CAUSE OF EXPLOSION OF AIR COMPRESSOR TANKS
https://sites.google.com/site/metropolitanforensics/cause-of-explosion-of-air-compressor-tanks
There have been incidents where
the air holding tank of a compressor explodes.
Although manufacturing defects can caused a tank to explode, the leading
cause of air compressor tank rupture is corrosion of the tank from water
condensate. Basically these types of
incidents are caused by failure to follow the operation and maintenance
procedures listed in the owner’s manual for that particular equipment.
Water is a natural
byproduct of compressed air. It always forms
inside the tank. The condensation that
forms inside the tank must be drained regularly to help prevent the bottom of
the tank from corroding. In fact all air
compressor tank manufacturers require that the tanks are drained on a daily
basis after each use. The manufacturers
also recommend closing the drain valves if the compressor will be stored for
any length of time. This will prevent
moisture from entering inside the tank and corroded.
Preventing catastrophic
failure of any boiler or pressure vessel has always been a concern of the
National Board. Boilers in dry cleaning operations, pressurized steam cleaners
in jewelry shops, air compressors used by painters, pressurized air systems
used with power hydraulic lifts in auto repair shops, even instrument
sterilizers in dentists’ offices – all are capable of causing injury due to
explosion. On one hand, they rarely are
inspected for proper mechanical performance and structural integrity. On the other hand, their operators are
occasionally guilty of rigging the wiring or controls intended to prevent
potentially explosive operational problems. And as a complicating factor, each
state or province has its own inspection rules, and most apply only to
commercial operations of a certain size or to water heaters or steam heat
systems in dwellings that hold four or more housing units.
Here are some incidents
where the air compressor tanks exploded, causing property damage and even
death.
December 2013, Canada
A 44-year-old man suffers
extensive damage to his lower leg, forcing doctors to amputate the leg at the
knee in hospital. He later died. The man and two friends were working to
restore an antique car when the compressor explosion happened.
Air Tank Explosion, Malvern,
PA
An air compressor tank
exploded while it was being used at a home shop. The tank was not built to ASME code and not
registered with the National Board. The
drain valve on the tank was removed, probably because it was leaking, and
replaced with a plug. The accumulation
of water in the vessel caused severe corrosion and thinning of the metal on the
bottom of the tank. Ultrasonic thickness
testing revealed a thickness of .070 inches. At this thickness the tank should never have
been allowed to be pressurized. The
safety valve was set at 140 psi and the pressure controls were assumed to be
working properly. When the pressure in
the tank reached about 100 psi, the tank ruptured and flew across the garage. Luckily, nobody was injured.
Make sure you drain your
air tanks on a regular basis!
Air Tank Explosion, White Plains,
NY
This air tank compressor
exploded in April 2009 at a homeowner's garage in White Plains, NY. No one was injured when the tank failed. The
condensation that forms in the tank must be drained regularly to help prevent
the bottom of the tank from corroding. Since this compressor was in someone's
home garage, it was not required to be inspected
Air Compressor Tank
Explosion, Newark, NJ
This air tank compressor
failed due to improper maintenance. The condensation that forms in the tank
must be drained regularly to help prevent the bottom of the tank from corroding.
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