Date: September 13, 2009
2:51:30 PM EDT
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Gas
cylinders as "rockets in the lab" -- two anecdotes
In the
early 1980=92s (no later than 1984), there were slides prepared and
distributed about a carbon dioxide cylinder incident in Ames, Iowa.
As I remember, the cylinder was part of a delivery to the USDA
lab. Due to snow and cold weather, both the lab and the gas
distributor closed early. Two new, untrained employees had been
filling the cylinder at the distributor. They were filling by
pressure, not weight. Due to the early closing, the cylinder was
taken from an outside filling rack into a warehouse (maybe about 3:00
p.m.?). About 10:00 p.m., the cylinder ruptured, causing extensive
damage to the gas distributor=92s building. The slide show had
either a printed script or a taped presentation, describing the
incident. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I had a copy of
the program but left it at a previous employer. I believe the
program was distributed voluntarily and informally by some willing ACS
members.
In 1985 or =9286, an oxygen
service was using a rental truck (no placards) to deliver compressed and
cryogenic oxygen to homes and businesses in Norfolk, VA. The
delivery driver stopped for lunch (?!?) at a private residence.
When he attempted to start the truck after the break, a fire, evidently
accelerated by gas from a leaking cylinder, ignited the seat, back, and
most other combustible materials in the cab. The fire spread
rapidly to the cargo area. The safety or relief devices functioned
as intended except for one cylinder. This venting action burned
really neat, round holes in adjacent cylinders and truck parts.
One cylinder ruptured, with pieces being thrown over several nearby
homes, landing in streets and backyards. The Norfolk, VA, fire
department and the VA Department of Emergency Services (now re-named)
responded. I believe, but am not sure, that a report was filed
with US DOT.
George
Walton
Reactives Management
Corp
1025 Executive Blvd, Suite
101
Chesapeake, VA
23320
757-436-1033
===
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 8 RE: [DCHAS-L] Gas
cylinders as "rockets in the lab"?
Date:
September 13, 2009 12:58:33 PM EDT
I work at
a hazardous waste treatment facility. We regularly flush out and devalve
lecture bottles. The final step of the flush is to fill and empty the
bottle three times with 40-60 psi nitrogen. Then we unscrew the valve.
One time the crew had a mix up and forgot to depressurize after the
final nitrogen flush. They proceeded to unscrew the valve. The lecture
bottle took off like a rocket!!! And that was 60 psi at
most! Fortunately no one was hurt, but they sure were
scared!!
Dan
===
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 8 RE: [DCHAS-L] Gas
cylinders as "rockets in the lab"?
Date:
September 13, 2009 3:26:37 PM EDT
You put a
bright spot in my Sunday. You answered the question about the
"rocket" but there's a bunch of other videos of even 20# pots making
quite an explosion. It seems that some of our troups like to fill
their off time with some interesting
experiments. Monona
===
Date: September 13, 2009
4:07:33 PM EDT
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Gas
cylinders as "rockets in the lab"?
I saw the result, not the actual happening, of a
snapped valve that turned the tank into a rocket. In college -
many years ago - they obtained many obsolete cylinders, mostly the 1A
size. They were supposed to all be emptied of the gaseous contents
prior to sale. The procedure at the college was to put the tanks
on a steel pipe cradle and knock the valves off with a hammer and then
use the tanks for a high pressure pipeline after welding them
together.
This one tank was done as
above, but the valve apparently had failed to open and the tank was
still under high pressure. The tank took off the cradle, bent it
into a U shape, bounced off the forehead of one of the workers, went
through a metal wall a few feet away breaking a 2x6 stud, and ended out
in a field about 100 feet or so away. Fortunately the hit worker
did not sustain any major injury more than a small bump on the
head.
So, yes, in my estimation
any cylinder under full pressure can be an unguided missile capable of
doing great damage to the laboratory and the physical plant and well as
its inhabitants. The one I described was out in the open field
under a small 3-sided out-building and did not have a larger building to
wreak havoc in.
Special care must be taken
in handling gas cylinders of any size to insure that they do not become
rockets. Additionally, the contents may not be benign and may be
deadly.
One source of more
information about this subject may be found from the tank=92s
distributors and the processors. In my experience, they are more
than willing to supply information and give lectures on tank
safety. Give them a try.
Kenneth
Smith
CIH Retired
===
Date: September 13, 2009 4:54:53 PM
EDT
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Gas
cylinders as "rockets in the lab"?
Yes, cylinders can go
through concrete walls. Mythbusters has a segment on it. For
a short clip, See:
And military personnel I know have claimed to have
seen it actually happen.
- Joanna
===
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 8 RE: [DCHAS-L] Gas
cylinders as "rockets in the lab"?
Date:
September 13, 2009 5:19:29 PM EDT
Hi,
Back in the 1930's a
cylinder fell off a dock in Oklahoma City and went through a
couple of buildings, I was young at the time but I still remember the
impression it made on me.
Ernest L Lippert
