Previous in Forum: Nano-Technology   Next in Forum: medicals
Close
Close
Close
46 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54

Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/21/2007 8:49 PM

can you explain why they say not to get grease near a oxygen tank, better yet please advise where to find the safety handling and use of oxygen tank usage.thanks vero beach

Register to Reply
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Indeterminate Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on.
Posts: 32175
Good Answers: 839
#1

Re: kenn

10/22/2007 5:31 AM

Grease is oxidised by the oxygen. Very quickly!

__________________
"Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Anonymous Poster
#16
In reply to #1

Re: kenn

10/23/2007 11:11 AM

and exothermically

Register to Reply
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Olde Member!! Engineering Fields - Instrumentation Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dunstable, England
Posts: 2821
Good Answers: 45
#2

Re: kenn

10/22/2007 8:07 AM

Normal everyday grease would be a fire hazard in an oxygen rich environment as PW says....

John.

__________________
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing - Googling is far worse!
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Power-User
Safety - Hazmat - Environmental, Safety & Health Manager Hobbies - Musician - Theremin (That about says it all...)

Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 289
Good Answers: 19
#3

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/22/2007 4:11 PM

KENN,

Oklahoma State University has a web page with some good links to information regarding compressed gasses:

https://go.okstate.edu/

Finally, you can also obtain information from US-OSHA's website:

hhttps://www.osha.gov/

I hope this helps.

Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#4
In reply to #3

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/22/2007 4:18 PM

kenn says thanks JMAN i"ll look into your suggestions

Register to Reply
Member

Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 8
#5

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/22/2007 11:07 PM

Do you tray what Oxygen does at room temperature? Response:It is only oxidation.

Oxyen does not react otherwise except at very high temperature or spark. Yes oil get rancid when expose to even air. What grease anyway. Oxidation proceed mostly on double bond. Of course some natural grease get rancid as well. The problem would better understood if the type of grease waas specified.

Good luck

Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 1783
Good Answers: 35
#15
In reply to #5

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 10:35 AM

That's incorrect.

As the oxidization occurs it creates heat. Enough heat to produce internal combustion.

That is why greasy rags in a garage or industrial environment are required to be disposed of in a can with a lid.

__________________
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to do it over?
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Safety - Hazmat - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Engineering Fields - Transportation Engineering - New Member Popular Science - Evolution - New Member Technical Fields - Procurement - New Member Hobbies - Target Shooting - New Member Popular Science - Cosmology - New Member Engineering Fields - Architectural Engineering - New Member Technical Fields - Marketing/Advertising - New Member Engineering Fields - Food Process Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mariposa Ca
Posts: 5800
Good Answers: 114
#6

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 12:37 AM

Oxygen increases the risk of spontaneous combustion. Oxy should always be capped or secured. Spares should be isolated from the flammable gas. Compressed gas bottles will take off like a rocket if the valve gets knocked off.

Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru

Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1602
Good Answers: 19
#10
In reply to #6

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 8:43 AM

I worked in a plant that had a gas welding area with piped oxygen and acetylene. Grease somehow got into the pressurized O2 line and exploded causing all the regulators and valve tops to pop off the bodies. No one was hurt, fortunately, but the company certainly got religious about keeping O2 systems clean.

And was it Apollo 3 that had 100% O2 atmosphere and killed 3 in the resulting fire? Pure O2 is a very rapid oxidizer, especially when under pressure. Keep it clean.

__________________
Eventually, one needs to realize that it is far less important to be the smartest person in the room than it is to sit next to that person and make friends.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Transcendia
Posts: 2963
Good Answers: 93
#32
In reply to #6

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/29/2007 3:33 PM

I would not defend your right to be wrong about oxygen and grease on the oxygen supply fittings on my oxygen supply tank on my plane since wrong means I die.

__________________
You don't get wise because you got old, you get old because you were wise.
Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Germany 49° 26' N, 7° 46' O
Posts: 1950
Good Answers: 109
#7

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 2:32 AM

Hi,

there is a selection of greases that do not contain any hydrocarbons.

