PSFlyer
Registered
Just wondering if scuba tank explosion due to tank overheating is a reality. I had students ask that question as it relates to transporting tanks in a car. For years I've given them a standard answer that was given to me years ago by my instructor: "well, yeah, it could happen, so shield the tanks from the sun in the back of your SUV, etc. etc." Now that I have done a bit of research into the topic, I feel kind of dumb...
1. Through my research I found out that the highest temperature ever recorded inside a vehicle sitting in the sun was 170F.
2. According to my son's High School physics book, gas laws would dictate that for every 1F temp rise inside a closed container filled with air, you can expect a 5PSI pressure increase.
3. Assuming the tank is put into the vehicle at room temp 70F, and the temp rises to 170F, the temp rise is equal to 100F. This causes the pressure to rise by 500PSI.
4. OK so now my 3000 PSI tank is, at the most, at 3500PSI.
5. Burst discs are rated at 140% of rated pressure so on a 3000PSI tank they would not blow until 4200PSI.
That leads me to a conclusion that even a burst disc blow is a very unlikely event at 3500PSI (170F) not to mention the actual tank exploding.
Am I wrong here. What am I missing? Can you guys and ladies shed some light on this. I searched the SB but could not find any info on this topic. Thanks.
1. Through my research I found out that the highest temperature ever recorded inside a vehicle sitting in the sun was 170F.
2. According to my son's High School physics book, gas laws would dictate that for every 1F temp rise inside a closed container filled with air, you can expect a 5PSI pressure increase.
3. Assuming the tank is put into the vehicle at room temp 70F, and the temp rises to 170F, the temp rise is equal to 100F. This causes the pressure to rise by 500PSI.
4. OK so now my 3000 PSI tank is, at the most, at 3500PSI.
5. Burst discs are rated at 140% of rated pressure so on a 3000PSI tank they would not blow until 4200PSI.
That leads me to a conclusion that even a burst disc blow is a very unlikely event at 3500PSI (170F) not to mention the actual tank exploding.
Am I wrong here. What am I missing? Can you guys and ladies shed some light on this. I searched the SB but could not find any info on this topic. Thanks.