I was filling up my gas tank at the gas station. I engaged the handle lock so it would fill itself without me having to hold the handle for the entire 7 minutes it takes to full my tank. I opened the door and was getting in the front seat to wait when some guy come running and yelling, "LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, YOUR GOING TO BLOW UP, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT THE GAS TANK IS GOING TO EXPLODE, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT." I just sat there looking at the idiot. The guy proceded to tell me how lucky I am that I am still alive and how static electricity from me getting In & Out of the vehicle makes fuel tanks explode. I told the guy, I have been filling my fuel tank for 40 years and it has not exploded yet. There are several 1000 cars at this gas station every day and none of them have blown up. There are several million gas stations and cars in this country and none of car at those gas stations have blown up either. The guy told me I was ungrateful for trying to help and walked away. Then 30 seconds later the same guy goes running up to some woman yelling, "LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, YOUR GOING TO BLOW UP, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT THE GAS TANK IS GOING TO EXPLODE, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT." The woman produced a can of pepper spray quick as magic and sprayed the guy in the face. She filled her tank and drove away. LOL.
Static Electricity
Humor/Fun (Jokes, riddles, and puzzles) · 9 of 9 known posts recovered
Jim Thomerson · Jul 27, 2007 09:25 PM
#1 sourceGary, please check what the Petroleum Equipment Institute has to say.
http://www.pei.org/Index.aspx?p=stop_static
http://www.pei.org/Index.aspx?p=stop_static
>Gary, please check what the Petroleum Equipment Institute has
>to say.
>
>http://www.pei.org/Index.aspx?p=stop_static
And in particular, this actual movie:
http://www.pei.org/Uploads/static.mov
>to say.
>
>http://www.pei.org/Index.aspx?p=stop_static
And in particular, this actual movie:
http://www.pei.org/Uploads/static.mov
Leonard Neumann
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
>>Gary, please check what the Petroleum Equipment Institute
>has
>>to say.
>>
>>http://www.pei.org/Index.aspx?p=stop_static
>
>And in particular, this actual movie:
>
>http://www.pei.org/Uploads/static.mov
You have missed the point. The fuel tank in the video did not EXPLODE. It is impossible for the fuel tank to explode. Anyone that has taken high school science class knows fuel can NOT burn without oxygen. Yes it is true the fuel vapors that excape into the 28% oxygen rich air can ignite. But the fuel tank will not explode and no one dies.
>has
>>to say.
>>
>>http://www.pei.org/Index.aspx?p=stop_static
>
>And in particular, this actual movie:
>
>http://www.pei.org/Uploads/static.mov
You have missed the point. The fuel tank in the video did not EXPLODE. It is impossible for the fuel tank to explode. Anyone that has taken high school science class knows fuel can NOT burn without oxygen. Yes it is true the fuel vapors that excape into the 28% oxygen rich air can ignite. But the fuel tank will not explode and no one dies.
(snip)
>You have missed the point. The fuel tank in the video did not
>EXPLODE. It is impossible for the fuel tank to explode.
>Anyone that has taken high school science class knows fuel can
>NOT burn without oxygen. Yes it is true the fuel vapors that
>excape into the 28% oxygen rich air can ignite. But the fuel
>tank will not explode and no one dies.
You keep mentioning 28% oxygen rich air. I believe it is more like 21% (actually 20.95%) with 78% nitrogen (which may be the 8 you were thinking of).
I read somewhere that if the oxygen content were to be reduced by just a couple per cent more, then living things would begin to die. And if you increased it by more than a couple percent, then some things would begin to burn by sponeaneous combustion. 28% could be bad!
On the other hand, in the case in point, if there were more vapors escaping outside of that gas tank there would have been a larger flash and definite injury. If there had been a gas spill (as many times happens when the tank gets full) it would have been much worse. This gal was lucky. Yes, maybe these incidents are rare, but it is nice to be aware of this danger. Static electricity is real and indeed can ignite the fuel we are putting into our cars. I would rather be safe than, well, charcoal.
>You have missed the point. The fuel tank in the video did not
>EXPLODE. It is impossible for the fuel tank to explode.
>Anyone that has taken high school science class knows fuel can
>NOT burn without oxygen. Yes it is true the fuel vapors that
>excape into the 28% oxygen rich air can ignite. But the fuel
>tank will not explode and no one dies.
You keep mentioning 28% oxygen rich air. I believe it is more like 21% (actually 20.95%) with 78% nitrogen (which may be the 8 you were thinking of).