The stuff is called PFPE for poly-fluorinated-poly-ether.

The related oils are marketed as FOMBLIN or KRYTOX. (used in pumps that pump oxygen)

The grease (in USA) is marketed as Braycote by Castrol. I am sure that it is suited for your application.

Have success.

RHABE

Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#34
In reply to #7

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/02/2007 1:10 PM

I'm not to good at this yet but i'm working at it. Thanks for the info I will look into it.

Kenn

Register to Reply
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 50.390866N, 8.884827E
Posts: 17996
Good Answers: 200
#8

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 6:40 AM

My personal take is that Pure Oxygen is one of the most dangerous, non poisonous gases that there is, mostly due to the possible explosive effects....I believe I am right in saying that this gas has caused (well humans "cause" really) some serious accidents.....

But, when you have a bad hangover, sit down and breathe pure oxygen for say 10 minutes (it makes you quite dizzy), most if not all of your hangover is gone.......! Like magic!

__________________
"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 867
Good Answers: 11
#9
In reply to #8

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 8:11 AM

You won't need a spark if you put grease on a fitting used for pure oxygen under pressure. The thing will blow up immediatly. That usually knocks the fitting off the end of the cylinder, which then becomes a flaming torpedo. I've seen some video of gas cylinders going through cinder block walls.

This is a good way to end up injured with a lot of property damage.

__________________
Eric
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Power-User
United States - Member - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 367
Good Answers: 10
#11
In reply to #9

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 9:15 AM

We have an entire audit and training program related to oxygen and hazards associated with any hydrocarbon-containing gas, liquid, cryogenic solid, etc. Think about the fire triangle: oxygen, fuel, ignition source. In a pure oxygen environment nearly everything becomes a fuel, with things like metal and dirt lighting on fire because of the atmosphere present around them. At that point, all you really need is enough of an ignition source to get it going. All of our oxygen valve stations and compressors are off-limits to people while in service due to the possibility of a spark from a collision, part failure, etc.

For handling, I would always have a dedicated set of gloves, non-sparking tools, and FRCs. Don't use any hydrocarbon containing grease, keep all flammable gases stored away from the O2 system, and rigorously clean all new piping with a specialized cleaner. If you have been handling hydrocarbons earlier and gotten splashed or otherwise exposed, don't touch the oxygen system. You also want to avoid rapid pressurization of piping and systems so probably stay away from ball valves or other devices that can just be thrown wide open.

This assumes that you are handling gaseous O2, when you say tank are you talking about cylinders or a liquid tank?

__________________
Money doesn't talk, it screams in your face.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Participant

Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1
#46
In reply to #9

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/27/2013 5:16 PM

I believe you are describing a diesel engine (same theory) that's what I was told when I started in the mechanics trade as grease will combust ✴✴

Register to Reply
Anonymous Poster
#23
In reply to #8

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 4:19 PM

After inhaling all that O2 and getting dizzy, dont try blowing out any grease fires!!

Register to Reply
Guru
Canada - Member - Our strength is our diversity

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1024
Good Answers: 40
#35
In reply to #8

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/07/2007 11:12 AM

"non poisonous gases"

Sorry, Oxygen is poisonous at high enough concentrations. That is why deep sea divers use mixed air (substitute helium etc for some of the oxygen)

http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0755472

http://www.nitrox-network.com/medizin_en.html

http://www.divingheritage.com/modernairsupplykern.htm

__________________
Perfection is a subjective and abstract concept.
Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 1783
Good Answers: 35
#36
In reply to #35

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/07/2007 11:32 AM

The reason deepsea divers mix helium is because oxygen tends to start boiling from the pressure changes when surfacing.

Too much oxygen can be intoxicating which is why jet pilots have to control their breathing while flying.

To much oxygen can make materials that aren't ordinarily flamable burn.

Our normal air mixture is about 16% to 22%. If it was any richer then that we'd have fires everywhere all the time. 22% is still pushing it for being on the rich end.

