Oxygen booster explosion: be careful!

dr.deep · 13th February 2008, 11:09

This is the manometers of my booster. The big one is blocked up near 300bar...

dr.deep · 13th February 2008, 11:16

The manometers

O2Slide · 13th February 2008, 16:51

Dr. Deep

How much heat do you think those cylinders took? Here in the states, it is required that any cylinder subjected to fire be destroyed. Give it some thought. How close were you able to get when fighting the fire with the extinguishers ?

Thanks!

dr.deep · 13th February 2008, 19:09

One cylinder is gone in the garbage basket.
4 meters from booster for the first extinguisher and closer for the second. I went inside the room in apnea to close the valve of the big bottle. At the end I had 100 bar yet in the big and the 40 cuf empty.
The next booster shall have a remote valve to intercept the flow without the duty to return near the booster.
Dr.Deep

iain-hsm · 13th February 2008, 20:55

Luca.

An excellent 1st post absolutely stunning video we were all over it today in the office I wish you could save the u-tube downloads.

Tell me, you have had 15 years of use OK no problems, then you change one part (the Ebay non return valve) and then the ignition. How long did it take from changing the valve to the ignition, was this the 1st cylinder filled or what?

Was the cylinder charging OK did you see the pressure rise inside the cylinder gauge?

What we cant see from the video is the propagation spread of the fire and the starting point, I can see the charging hose connector to the cylinder in bits, and something inside the booster itself looks like a liquid metal “pressure burst” squirted out some molten metal and flame

Do you have any pictures jpegs you could post, say before and after, showing the pump before the fire. Are you OK with having these pictures used? Please use your real name and mark copyright on the pictures they are much to valuable a lesson for you to loose or at the very least keep the acknowledgement for posting.
Thank you for this, a great lesson. Iain Middlebrook.

swampdiver · 14th February 2008, 03:32

Quote: (Originally Posted by dr.deep)

I controlled the check valve and it wasn't USA made but UK:
Non Return Valve - 1/4 Bsp Male
Lift pressure approx 1 bar-supplied clean for O2 service SUB- AQUA.

I was a stupid and I didn't clean again the valve (it looked perfect). I bought it on e-bay.

Dr.Deep

Doing a bit of sleuthing it appears that this check valve purchased on ebay and sold by Sub-Aqua Products under stock number 5100 is likely made by Undersea Products in the UK. While Sub-Aqua does list the valve sold as O2 clean on their web site, the manufacturer Undersea Ltd does not. Might have the ebay seller purchased the valves uncleaned directly from Undersea Ltd?
SAP Catalogue

Here is a schematic of the valve components on Undersea's web site.
http://www.undersea.uk.com/catalogue/drawings.pdf (see page 3 Model 5100)
http://www.undersea.uk.com/catalogue/catalogue.pdf (valve on page 29)

dr.deep · 18th February 2008, 09:40

The first time that I charged the booster it exploded. That was the first cylinder!
Note that I used an oxygen compatible Teflon for the non return valve thread.

The pictures are of many years ago when initially the booster was man powered.
You can use the pictures as you want.
Luca Lucarini (Dr.Deep)

teomannaskali · 18th February 2008, 13:35

I have downloaded the video. It is 6.5 mb. If anyone is interested i can mail it to them.
YOu can watch it using VLC media player.

Teoman.

Northern Monkey · 22nd February 2008, 09:47

I have used many of these one way valves myself, with no problems.

I spoke to Colin at Undersea and all the one way valves are supplied oxygen clean and he has never heard of any problems.

One suggestion is may be the one way valve may have been put into the system the wrong way round. Oxygen becomes unstable above 350 Bar.

**nigelh** · 22nd February 2008, 11:48

Quote: (Originally Posted by Northern Monkey)

Oxygen becomes unstable above 350 Bar.

I've heard this elsewhere but can anybody point me to same words?

All attempts at googling for it end up with me getting sidetracked into some fascinating stuff on astrophysics, super-conductors and para-magnetism but nothing on oxygen under pressure.

What does it do? Polymerise?