I read somewhere that if the oxygen content were to be reduced by just a couple per cent more, then living things would begin to die. And if you increased it by more than a couple percent, then some things would begin to burn by sponeaneous combustion. 28% could be bad!
On the other hand, in the case in point, if there were more vapors escaping outside of that gas tank there would have been a larger flash and definite injury. If there had been a gas spill (as many times happens when the tank gets full) it would have been much worse. This gal was lucky. Yes, maybe these incidents are rare, but it is nice to be aware of this danger. Static electricity is real and indeed can ignite the fuel we are putting into our cars. I would rather be safe than, well, charcoal.
Leonard Neumann
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
I have an air compressor tank 2ft by 5ft with a 2" pipe fitting. I put the tank in the yard in the hot sun and put 1 tablespoon of gas inside the tank. Wait about 5 minutes for the tank to fill with gas vapors then ignite it. It produces a very powerful loud sound like a rocket engine for several seconds. I attached a bunch of air horns to the tank and it will blow them so loud it sounds like a train locomotive air horn. Wow it is loud. This works only 1 time. The only way to make it work again is to blow air through the tank to flush out the exhaust gasses. Gas air mixture is not very powerful but gas plus pure oxygen is a different story.
http://www.pei.org/Uploads/static.mov
Notice in this video, the handle is locked so the fuel is going into the fuel tank. When the girl touches the handle static charge ignites the vapors coming out of the fuel tank and mixting with oxygen in the air. The fuel flowing into the fuel tank is pushing the vapors out of the tank. Notice the girl does not panic, she jumps back at first then grabs the handle to released the handle lock. When the handle lock is released the fuel stops flowing into the tank and that stops the fuel vapors from flowing out and the flame dies down and almost go out. At do time was their any danger that the fuel tank would EXPLODE.
Good thing the woman in the video was not my wife, she would panic or scream and would probably be in Albuquerque by now, and would probably still be screaming.
http://www.pei.org/Uploads/static.mov
Notice in this video, the handle is locked so the fuel is going into the fuel tank. When the girl touches the handle static charge ignites the vapors coming out of the fuel tank and mixting with oxygen in the air. The fuel flowing into the fuel tank is pushing the vapors out of the tank. Notice the girl does not panic, she jumps back at first then grabs the handle to released the handle lock. When the handle lock is released the fuel stops flowing into the tank and that stops the fuel vapors from flowing out and the flame dies down and almost go out. At do time was their any danger that the fuel tank would EXPLODE.
Good thing the woman in the video was not my wife, she would panic or scream and would probably be in Albuquerque by now, and would probably still be screaming.
Jim Thomerson · Jul 28, 2007 11:22 PM
#6 sourceOne fills the gas tank when it is near empty, and contains mostly air-gasoline fumes mixture. All this is pushed out of the tank when the tank is filled. Somewhere between saturation and complete dispersion is the right mixture for rapid ignition. So in one way, an empty gas tank is more dangerous than a full one.
I've seen many pumps with the static electricity warning. Given the low frequency of accidents, your guy was way overreacting, I think. Good story anyway.
I've seen many pumps with the static electricity warning. Given the low frequency of accidents, your guy was way overreacting, I think. Good story anyway.
It the cold (low humidity) of winter this is a lot worse.
The new tires that use less carbon black allow a charge to be build up on the car. The new synthetic fibers in the seats allow charge to be transferred to you easier. The best advice, (and I do follow it) when you get out of the car touch a metal body part to discharge any charge you may have picked up. Just like when I open up a PC. I would rather feel that little jolt, rather than have jump the gap between the filler neck and gas hose.
40 years ago, the tires had lots of carbon black and would discharge the car, so static was not a problem. Fuel tankers and aircraft are required to hook up a ground strap when making fuel transfers, but not automobiles....
the lunatic reaction and the pepper spray is funny.
Dave
Just a sport flier
The new tires that use less carbon black allow a charge to be build up on the car. The new synthetic fibers in the seats allow charge to be transferred to you easier. The best advice, (and I do follow it) when you get out of the car touch a metal body part to discharge any charge you may have picked up. Just like when I open up a PC. I would rather feel that little jolt, rather than have jump the gap between the filler neck and gas hose.
40 years ago, the tires had lots of carbon black and would discharge the car, so static was not a problem. Fuel tankers and aircraft are required to hook up a ground strap when making fuel transfers, but not automobiles....
the lunatic reaction and the pepper spray is funny.
Dave
Just a sport flier