Scuba Tank Explosion - Myth or Reality?

[PSFlyer]

Thank you all for comments. I think we are all in agreement:
1. HEALTHY tank - possibility of explosion due to increased temp inside a car = 0.
2. Bad tanks = possibility of catastrophic failure no matter what the conditions
3. Tanks not secured properly during transport = possible bad consequences during accidents (this was not really the topic but I am glad that someone mentioned it as we should be aware and reminded of that every time we but these potential 3000PSI projectiles in our cars)

thank you all for your input. Happy diving and safe travels

 

[Garrobo]

If tanks exploded from heating up in a car they'd be blowing up all over Florida, the Gulf States and Southern Kalifornia every day.

 

[mongodives]

Do any tanks rupture do to being stored in the sun, enclosed areas?

If this was a problem, the compressed gas industry wouldn't store compressed industrial gases in steel bottles, that only get inspected when they are hydro'd,in uninsulated steel buildings in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and other sunny hot places.

 

[String]

Do any tanks rupture do to being stored in the sun, enclosed areas?

If this was a problem, the compressed gas industry wouldn't store compressed industrial gases in steel bottles, that only get inspected when they are hydro'd,in uninsulated steel buildings in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and other sunny hot places.

Probably not. Diving cylinders generally get a lot less life cycles than industrial bottles too.

Theres probably more chance of Aluminium tanks going catastrophically due to its mode of failure than steel but even then ive never heard of one going off. I work in Egypt where its +45 degrees most days in summer, tanks are left in the sun, battered across trolleys, bounced around on trucks and generally abused but never heard of one giving up at all.

 

[The Kraken]

Tanks don't "explode" in the sense of a bomb going off.
Tanks will rupture at their weakest point when the internal pressure becomes great enough.
When this happens, they take off like an unguided rocket.
The tank then becomes a very heavy missle and will move most anything in its path, including one's head, arm, leg, butt, or what have you.

It's the same thing as blowing up a balloon, holding the stem closed, and then letting it go.

the K

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Tanks don't "explode" in the sense of a bomb going off.
Tanks will rupture at their weakest point when the internal pressure becomes great enough.
When this happens, they take off like an unguided rocket.
The tank then becomes a very heavy missle and will move most anything in its path, including one's head, arm, leg, butt, or what have you.

It's the same thing as blowing up a balloon, holding the stem closed, and then letting it go.

the K

I watched a 10,000 frame per second film of a bomb exploding during a test. The case swelled to about twice its normal size before it burst, clearly reflecting the rapidly increasing pressure inside from the explosive.

That's a lot different than a scuba tank where the pressure curve starts at its peak and then rapidly descends as the gas is released.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I'm always reminded of Mythbusters when the question of "exploding" dive tanks comes up.

They completely busted the Jaw's scene where Brody "blew up" the tank in the sharks mouth by shooting it.

Annotated Mythbusters: Special: Jaws Special

 

[rjack321]

5. Burst discs are rated at 140% of rated pressure so on a 3000PSI tank they would not blow until 4200PSI.

The rest of your post is basically correct but burst disks are not 140% of rated pressure. They are for no greater than hydro pressure so your AL80 has a 5000psi burst disk.

 

[Teamcasa]

I would think the risk of you dropping the tank on your toe is significantly higher than a tank bursting as a result of heat in your trunk.

That said, the burst disk job is to prevent overpressure issues. A properly inspected and serviced tank and valve is pretty safe in your trunk (for transport, not storage) if it's secured properly.

 

[Fish in a Barrel]

This is second-hand, but my instructor told us that a student once had a burst disk let go in his class after leaving the tank in a hot car and then jumping into the pool.