For what it may be worth, I saw Hubert Alyea perform his demonstrations as
part of his reunion lecture at Princeton University, loo these many years
ago. By then, his office had been for some time across the hall from the
University's Office of Occupational Health and Safety (as it was called
then) and he took "reasonable" precautions with the demonstrations. It was
something of a spectacle, but I don't think he was Professor Boom-Boom any
more.
Peter Zavon, CIH
Penfield, NY
PZAVON**At_Symbol_Here**Rochester.rr.com
-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety On
Behalf Of Stephen Stepenuck
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2022 2:02 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Pressurization of 5 gallon glass carboyA dissenting voice if I may:
If the apparatus involved was inherited in a PChem lab, as
described, it sounds to me like the carboy [or carboys] was probably used
for the Clement-De´sormes Experiment for determining the Ratio of the heat
capacities of gases. I always thought that this had to be one of the most
ingenious experiments in the history of science?so simple, yet yielding
thermodynamic data. I don1t remember the exact specs, but I1ll bet that1s
what the carboy was for. With a bit of luck you might find a manometer in
the lab filled not with Hg, but with an organic liquid, maybe dioctyl
phthalate or some such. I suspect the carboy [or perhaps in a drawer in the
lab] was equipped with a large rubber stopper and three short glass tubes
though the stopper.
Anyway, safety wise: I can1t remember the specs here either, but I
would guess that one pressurizes the gas in the carboy to maybe 10cm of the
low-vp organic liquid, then waits for thermal equilibrium. Once there, the
manometer is read, and the small rubber stopper at the neck is quickly
removed and replaced. That causes an adiabatic expansion of the gas, which
cools it. Then one waits again for heat to flow through the walls, and
reads the manometer a final time. The pressures now reflect an isothermal
expansion interval.
The pressure is increased by using a small hand bulb with a check
valve?not much pressure at all, plus you have pressure relief from the
rubber stoppers and vinyl or rubber tubing. For the Clement-De´sormes
experiment, it is convenient to keep a separate carboy for each gas studied,
which could account for more than one carboy1s having been found.
I1ve had students do this experiment many times [having always been
in very low-budget situations] and don1t wee a problem.
Of course if that1s not what these were for, it1s a new ball game.
If those were used for the ignition of an organic vapor a la Hubert
Alyea et al., if done the carboys should be thoroughly taped and secured
behind appropriate shields. Polycarbonate carboys have been used for that
one, which I never dared to do.
Good luck,
Steve
--
Stephen J. Stepenuck, Ph.D.
Emeritus professor of chemistry
Keene State College
Keene NH 03435-2001
sstepenuck**At_Symbol_Here**ne.rr.com
603.352.7540
Ralph wrote:
>One of our faculty member was doing due diligence inspections on
>inherited equipment he uses in the physical chemistry lab for gas
>demonstrations. He found some defects in glass 5 gallon carboys, so
>ordered replacements. They arrived from DWK-Kimble with precautions
>etched on the outside, including 3Do not evacuate or pressurize unless
>recommended in the current DWK Kimble catalog.2 Unfortunately, the
>catalog does not contain any information about pressurizing or evacuating
>the carboys. It simply says that the carboys are "Ideal for storage and
>dispensing of solutions.2
>
>There are no discernible design differences between the new carboys and
>the older ones. I wonder if anyone on the list has experience with
>assessing the risk associated with gas pressure differences with this
>equipment?
>
>Thanks for any information on this.
>
>- Ralph
>
>
>Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
>Environmental Safety Manager
>Keene State College
>603 358-2859
>
>ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu
>
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