__________________
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to do it over?
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Canada - Member - Our strength is our diversity

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1024
Good Answers: 40
#37
In reply to #36

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/07/2007 12:00 PM

read the links...

All gases will boil on decompression

It is not the oxygen that is intoxicating but the nitrogen. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_narcosis

When diving, every 33 feet we add 1 atmosphere of gas. Even though the mixture percentage is the same, the volume has increased. The mixed gasses displaces the oxygen to reduce the volume of oxygen which has proven to be poisonous.

__________________
Perfection is a subjective and abstract concept.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sour Lake, TX 30°08'59.68"N 94°19'42.81"W
Posts: 675
Good Answers: 13
#44
In reply to #35

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/19/2007 4:12 PM

You are right. The pressure of the inhaled air has to match the water pressure at the depth where the diver is. THAT makes the quantity of oxigen to be higher than necessary. I have participated, as subject, to some simulated diving sessions (in the pressurized tank). At 50 m of water I was singing and telling jokes and being as drunk as a skunk. The use of substitutes is for nitrogen that, at higher pressure, is no more diluted in the blood. When the subject comes sudenly to the normal pressure, the bubbles made by nitrogen may produce paralysis or even death. Helium is the substitute for nitrogen. At 50 m of water the concentration is no more 21% oxigen an the rest nitrogen but a much more reduced percentage of oxigen.

__________________
Bridge rule #1: Nobody is as good as he thinks about himself nor as dumb, as his partner thinks...
Register to Reply
Power-User
Hobbies - Musician - Jimmy Page Wanna be (Who isn't?) Popular Science - Weaponology - Navy Fire Controlman and LCAC Craftmaster United States - Member - Member

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Diego, SoCal
Posts: 175
Good Answers: 2
#42
In reply to #8

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/13/2007 11:43 PM

But, when you have a bad hangover, sit down and breathe pure oxygen for say 10 minutes (it makes you quite dizzy), most if not all of your hangover is gone.......! Like magic!

It works even better when accompanied by a saline IV!

__________________
Science does not know its debt to imagination. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 50.390866N, 8.884827E
Posts: 17996
Good Answers: 200
#12

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 9:27 AM

Summing up my and other peoples fears and knowledge in a few words to KENN:-

JUST DON'T !!

if you do,

YOU WON'T BE SHORTLY AFTERWARDS....

Terrible English, but believe me, this stuff is lethal.....only fully trained people should work on it and you needing to come onto CR4 to ask us is a real worry!!!!

__________________
"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Power-User
United States - Member - New Member Engineering Fields - Chemical Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 367
Good Answers: 10
#13
In reply to #12

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 9:50 AM

I agree with Andy, stay away from it if possible.

__________________
Money doesn't talk, it screams in your face.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 1783
Good Answers: 35
#18
In reply to #12

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 11:34 AM

I would worry more about someone not knowing and never asking the question when they were wondering.

The fact of the matter is, this is not a stupid question.

Not everyone works around or has had exposure to these kinds of things.

Then a person who has been limited in that respect has greasy rags to deal with and has heard something but isn't sure.

Finds himself with their house on fire because they didn't ask somebody.

Safety is no Joke, and a question dealing with safety, in never a stupid question.

__________________
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to do it over?
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#22
In reply to #18

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 3:43 PM

thank you kenn

Register to Reply
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 50.390866N, 8.884827E
Posts: 17996
Good Answers: 200
#29
In reply to #18

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/24/2007 2:51 AM

My impression is that this is a work situation......

__________________
"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
Register to Reply
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#14

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 10:08 AM

thank you all for your information and support, still kinda new at this. but appreciate

all the good advice Kenn

Register to Reply
Anonymous Poster
#17
In reply to #14

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 11:26 AM

It is always a go idead to keep a fuel source like grease away from any strong oxidizing agent (this is always a rapid , strong exothermic reaction). However, don't misconceive that pure oxygen is any more dangerous than any other strong oxidizing agent, like hydrogen peroxide. Handling is the key here, anything flammable will burn more readily in an enriched oxygen environment. Note however, pressurized tanks of oxygen are umbiquitous in our society. You will find them in every mechanics shop, welding shop, medical office, etc.. And, in all these places fuel is also ubiquitous, e.g. rags, cotton, plastics, oils, gasoline, etc.. You just need to take proper care and pay attention when handling oxygen in such environments.

Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 50.390866N, 8.884827E
Posts: 17996
Good Answers: 200
#27
In reply to #17

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/24/2007 2:44 AM

It is not quite clear what you were implying here when you wrote:-

However, don't misconceive that pure oxygen is any more dangerous than any other strong oxidizing agent, like hydrogen peroxide.

Could you clear this up and please state what percentage of HP you were referring to in this statement, because a 3% solution is one thing, but a 95% is another!!!!!!

Assuming the latter, this is a very unstable mixture and I do feel that your comparison is not valid......to my mind 95% HP is even more dangerous than O....

There are rules and procedures to follow, and anyone who has to ask us about Oxygen storage on CR4 knows maybe enough to be dangerous.....

HP has also killed a lot of professionals over the years too.....in spite of the fact that very few places use it, not like Oxygen.....

__________________
"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
Register to Reply
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#38
In reply to #27

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/07/2007 12:26 PM

I was only thinking of regular grease, because some one cautioned me. I have some small oxy tanks for emergencys. All of the information was very enlightening

Register to Reply
Guru
Canada - Member - Our strength is our diversity

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1024
Good Answers: 40
#39
In reply to #38

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/07/2007 12:55 PM

For my HAZMAT course, we had a demonstration of an oxidiser near a fuel source. The petri dish had a 3 foot flame shooting out of it even without an ignition source. What they have all said is true: Even storage of an oxidizer in the vicinity of a fuel is dangerous.

__________________
Perfection is a subjective and abstract concept.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 1783
Good Answers: 35
#40
In reply to #39

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/07/2007 1:10 PM

That's true. You're not supposed to store oxygen any closer then 25 feet of a fuel source like acetyene. If they are closer there has to be a partition between them that won't allow gases to pass through. Oxygen will hang close to the ground when in a concentrated form unless displaced by something else like CO2. Halon absorbs oxygen.

__________________
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to do it over?
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Power-User
Hobbies - HAM Radio - VE6LDS Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Canada - Member - New Member Engineering Fields - Nuclear Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 284
Good Answers: 10
#19

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 12:52 PM

We had a house fire several years ago. fortuenately the fire did not reach the area where I had stored my supply of medical oxygen bottles. When I told the firemen tthat there were oxygen bottles in the house they were not very excited. Things could have gotten real exciting.

__________________
Semi-retired systems analyst, part time Ham radio operator, full time grandfather.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 1783
Good Answers: 35
#20
In reply to #19

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 1:07 PM

That's because oxygen can get things burning that wouldn't ordinarily burn. Things like aluminum in which they would have no way of putting out once it got started.

__________________
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to do it over?
Register to Reply
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 50.390866N, 8.884827E
Posts: 17996
Good Answers: 200
#28
In reply to #19

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/24/2007 2:50 AM

Reminds me of:-

" When all about you are cool, but you are panicking, maybe the others did not understand the situation fully!"

A full Oxygen cylinder weighing in at about 20KG, has a similar effect in a fire to about 4KG of dynamite, a fire fighting office told me about 20 odd years ago, when I asked. Her house would not have had one brick left on another if it had exploded......

(My mother had Oxygen in her house for breathing and used to "flood" her bedroom to make it easier to sleep!!!! How she never took a quick trip to heaven nobody knows....)

__________________
"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Hobbies - RC Aircraft - New Member Hobbies - Automotive Performance - New Member Hobbies - DIY Welding - New Member

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Fort Lauderdale Florida
Posts: 5708
Good Answers: 123
#21

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 1:09 PM

A few years back our fire department had diesel generators mounted on the top of the trucks. In a compartment below and to the side of the generator, we stored medical supplies, including o2. Daily check of the equipment included opening o2 bottle to check the regulator. One day the crew was finished with the check out and was closing the roll up door when the contents of the compartment suddenly burst into flames. Almost like a slow motion explosion. The only thing we ever found, was the fumes from the diesel generator drifted down and into the compartment vent. Weather there was a spark from the roll up door or not we don't know. The door is aluminum, but there are steel rivets and brackets. it could have been a spark from the compartment switch. All we could find to do was to have all of that type truck move the medical equipment to the back of the truck.