13th February 2008, 11:09	#31 (permalink)
dr.deep New Member Current Rebreather/s: Other SCR Other Rebreather/s: Other SCR Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 10	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! This is the manometers of my booster. The big one is blocked up near 300bar...
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13th February 2008, 16:51	#33 (permalink)
O2Slide New Member Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Join Date: May 2005 Location: Rockford Illinois Posts: 6	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! Dr. Deep How much heat do you think those cylinders took? Here in the states, it is required that any cylinder subjected to fire be destroyed. Give it some thought. How close were you able to get when fighting the fire with the extinguishers ? Thanks!
(Offline)

13th February 2008, 19:09	#34 (permalink)
dr.deep New Member Current Rebreather/s: Other SCR Other Rebreather/s: Other SCR Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Italy Posts: 10	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! One cylinder is gone in the garbage basket. 4 meters from booster for the first extinguisher and closer for the second. I went inside the room in apnea to close the valve of the big bottle. At the end I had 100 bar yet in the big and the 40 cuf empty. The next booster shall have a remote valve to intercept the flow without the duty to return near the booster. Dr.Deep
(Offline)

13th February 2008, 20:55	#35 (permalink)
iain-hsm Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: MK 15.X Other CCR Other SCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other SCR Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Loughborough England uk Posts: 347	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! Luca. An excellent 1st post absolutely stunning video we were all over it today in the office I wish you could save the u-tube downloads. Tell me, you have had 15 years of use OK no problems, then you change one part (the Ebay non return valve) and then the ignition. How long did it take from changing the valve to the ignition, was this the 1st cylinder filled or what? Was the cylinder charging OK did you see the pressure rise inside the cylinder gauge? What we cant see from the video is the propagation spread of the fire and the starting point, I can see the charging hose connector to the cylinder in bits, and something inside the booster itself looks like a liquid metal “pressure burst” squirted out some molten metal and flame Do you have any pictures jpegs you could post, say before and after, showing the pump before the fire. Are you OK with having these pictures used? Please use your real name and mark copyright on the pictures they are much to valuable a lesson for you to loose or at the very least keep the acknowledgement for posting. Thank you for this, a great lesson. Iain Middlebrook. Last edited by iain-hsm : 13th February 2008 at 20:57. Reason: spelling correction
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14th February 2008, 03:32	#36 (permalink)
swampdiver New Member Current Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Join Date: May 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 12	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! Quote: (Originally Posted by dr.deep) I controlled the check valve and it wasn't USA made but UK: Non Return Valve - 1/4 Bsp Male Lift pressure approx 1 bar-supplied clean for O2 service SUB- AQUA. I was a stupid and I didn't clean again the valve (it looked perfect). I bought it on e-bay. Dr.Deep Doing a bit of sleuthing it appears that this check valve purchased on ebay and sold by Sub-Aqua Products under stock number 5100 is likely made by Undersea Products in the UK. While Sub-Aqua does list the valve sold as O2 clean on their web site, the manufacturer Undersea Ltd does not. Might have the ebay seller purchased the valves uncleaned directly from Undersea Ltd? SAP Catalogue Here is a schematic of the valve components on Undersea's web site. http://www.undersea.uk.com/catalogue/drawings.pdf (see page 3 Model 5100) http://www.undersea.uk.com/catalogue/catalogue.pdf (valve on page 29) Last edited by swampdiver : 14th February 2008 at 03:53.
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18th February 2008, 13:35	#38 (permalink)
teomannaskali Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Not Bought Yet Home Build Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Istanbul TR Posts: 350	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! I have downloaded the video. It is 6.5 mb. If anyone is interested i can mail it to them. YOu can watch it using VLC media player. Teoman.
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22nd February 2008, 09:47	#39 (permalink)
Northern Monkey New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Ouroboros Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: England Posts: 25	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! I have used many of these one way valves myself, with no problems. I spoke to Colin at Undersea and all the one way valves are supplied oxygen clean and he has never heard of any problems. One suggestion is may be the one way valve may have been put into the system the wrong way round. Oxygen becomes unstable above 350 Bar. __________________ Death is not an option!
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22nd February 2008, 11:48	#40 (permalink)
nigelh New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Brighton, Sussex, UK Posts: 824	Re: Oxygen booster explosion: be careful! Quote: (Originally Posted by Northern Monkey) Oxygen becomes unstable above 350 Bar. I've heard this elsewhere but can anybody point me to same words? All attempts at googling for it end up with me getting sidetracked into some fascinating stuff on astrophysics, super-conductors and para-magnetism but nothing on oxygen under pressure. What does it do? Polymerise? __________________ nigelh
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