The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-03-21
Cause Of Lamp Explosions.

The Boston Journal Of Chemistry, in an article
on the chemistry OF kerosene speaks as follows.
As az explanation of the causes of lamp oxplo-
sions, it is worth studying, that these accidents
may be avoided:
As has been stated, kerosene is not explosive.
lighted paper may be thrust into it, or flame
applied in any way, and it does not explode. On
the contrary it extinguishes fame, if expert
meRted with at the usual temperature of our
rooms. Kerosene accidents occur from two
causes: First, imperfect manufacture of the ar
ticles second, authorizations An imperfectly
manufactured oil is that which results when the
distillation has been carried on at toe low tenn
perature, and portion of the naptha remains in
1t. Authorizations are largely made by unprin-
cipled dealers, who add 20 to so per cent. Of
naptha after it leaves the manufacturers hands.
The light napthas which have been spoken of as
known in commerce under the names OF bsnzine,
benZoline gasoleine, etc, are very volatile, in.
tammable, and dangerous. They, however, in
themselves, are not explosive: neither are they
capable OF furnishing any gas, when placed in
lamps, which is explosive. Accidents of this ma
ture are due entirely to the facility with which
vapor is produced from them at low tempera-
lures. But the vapor by itself is not explosive;
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 de-
tomato, or explode, unless atmospheric air has
somehow got mixed with tho vapor. A lamp,
therefore FULL nearly full of the liquid is safe
and also one full of pure warm vapor is safe
Explosions generally occur when the lamp is
first lighted without being filled, and late in the
evening, when the fsid is nearly exhausted.
The reason OF this will readily be seen. In using
imperfect or adulterated Kerosene, the space
above the line Of oil is always filed with vapor
and so long as it is warm, and rising freely, no
air can reach it, and it is safe. At bedtime
when the family retire, the light is extnguish-
ed, the lamp cools, portion of the vapor is con-
donsed this creates partial vacuum in the
space, which is instantly filed with air. The
mixture now is more or less explosive: and when
upon the next evening, the lamp is lighted with.
out replenshing with oil, as is often done, an ex-
ploson is liable to take place. Late in the even.
ing, when the oil is nearly consumed and the
space above filled with yapor the lamp cannot
| explode 30 long as it remains at rest upon the
table. But take it in hand, agitate it, carry it
| into cool room, the vapor is cooled, air passes
| in, and the vapor becomes explosive. A case of
lamp explosion came to the writer's knowledge q
few years since, which was occasoned by taking
a lamp from the table to answer a ring of the
| door-bell. The cool outside air which mpinged
upon the lamp in the hands of the lady, rapidly
! condensed to vapor, air dashed in, an OK plosion
occurred, which resulted fatally. If the lamp
had been full of fluid, this accident could not
have occurred. Before carrying it to the door,
fame might have been thrust into the lamp with
safety; the vapor would have ignitcd, but no ex-
plosion would have taken place.