I just got time to watch this new video. As you were mentioning that it would have been great to look the materials after the explosion for SR radiation
This is truly fascinating. My interest has always been piqued, especially with regards to explosions happening with so little power input. I don't believe I've shared an experience (from 25 years ago) here regarding my old lab's "explosion proof" microwave digestion system - that exploded turning the cubic shaped oven into a rounded cube and blew the door off the hinges (steel hinges - 1/4in thick or thereabouts - one was shredded apart) launching it about 6 meters across the room where it dug into the drywall. Our lab routinely did digestions of 20cc water samples + 1cc concentrated nitric acid usually in sets of up to 8 solid teflon vessels (carousel capacity). For a single sample, there was a minimum of 4 vessels in the oven - the sample, a duplicate, a blank and a single spiked sample (spike of As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Hg, Se, to be brought up to 20mL with concentrations between 0.1 & 0.5 mg/L each - depending on the element). Each teflon vessel had both a steam release port and an expendable safety release seal disc (in case of sudden jumps in pressure). Vessels were replaced on a regular basis (warping/damage or uncleanable) and the unit had only been in use for a few months (so the magnetron output was still consistent). It was, I believe, a 900watt system. The Exploding Sample was that of a sample market "Aluminum Washings" (20mL) that was a mostly clear solution (slightly foggy) to the eye (this was the runoff that was tested from a waste tank, so diluted "soapy water"), and was from an aluminum processing plant that made aluminum foil products primarily (the name of the company, I won't mention for legal reasons). I didn't know much about how aluminum is manufactured, but the washings, from what I was told, were basically a detergent to remove the oil coating off the sheet prior to whatever process was next. (the oily coating was to prevent oxidation, from what I gather). Since we were not concerned about the concentration of aluminum (just the standard list of heavy metals for environmental testing), there was probably quite an amount in the solution (nano particles and oxides). These digestions were done on the hotplate for years and was a pretty, run of the mill, monthly testing procedure (manufacturers had required testing intervals from the EPA) until we decided to speed up the process and get better recoveries via this technique. I did the setup myself as our tech was out that day, sick (lucky for him), and about 10 minutes into the run, as I was turning the corner from the instrument lab, BOOM! I couldn't hear or see anything (the light flash blinded me and my ears were ringing). I thought a bomb went off. Fortunately, there was absolutely no one in that area (usually 4-5 people at any given time).
After the freak out moment (by me and the staff), we had to assess the auxiliary damage and clean up the spills (thousands of dollars of glassware shattered) from extractions running nearby, plop in the exhaust fans and open doors, etc, and shut down the lab.
What made me more interested was the response of the company (that had the nerve to deny our claim saying it was "not possible"). It wasn't until threatening them with legal action, that they sent a rep, then an engineer over to assess the aftermath. They brought some lackies in and quietly collected everything and a new unit was sent in a couple of days later with a big fat check (to cover damages). My boss forbade anything that may possibly contain aluminum be digested in the unit (- aluminum is known for explosive conditions with water, of course, but this was a lot more). After being called a liar by our resident physicist who said, based on the info I gave him for his calculations, and the extreme damage done, that there must be something I'm excluding (he insisted that I had an explosive compound in there and it was impossible - just like the company's "experts" said because they tested a fully loaded unit with 0.5g TNT in each vessel and the door never blew off nor flew across a room)!
Anyway, that's my story of "impossible" explosions (if someone were in there, they would have certainly died - hence the legal threats).
That is very impressive thank you for bringing this information to my attention every time I read our hear evo I think if Ken shoulders a true scientist dedicated to the truth and science
I just got time to watch this new video. As you were mentioning that it would have been great to look the materials after the explosion for SR radiation
This is truly fascinating. My interest has always been piqued, especially with regards to explosions happening with so little power input. I don't believe I've shared an experience (from 25 years ago) here regarding my old lab's "explosion proof" microwave digestion system - that exploded turning the cubic shaped oven into a rounded cube and blew the door off the hinges (steel hinges - 1/4in thick or thereabouts - one was shredded apart) launching it about 6 meters across the room where it dug into the drywall. Our lab routinely did digestions of 20cc water samples + 1cc concentrated nitric acid usually in sets of up to 8 solid teflon vessels (carousel capacity). For a single sample, there was a minimum of 4 vessels in the oven - the sample, a duplicate, a blank and a single spiked sample (spike of As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Hg, Se, to be brought up to 20mL with concentrations between 0.1 & 0.5 mg/L each - depending on the element). Each teflon vessel had both a steam release port and an expendable safety release seal disc (in case of sudden jumps in pressure). Vessels were replaced on a regular basis (warping/damage or uncleanable) and the unit had only been in use for a few months (so the magnetron output was still consistent). It was, I believe, a 900watt system. The Exploding Sample was that of a sample market "Aluminum Washings" (20mL) that was a mostly clear solution (slightly foggy) to the eye (this was the runoff that was tested from a waste tank, so diluted "soapy water"), and was from an aluminum processing plant that made aluminum foil products primarily (the name of the company, I won't mention for legal reasons). I didn't know much about how aluminum is manufactured, but the washings, from what I was told, were basically a detergent to remove the oil coating off the sheet prior to whatever process was next. (the oily coating was to prevent oxidation, from what I gather). Since we were not concerned about the concentration of aluminum (just the standard list of heavy metals for environmental testing), there was probably quite an amount in the solution (nano particles and oxides). These digestions were done on the hotplate for years and was a pretty, run of the mill, monthly testing procedure (manufacturers had required testing intervals from the EPA) until we decided to speed up the process and get better recoveries via this technique. I did the setup myself as our tech was out that day, sick (lucky for him), and about 10 minutes into the run, as I was turning the corner from the instrument lab, BOOM! I couldn't hear or see anything (the light flash blinded me and my ears were ringing). I thought a bomb went off. Fortunately, there was absolutely no one in that area (usually 4-5 people at any given time).
After the freak out moment (by me and the staff), we had to assess the auxiliary damage and clean up the spills (thousands of dollars of glassware shattered) from extractions running nearby, plop in the exhaust fans and open doors, etc, and shut down the lab.
What made me more interested was the response of the company (that had the nerve to deny our claim saying it was "not possible"). It wasn't until threatening them with legal action, that they sent a rep, then an engineer over to assess the aftermath. They brought some lackies in and quietly collected everything and a new unit was sent in a couple of days later with a big fat check (to cover damages). My boss forbade anything that may possibly contain aluminum be digested in the unit (- aluminum is known for explosive conditions with water, of course, but this was a lot more). After being called a liar by our resident physicist who said, based on the info I gave him for his calculations, and the extreme damage done, that there must be something I'm excluding (he insisted that I had an explosive compound in there and it was impossible - just like the company's "experts" said because they tested a fully loaded unit with 0.5g TNT in each vessel and the door never blew off nor flew across a room)!
Anyway, that's my story of "impossible" explosions (if someone were in there, they would have certainly died - hence the legal threats).
That is very impressive thank you for bringing this information to my attention every time I read our hear evo I think if Ken shoulders a true scientist dedicated to the truth and science
Ken had a great human personality miss him lots
Anyway I learn more things today thank you bob