dfkrug
Super Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2004
- Messages
- 7,187
- Location
- Santa Cruz Mtns, CA
- Tractor
- 05 Kioti CK30HST w/ Prairie Dog backhoe, XN08 mini-X
Did also see a few mythbuster episodes. One about trying to blow up a gas tank, the other bout trying to explode a
propane tank with a bullet. Both nwere bear impossible
Ya beat me to it, LD.
Mythbusters tried to blow up full propane cylinders using fire, bullets, and external explosives. Shooting
a tank with bullets, even incendiary bullets could not ignite the propane. External explosives, which
can breach the tank and ignite the contents, was the only way to do it.
If you cook a full tank over a fire for long time, as the above video shows, you can eventually weaken
the upper part of the tank, which can split and release the propane very quickly. The lower part
stays cool much longer since the liquid inside keeps it cool. The venting gas also has a cooling
effect. Propane tank explosions are quite rare. Venting and burning, not rare at all.
I once witnessed an accident on US101 that resulted in a whole semi propane tanker engulfed. The
FD let the tank vent and burn, which prob took nearly an hour. The flames looked to be well over
100 ft high.