The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-10-11
KEEP ELECTRICITY
FROM GASOLINE
Spark of Static Electricity
Often Causes Terrific
Explosion
USE CONDUCTOR ON
GASOLINE TRUCKS

If Electricity Cannot Escape to Ground
IL May Produce Fatal Spark-In-
stances Where Ignorance Causes Great
i Damage.
WASHINGTON. Oct ia big
tank truck transporting gasoline was
blown up by a terrific explosion on the
street recently because Il passerby who
didn't know what he was doing picked
nm = niece of chain. He saw the chain
dangling by one end from the truck and
| houaht he would probably save the
truck from being wrecked through foul
ing the chain in one of the wheels.
The man didn't know the chain was
hanging there for purpose. He didn't
| know that gasoline, unlike water, Is a
non-conductor of electricity. Possibly
| he didn't even know that flowing gas2-
| line, especially when strained through
such materials as channels skin hlterS,
sets up considerable charges of FRACTIONAL
or static electricity. But that was what
caused the trucks destruction.
Usually when the big tank truck
backs up to the filing plug at a service
| station or other storage place the metal
lie nozzle from the truck touches the
metallic intake pipe and thus forms
ground for any charge of static cleo
tricitv that may collect in the truck.
| Sometimes however, the nozzle does not
| touch a grounding point, and with no
other metallic ground from the truck the
car is perfectly insulated, standing as it
| does on rubber tires. Sometimes, also.
| the nozzle of the. truck outlet pipe rests
against a wooden piece in the intake pipe
and is thereby likewise insulated, for
| dry wood is also an insulator.
| Danger at Storage Tank.
While the gasoline is poured into the
! storage tank 4 certain amount OF vapor
arises. and there is certain to be some
( about the intake and the truck. The
/ flow of the liquid will set up a static
| charge in the truck. As the charge in
| rrcases il may become strong enough TO
! leap the gap to the nearest ground or
| he two points may be brought into con-
| tact There is Il spark, flash, an eA
ploSion and untold damage may result.
Consequently the careful tank driver
always has metallic part hanging from
! the truck to the ground, rod or cham.
| 20 drain off the electric charge as 1t col
lects. as long as the gasoline is being
drawn off.
The same basic fact has been the
| cause of numerous smaller fires and eX-
| tlosions in garages, both private and
Dublic. In one instance Il car was being
filled with gasoline from a can. While
| The employe ran the gas into the can he
| strained it through Il chamois filter IN a
| funnel To make the funnel sit up
| straight i'm the hole in the tank a wooden
ring was placed in the hole and the fun
nel was placed in that. Thus the can
vas isolated After pouring some gaso,
line into the tank. the man brought the
ran spout into contact with the tank
There was a spark, Il flash and the re
| sulting explosion.
Wooden Pail Handle Non Conductor.
\ man was pumping gasoline into
AN in his own garage. He hung the PAL
IA the hook over the spout of the pump
He did not notice that the pail had
wooden handle. By reason of the wOodal
hardie the pail was insulated from tn,
nump. The flowing gasoline set up
| static charge in the pail which leaned
he gap to the pump and another fir
Was started.
Friction of silk cloth will produc,
static electricity. and fires have beer
caused it has been reported TO govern
ment agencies. when silk cloths sOake'
With benEine or gasoline We're used tt
"ib the CRIME off mechanics hands
SPARKS are Il prolific course of gasolin
Tres, especially sparks from open flames
froken electric lights. and from friction
wen the clash on 4 concrete pavemen
of the nails in shoes have been known {,
Sorm sparks which resulted in fires whel
,aSpline yapor was present.
Il gasoline is stored in an open place
such as pail, the United States bureau
II mines reports, the room i'm which tn
pail is left VIII shortly be filed with Al
) easily eXplosible mixture. The limits o
aXplos;bility are between Is per cen
md per cent of gasoline vapor in air
IN other words, only little gasOlin
'ur6r is needed to render air explosiv
one and one-half feet of gasoline Va
cor for each 97Ia feet of air. One ga
on Of gasoline can, under perfect condi
ions, render 2,100 cubic feet of air ex
J losive.