The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1879-03-13
The Reason Kerosene Lamps Elk
plode.


| Professor r. c. Kedzic. NJ. D., Presi-
den, OF the State Board of Health of
Michigan and Professor OF The State 4 g.
ricultural College, lately delivered an
address before the Michigan Legislature
in which he explained The manner in
which Kerosene lamps usually explode.
lie said: "Some persons seem to think
the explosion of Il kerose enc lamp is caus
ed in the same way as boiler cxplo-
sion: namely. by the pressure of The va
por of the Oh inside, the lamp. In rare
instances explosionsm ay he caused in
this way; for example. where the ignit-
ed oil oyerfows the lamp and the lamp
i enyeioped in flame. Bat explosions
usual; occur in another way: namely.
| where the vapor of kerosene is mixed in
proper proportions with air, and thus
true explosive mixture formed which
| viii explode with the force of Il giinshot
When fred By flame. This explains why
| 4 lamp is in more danger of exploding
| when The lamp Is only partially filed
with kerosene. because larger amount
of space is filed with The explosive mix
turc: ii is the same as a larger load of
powde in gun. Many persons seem
To think that there can be no danger of
lamp explosion unless the whole body
Of oil in the lamp is heated 10 TIE flash
ing point /: that because The temperature
of our rooms never rises TO one hundred
and twenty degrees there can be no
danger in usiEg oil whose flashing point
is one hundred and twenty degrees.
But DR.. Baker, Secretary Of the State
Board of Health. has proved by expert
ment with lamps that an explosive mix
ture may form and the lamp may ex-
plode while the body of oil in the lamp
is not above eighty-iivc degrees Fahrcn-
heit. The temperature Of the body of
The body Of oil in the lamp is no, the
ONLY factor Ia be considered. because
different parts of the lamp become very
uneqaaliy heated. The formation of
vapor viii be determined By The hottest
part Of the lamp which comes in contact
with the oil. When the combustion is
Imperfect from any cause. the brass fit |
tings Of the lamp become excessively |
heated. DR.. Baker found in his expert
inents that when the chimney was
removed by breaking or otherwise. and
tie lamp continued 10 burn. the tenn
perature of the brass collar rose very
rapidly IN every instance in one ease
in fourteen minutes il rose 10 ono hun
bred and sixty-one degrees, and in an
other ease in ten minutes TO one humid
red and tifte-fivc degrees Fahrenheit. In
his last instance very rapid explosions
occurred b. the side of the wick. and TO
prevent the whole lamp from exploding
he lighi was cNiinguished. In none of
hese Instances did the the temperature
# the body of the oil rise aboec eighty
i've degrees Fahrenheit. Many persons
IN leaving room turn down the lamp /,
o save oil. bat such economy is very .
kelly 10 cause lamp explosion, which {
, any thing but economical. know
{ a case in Charlotte which illustrates !,
he danger Of this practice. \ lamp in 5
store was tarned down during the alb i
cnce of the clerk: person passing saw u
he lamp explode and by promptly =
open the store heextineuishcd
he fire. Fla light is not needed in
pom either exiinguish !, Or leave it
urning with the usual blaze