A Safe Solvent

[Frithiof Andreas Jensen]

I seriously don't think anyone needs to worry about explosions removing
roofs or windows from your home. It simply won't happen with 30% water
contamination using ambient air (versus a pure oxygen atmosphere or a highly
compressed, properly mixed internal combustion engine).

Think Again!!!

Or - better yet - read up on Industrial Accidents and incident reports from
Fire Services; I happens often enough that a plant is flattened by people
welding tanks with fumes still in them, by smoking in paint booths, you have
gas explosions demolishing houses often enough to have strict safety rules
regarding the use of natural gas etc. etc.

A fuel vapour explosion is the ideal tool for smashing a house with a small
mass of "explosive". Because the pressure builds up relatively slowly, the
overpressure is contained for a long time and can move heavy structural
elements such as walls - which take time to accelerate - before the pressure
wents through broken windows.

The very fast pressure wave from a similar mass of High Explosive will tend
to shatter the lightest elements first, i.e. the windows and vent before the
walls come down. Thus one needs more high explosive to literally destroy the
building, than one would need using a fuel-air mixture.

 

[Tim Auton]

Alcohol vapor mixed with air is super flammable. If the fuel/air mix is
just right, a cup (~250mL) could probably blow the roof off of your house.
At any rate, I've heard that a quarter cup of gasoline, totally vaporized,
and mixed properly with air, is equivalent to one stick of TNT. I don't
know how true it is, but I think alcohol has at least 50% of the chemical
potential energy as gasoline, and it is easier to ignite.

Lots of things mixed with air in the right proportions can be
explosive, even otherwise fairly innocuous solids if finely powdered.
Flour and sawdust can and have caused serious explosions in the past.
You can launch a tin can a fair way into the air with a candle and a
puff of flour.


Tim