural gas does in order to flow. Also, propane is a refined product (comes when they make gasoline) and is lighter than gasoline along with butane and methane.

Natural gas comes from refining and gas capture in oil fileds. Much lower pressure is required to move this gas and therefore in order to generate more heat (compared to propane) the volume of gas needs to be 4 times greater.

I can't imagine that Disney would use anything BUT propane for there pyro displays. If they were to use methane, the flame would be blue (anyone who has lit or who has seen human gas lit or have seen burn offs on land fills knows this to be true). Also, the flame on the stove in your house tends to burn white/blue, more of a tendency of natural gas.

Natural gas is not brought in on truck because it is too volitile. It is piped through to storage locations or tanked in by ship.

The noise that someone described as a plane taking off is typical of propane. SInce propane liquifies with a little pressure at normal temps, the noise that is heard is the cold liquid converting and expanding back into a gas.

 

[Fantasmic!kid]

Yes, they use propane. Having designed and built many types of burner systems, I can tell. Also propane is heavier than air. It spreads over the water "like water" on the ground. Ignite it in one place after it has spread out and the flames will follow the the paths.

Bob

Hey, know anything I can use to make a flame burst like Maleficent's appearance?

 

[peter11435]

Hey, know anything I can use to make a flame burst like Maleficent's appearance?

Do you mean the different colored flames?