| The Breakroom > The Water Cooler |
| Boiler Explosion |
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| DaveH:
Hello, I am just wondering has there been many boiler explosions - talking model type size boilers, steel, copper, brass. DaveH |
| PTsideshow:
It really isn't an explosion in the TV/Movie seen of what people tend to think of today. It is a BLEVE Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion And yes it does happen it can be just as catastrophic to those in the area at the time. As liquid and the steam still expand to depending on what source you want to sight. 1,100 to 1,200 times the volume.short explanation wiki. there are a number of models BLEVE that are where on u tube. mostly of running the boiler out of water and the seam or joints giving away. As in the full size ones, or at the local steam tractors events, we had one a couple years ago in Ohio that killed a number of people. That is why the shows in the states run the engines on air. Can't get insurance coverage, and some of the outdoor shows don't carry insurance coverage on the operating models boilers. And more full size shows are running into cost problems along with the inspection and licensing of equipment and operators. |
| DaveH:
PT, The safety valve - why doesn't this take care of the problem? DaveH |
| John Hill:
--- Quote from: DaveH on July 24, 2011, 03:30:21 PM ---PT, The safety valve - why doesn't this take care of the problem? DaveH --- End quote --- There are a few possible reasons for the saftey valve to fail to do its job:- One that first springs to mind is the case where the operator screws down or otherwise disables the valve in an attempt to operate at a higher pressure. There is also the possibility that the boiler is damaged or deteriorated such that it is no longer safe at the normal operating pressure, I think that is what caused the recent traction engine explosion in the US. Locomotives and maybe others have been destroyed when the water level has been low and part of the fire box has got overheated then movement of the locomotive has caused water to surge over the overheated metal where it instantly turned to steap and overwhelmed the safety valve. I believe a locomotive was destroyed in Canada when the crew reversed it up a steep spur to alow a train to pass on the main line. While they were waiting the crown plate overheated as most of the water was at the front of the loco, when they went back onto more level track the water flowed back over the hot metal and the loco exploded. |
| DaveH:
I knew there was an inherent good reason why I run my engines on compressed air. :beer: DaveH |
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