Dive shop owner killed by exploding tank?

[DEEP SEA]

Tank story: Years ago a local S. California shop used refrigerated air to fill tanks. You could fill faster and got a GOOOD fill – right to the top.

However, I left the tank in my station wagon and it heated up. It blew out the burst disc and you wouldn’t believe the mess. It tore the whole upper lining apart and one window blew out. The car looked like a bomb hit it. Good thing I wasn’t driving when it blew!
:boom:

 

[Bob]

Deep Sea,
Never heard of filling tanks with refrigerated air, but it WOULD be a great way to really jack a tank. Actually you're fortunate the burst disc operated correctly. Wow, when that cold, dense, compressed air started started warming and expanding, that tank was seriously overpressurized. :boom: One can only imagine what could have happened had the burst disc not worked properly.:tree:Bob

 

[Ber Rabbit]

That is the one I was asking about. Had my tanks done when the university tanks were done but didn't know the specifics about the test since I wasn't there when the test was done.

Thanks!

Ber

 

[fredk]

for many years we the scuba industry have for the most part been self policing, i would be willing to bet you will see changes there. there is already talk of government involvment in the care and filling of tanks. if we don't properly police ourselves and the governments get involved it's only going to add costs to the dive shops that in turn will be passed on to the consumer.

 

[rstone]

Originally posted by Lost Yooper
Why would there have been a hydro on that tank 2 years before it was due? That seems a bit odd, not that it would've mattered much. Seems a bit odd is all.

"Dillon said the tank that exploded was made in 1988 and received its last visual inspection in October 1999. It received its last hydrostatic test in 1991, he said."

Mike

Maybe it was sold? and the new owner wanted to make sure it was ok? who knows.. I agree that is not normal. Then again we have had people come into our store who purchased tanks from a private party and wanted a hydro done.

 

[sharpenu]

It is also recommended that a cylinder be hydrotested any time it has been tumbled to remove corrosion.

 

[detroit diver]

Would an AL80 explode with the same force as a steel tank? I made the assumption when I first read about this that it was an AL80, and wondered how all that damage happened. I've heard of AL80 tanks going thru walls, etc. but this sounds like this steel tank outright exploded.

 

[Lost Yooper]

The one report said that the tank basically "unzipped" and didn't fragment. It sounds like it took off like a rocket into the block walled filling tub it was in. The report said that cement block fragments actually killed the guy and did the rest of the damage.

Mike

 

[sharpenu]

Do the math. At 3000 lbs per square inch, there is 432000 pounds per square foot of energy present. The air in this container would expand about 200 times when released. Since the water in the tank is incompressable, that force would be transmitted directly into the concrete container, which according to the report was not reinforced. This would cause the container to violently fragment. That is apparently what did the damage.

 

[detroit diver]

Originally posted by sharpenu
Do the math. .

Nah, that's what we have you for!!

Thanks. Lots of power there for damage.