Daniel L. Russ on wed 9 apr 97
I was mortified when I read the post recommending heating a propane
cylinder in a tank of heated water. For your own safety and for the
safety of others (like your rescuers) don't do this. Here's why:
Propane is a liquified gas which is compressed to a liquid through a
lowering of it's temperature. It is then distributed in a pressurized
state until it is used by the consumer. In it's transportation and use
there is always the danger of a B.L.E.V.E., a boiling liquid expanding
vapor explosion. A B.L.E.V.E. is the sudden release of ALL of the
contents of a container (i.e.. propane cylinder):
First, the container must be breached, either mechanically or by heating.
Now I don't think warmed water will cause the tank to rupture
directly, but I do see the warmed water causing the safety relief valve to
activate and release vaporizes propane. Next, the propane will
escape and ignite. This will cause an uncontrolled fire at the top of the
tank and remove any chance of halting the reaction as you will not be
able to access the valve.
Second, the heated metal of the propane tank will heat and weaken. The
heated propane within the tank will raise the pressure within the tank
until the tank ruptures.
Third, all of the contents of the tank will instantly vaporize, disperse,
and ignite. This will create a huge explosion followed by a fireball.
Fireballs from propane explosions have burned people from over a mile
away.
This is a simplified explination and there are other factors at work.
I have seen the devastation that has resulted from an exploding propane
tank and it is not a pretty sight. Check it out for yourself. Just look
up the disasters in Kingman, Arizona and Shreveport, Louisiana, to name a
few. I have a picture of the Kingman disaster on my wall. The blast
killed most of the members of the Kingman Fire Department.
Propane tanks explode just about every day. They are not considered
newsworthy events and are not widely reported. However, they do occur and
they do kill on a regular basis. Please do not do this; find another way.
Please do not envite tragedy to your house and family.
Risking you own life is your choice; risking the life of others is not.
If you choose to use this dangerous practice please do three things;
live in a remote area,
have your life insurance paid up, and
don't call 9-1-1 when things go wrong!
Daniel Russ aka Nevada Dan
Been there, seen it, don't care to see it again.
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