The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-02-07
CAUSE OF LAMP EXPLOSIONS.

The December number of the Boston
journal Of Chemistry, in an article on
the chemistry of kerosene, speaks as fol-
lows:
AS an explanation of the causes of
lamp explosions, it is worth studying
that these accidents may be avoided.
AS has been stated, kerosene is not
explosive. A lighted taper may be
thrust into it, or flame applied in any
way, and it does not explode. On the
contrary, it extinguishes flame, if exper-
mentcd with at the usual temperatures
of the rooms. Kerosene accidents occur
from two causes: First, imperfect man.
ufacture of the article; second, adulter-
atoms. An imperfcctly manufactured
oil is that which results when the
distilation has been carried on at
too low q temperature, and a por-
ton of the naptha remains in it. Adult
terations arc largely made by unprin-
cipled dealers, who add twenty to thirty
per cent. of naptha after it leaves the
manufacturers hands. The light nap
thas which have been spoken of, as
known i'll commerce under the names of
benzine, benzolinc gosoleine, ETC., are
very volatile, inflammable, and danger
Gus. They, however, in themselves, arc
not explosive; neither are they capable
of furnishing any gas, when placed i'll
lamps, which is explosive. Accidents
of this nature are due entirely to the ia
cility with which vapor is produced
from them at low temperature. But the
vapor by itself is inexplosive; to render
it so, it must be mixed with air. A lamp
may be filled with bad kerosene, or with
) the vapor even, and in no possible way
: can it detonate, or explode, unless at
mospheric air has somehow got mixed
with the vapor. A lamp, therefore, full
or nearly full of the liquid, is safe; and
also one full of pure warm vapor is safe
Explosions generally occur when the
I lampis first lighted, without being filled
and late in the evening, when the fluiG
is nearly exhausted. The reason of thi!
l will readily be seen. In using imper
feet or adulterated kerosene, the space
c above the line of oil is always filled
C with vapor; and so long as it is warm
! and rising freely, no air can reach it, anC
it is safe. AT bedtime, when the famil!
:! retire, the light is extinguished thu
: lamp cools, portion of the vapor i
condensed this creates partial vacuum
in the space, which is instantly fillet
u with air. The mixture is now more o
less explosive; and, when, upon tn
next evening, the lamp is lighted with
out replenishing with oil, as is often tn
a case, an explosion is liable to take place
Late in the evening, when the oil is nearl
consumed, and the space above fillet
II with vapor, the lamp cannot explode s.
d Hong as it remains at rest upon tn
table. But take it in hand, agitate il
a carry it into COOL room, tho vapor !
cooled, the air passes in, and the vapo
, becomes explosive. A case of lamp eS
- plosion came to the writer's knowledg
r. a few years since, which was occasione
n by taking a lamp from the table to an
,r swer ring of the door-bell. The coo
,f outside air which impinged upon tn
J. lamp in the hands of the lady, rapid
It condensed the vapor, air passed in, a
A. explosion occurred, which resulted I;
&c tally If the lamp had been full of f1ui'
this accident could not have occurred
" Before carrying it to the door, fam
might have been thrust into the lam
in with safety the Yapor would have il
" nited, but no explosion could have take
ne place.