The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-03-22
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KEROSENE LAMP EXPLOSIONS.


Professor r. G. Kedzie, NJ. D., Presi-
dent of the State Board of Health of
Michigan and Professor in the State
Agricultural College, lately delivered
an address before the Michigan Legisla-
ture, in which he explained the manner
in which kerosene lamps usually ex.
plode, which practical hints should be
known to every one who has occasion to
use the article. Some persons seem to
think, he says, that the explosion of a
kerosene lamp is caused in the same
way as boiler xplosion-namely, by
the pressure of the vaper of the oil in
side the lamp. In rare instances explo-
sions may be caused in this way; for
example, where the ignited oil over.
flows the lamp and the lamps enveloped
in fame. But explosions usually occur
in another way-namely, where the
vapor of kerosene is mixed in proper
proportions with. air, and thus true
explosive mixture is formed which will
explode with the force Of gunshot
when fred by flame. This explains why
lamp is in more danger of exploding
when only partially filed with kerosene,
because large amount of space is filled
with the explosive mixture; it is the
same as larger load of powder in p.
gun. Many persons suppose that there.
can be no danger of lamp explosion
unless the whole body of the oil in the
lamp is heated to the flashing point;
that because the temperature of our
rooms never rises to one hundred and
twenty degrees, there can be no danger
in using oil whose flashing point is one
hundred and twenty degrees. But DR..
Baker, Secretary of the State Board of
Health, has proved by experiment with
lamps that an explosive mixture may
form and the oil may explode while the
bodyyof oil in the lamp is not above
eighty-fve' degrees Fahrenheit. The
temperature of the body of oil in the
lamp is not the only factor to be con-
sidered, because different parts of the
lamp become very unequally heated.
If you will touch the brass collar of
lamp which has been burning some time,
you will find it quite hot, and the tube,
supporting the wick is still more strongly
heated. The formation of vapor will
be determined by the hottest part of the
the lamp which comes in contact with l
the oil. When the combustion is inn
perfect from any cause, the brass fittings
of the lamp become excessively heated.
DIR. Baker found in his experiments that
when the chimney was removed by
breaking or otherwise, and the lamp
continued to burn, the temperature of
the brass collar rose very rapidly in
every instance; in one case in fourteen
minutes it rose to one, hundred and-
sixty-one degrees, and in another case
in ten minutes to one hundred and fifty
five degrees Fahrenheit! In this last
instance very rapid explosions occurred
by the side of the wick, and to prevent
the whole lamp from exploding tllelight
was extinguished. In none of these
experiments did the temperature of the
body of the oil rise above eighty-fve
degrees Fahrenheit. Many persons on
leaving a room "..turn down. the lamp"
to save oil, but such economy is very
liable to cause lamp explosion, which
is anything but economical. know of
a case in Charlotte which illustrates the .