On-board air compressor explosion

[lemon]

After finishing my very first OW dive and returning to the dive boat I witnessed what I hope is a rare occurrence. We were diving off of a boat with an upper and lower level. The air compressor was located on the lower level. After our first dive we went up to the upper level to debrief and discuss the dive. Apparently we were sitting above and just to the side of the air compressor, a fact that we realized when we suddenly heard a loud noise and witnessed the simultaneous appearance of a large steel piston head as it blew through the wood floor that we were sitting on. It came through the floor and then impacted on the underside of a wooden bench, splintering and cracking the bench, then ricocheting off the back of a dive student and grazing the head of one of our instructors as it sailed by. FORTUNATELY, nobody was seriously harmed. The student received a large circular welt where the projectile struck him, however, the piston head had lost most of its energy and inertia in blowing through the deck floor and cracking the bench from below. I imagine this incident could have had a much, much worse outcome. Luckily, it was the boat that received the lions share of the damage.

This occurred in Thailand about 10 minutes after surfacing from my very first dive ever. :shocked2:

Has anyone else witnessed similar failures?

 

[DandyDon]

Wow, what a close one! I've never been to Thailand, but some standards may be different there...?

 

[lemon]

I can only imagine that it was a maintenance issue. but, man, let me tell you, when those things explode, they go in a big way! amazing how much power is contained in all of that compressed air.

 

[DandyDon]

Never heard of such before, altho I gues it does happen. I'd be more afraid of breathing the air from such a compressor...

 

[lemon]

Excellent point!

 

[altaskier]

Holy Smokes! What was the boat and operator?

 

[CraigAClark]

What gas were they pumping?

Craig

 

[fppf]

Good thing it was not a stage facing the hull, then you would have been swimming back.

 

[h90]

Wow, what a close one! I've never been to Thailand, but some standards may be different there...?

YES Thailand is different

What I saw over 30 dives:

Equipment failure: broken hose while diving...it looked like it was 100 years old already.
DM trying to screw a DIN first stage in a INT tank for 1-2 min
Instructor with customer at 20 meter who did not surface when the customer had no air, instead continue on the octopus (after no air at all at the customers tank)
oil in the air 2x
instructor who told me it is foolish to service any equipment as long as it works and the Orings can be cleaned and reused.
Same instructor had on the next day a OW student who he teached breathing from the Octopus (outside at deep) and the exhaust valve was broken.
Usual are getting tanks anywhere between 100 and 250 bar (if they should be 200).

Almost every story different place/company.

Who repairs a compressor??? The next Toyota shop I guess....

 

[Johnoly]

.... witnessed the simultaneous appearance of a large steel piston head as it blew through the wood floor that we were sitting on. ....

I don't understand. Most piston separation failures result in a cracked cylinder wall and damaged crank since it is pushing compressed air on the lift stroke. The piston would have to over come this pressure, in addition to exert enough remaining force to remove the compression head bolted on top. A first stage piston usually has a very low psi and the entire compressor is only turning at 2000 to 3000 rpm's. Can you post any pictures of the damage to get a better idea of what happened?