Diesel and Explosions

[brizospark]

Was working in a factory today where they have diesel pumps encased in plastic housing. About 200mm from the diesel pumps is the socket that the pumps plug into. Could not believe what I saw, Less than 1 foot away from these diesel pumps and whoever has installed has used an exterior socket (IP65 garden type) wired in flex with standard plastic compression glands.

Shouldn't this all be installed in explosion proof gear, when I opened the door to the plastic housing the fumes were absolutely belting out

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

also with sugar and weedkiller.

Were you in nam?

 

[Earthstore]

Were you in nam?

I think he was, Chelt-nam....

 

[ChrisElectrical88]

Notting-nam

 

[Knobhead]

I’m not allowed to post the link to the Handbook, nor would I!

Diesel in its liquid form is difficult to ignite. Heat it to give off fumes or vaporise it, it’s a different animal.

Even blasting slurry isn’t easy to ignite.

 

[Darkwood]

Their was a UK train crash a while ago where the Diesel ignited on impact... it took months of investigation to figure out why it had ignited as its very difficult even in a crash to turn it into a fire ball... it was found the impact was with such high force it ruptured the diesel tank and due to impact the diesel was ejected in a fine spray which was ideal for been ignited... this was a rare occurance hence the investigation.

 

[Guest111]

Iirc it's something like 1/2 pint diesel to 3 pints ammonium nitrate fertiliser.with sugar and sodium chlorate weedkiller it's a 50/50 mix.

 

[Silly Sausage]

I got suspended from school for a week for bringing a load of sugar and sodium chlorate weedkiller in one day.
It spontaneously went off and burnt a desk in a classroom.

 

[44ALLAN]

I got suspended from school for a week for bringing a load of sugar and sodium chlorate weedkiller in one day.
It spontaneously went off and burnt a desk in a classroom.

I used to take an apple and a toffee crisp !!

 

[markc123]

I got suspended from school for a week for bringing a load of sugar and sodium chlorate weedkiller in one day.
It spontaneously went off and burnt a desk in a classroom.

A day in the life of a teenage in Manc

 

[Darkwood]

Can see this thread getting scrapped since members are actively printing quantities and measures to make explosives ..... :nuke::nuke::nuke::tank:

I can see Phil d getting a raid by Anti- terrorist squad .... as their internet spy software red flags his bomb making post lol

 

[markc123]

Darkwood, look on the bright side our precious little forum may get a mention on the 6 o'clock news lol.

 

[Darkwood]

Well at least we get to see what Phil looks like as they lead him away lol

 

[FAA Greenie]

We used to empty aviation fuel from aircraft on a regular basis (Basically diesel). Once it had been transported to the flam dump, a colleague of mine used to impress the young trainees by throwing a lit match into it only to see it go out.

Until he did it one afternoon in a yank airbase in Florida, lots of heat and fumes on top of the diesel. I was, unfortunately, on the other side of the airfield and not there to see it, but apparently the result was rather more spectacular on that occasion.....

 

[Engineer54]

If anyone here thinks that diesel needs to be compressed to become explosive, they better think again!! Better still, keep away from any electrical installations involving the storage of diesel oil !! lol!!

As stated elsewhere on this thread, it's the vapour of diesel fuel that is most volatile and you'll always find copious amounts of that volatile vapour sitting on top of the fuel oil in storage tanks!! A full storage tank is much safer to open than a partially full tank!!

Going by the photo provided, i'd say that isn't a safe, or ideal storage facility, can't even see any means of natural ventilation or free air flow etc.... Certainly wouldn't be using normal weatherproof switches and outlets that close to a flammable fuel storage tank and delivery system!!

 

[ipf]

We used to empty aviation fuel from aircraft on a regular basis (Basically diesel). Once it had been transported to the flam dump, a colleague of mine used to impress the young trainees by throwing a lit match into it only to see it go out.

Until he did it one afternoon in a yank airbase in Florida, lots of heat and fumes on top of the diesel. I was, unfortunately, on the other side of the airfield and not there to see it, but apparently the result was rather more spectacular on that occasion.....

Naaa....Bruce Willis proved it could be done in snow and ice.