system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Alien] What were the flame units on the Nostromo supposed to be used for?

Melting ice? Clearing vegetation on jungle planets? Anti pirate weapons (bullets and vacuum etc.)? Some sort of bizarre mistake, like the chainsaws on Mars in Doom 3? 

Wonder if there’s any supplementary material that explained their original purpose.
gpt
They're cutting torches modified into flamethrowers. Used for ship repairs and such. A larger nozzle and more propellant released increases the flame size into a weapon. It's also possible it was intended for deicing procedures on external equipment.