What function do check valves serve in oxyfuel cutting?

Check valves are critical components in oxyfuel cutting systems because they are specifically designed to allow gas to flow in one direction only. This unidirectional flow is essential for preventing backflow, which can lead to dangerous situations such as gas leaks or even explosions in an oxyfuel cutting environment.

When gases such as oxygen and acetylene are in use, maintaining the integrity of the lines and ensuring that the gases do not mix improperly is of utmost importance. Check valves help maintain safe operations by ensuring that gases can move towards the cutting torch while simultaneously preventing any reverse flow that could cause a dangerous mixture.

The other options, while related to gas flow and system operation, do not accurately describe the primary function of check valves in this context. For instance, allowing gas to flow in both directions would defeat the purpose of preventing backflow, and reducing pressure or increasing flow rate pertains to different types of valves and regulators, not the specific function of check valves.