When the Blue Angels, or Thunderbird flight teams are at a show, they use liquid oxygen. Both teams store the canisters on dirt rather than on the asphalt. I was told that if it dripped on asphalt the asphalt would burst into flames.

Be Careful.

__________________
Bob
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member Safety - ESD - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 50.390866N, 8.884827E
Posts: 17996
Good Answers: 200
#30
In reply to #21

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/24/2007 2:53 AM

Everything you wrote sounds absolutely "Spot On" for me......Thanks.

__________________
"What others say about you reveals more about them, than it does you." Anon.
Register to Reply
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#41
In reply to #21

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/07/2007 6:26 PM

thanks

Register to Reply
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#24

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 8:23 PM

thank you

Register to Reply
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#25

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 8:26 PM

thanks

Register to Reply
Anonymous Poster
#26

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/23/2007 11:20 PM

Make a small wood and gas fire..... add a little O2.... Burn baby burn!

Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tulare, CA
Posts: 1783
Good Answers: 35
#31
In reply to #26

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

10/24/2007 9:40 AM

You can have a bin full of steel shavings from a lathe, add oxygen and throw in a battery and you have "Burn baby Burn."

__________________
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time but always enough time to do it over?
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Anonymous Poster
#33

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/02/2007 11:19 AM

regarding the med supply compartment fire noted above, I'd be willing to bet the spark is due to static electricity from rubber rollers etc. Humans do not feel the ESD discharge until it reaches about 500V or so, but in a pure oxygen atmosphere, even a spark from 10V or less is more than enough to start the combustion process in the presence of hydrocarbons.

Silicone grease like Dow 111 is approved for oxygen system use as well.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard about people on medical oxygen burning to death because they could not give up smoking and their clothes were saturated with pure O2 when they lit up (literally).

shade tree mechanics using oxygen from a cutting torch as an air supply has caused a whole host of fires as well.


You just don't screw around with oxygen, it WILL kill you if you do.

Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Earth - I think.
Posts: 2143
Good Answers: 165
#43

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/14/2007 12:06 AM

Excellent question and posts! I can only add that I have seen a minor example myself. I have worked in 3 places that had LOX storage tanks ranging from 1 to 1000 tons. The most dangerous has been the smallest. Not that there is anything inherently dangerous about the small tanks, just a matter of inadequate training (and therefore respect of the dangers involved) in a smaller industry.

An operator was tightening the flange bolts on a leaky pressure regulator, and had his other hand resting on the flange gap. His hands were greasy from working on other things through the day, and BOOM! He was lucky. A black streak across the palm, and had to go change his shorts, but no permenant damage.

The operator quit doing mechanics work, the electrician quit smoking in the ozone generator room, and a small industry was much more open to saftey sugestions.

The "devil is in the details", watch out for the small things.

__________________
TANSTAAFL (If you don't know what that means, Google it - yourself)
Register to Reply
Associate

Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 54
#45

Re: Grease Near An Oxygen Tank

11/19/2007 7:18 PM

Thanks for all the great ideas kenn

Register to Reply
Register to Reply 46 comments

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

Andy Germany (6); Anonymous Poster (5); bcassa (1); betomachine (2); bob c (1); ca1ic0cat (1); Electroman (1); Garthh (1); indel (1); Janissaries (6); KENN (9); Kilowatt0 (1); LCAC32 (1); PWSlack (1); RHABE (1); Ried (1); techno (3); thaiball (1); The JMAN (1); The_curious_one (1); Transcendian (1)

Previous in Forum: Nano-Technology   Next in Forum: medicals

Advertisement