乙炔的爆炸

最近，芝加哥Grand Crossing的商用乙炔汽车照明系统充电站发生乙炔气体爆炸，造成四人死亡，多人重伤，损失七万五千美元，美国消防协会对此作出如下评论:“关于最初爆炸的原因，已经提出了许多理论，但是，由于所有目击者都已被杀害，直接造成爆炸的装置也已完全毁坏，因此，对于其中任何一种理论，目前还没有确凿的证据。”该理论认为，产生的效应只能是在一个非常坚固的保持器(如一个充电罐)内，爆炸性气体在高压下点火而引起的。有些人认为，这种严重的爆炸可能是由房间或建筑物内乙炔-空气混合物的点火引起的，他们再次强调了这种混合物的危险特性。所附图表显示发生爆炸的一层车站的楼层、储罐的位置等。上面有15到20个钢瓶(大小从30英寸长，6英寸直径到96英寸长，16英寸直径，都含有石棉，丙酮和乙炔气体，据说最初被压缩到最大压力400磅，然后通过丙酮的吸收降低到正常的240磅，这些钢瓶正在充气。旁边至少有5个100加仑的钢制丙酮桶;至少五个钢桶，每个装1000磅电石;一台由小型蒸汽机驱动的两级压缩机; one Williamson central staiton acetylene gas generator rated for a 500-pound carbide charge and connected to a thirtyfoot gasometer located outside building and then to gas meter and three-foot gasometer inside the building. The initial explosion occurred in the northwest portion of the structure. Fire communicated to the combustible contents of the building and the acetone, being liberated by the rupture of the drums, added to the volume of heat, which acted on the sealed gas storage cylinders. These exploded one after the other, many parts of them being hurled distances varying from 100 to 200 feet. The brick walls of the building were thrown down, its metal roof was carried through a distance of too feet, the front of a two-story frame building 300 feet distant was demolished, and wi”dows in the vicinity were broken, all apparently by the first explosion. The generator and gasometers were uninjured; the compressor, while badly wrecked externally, showed no evidence of having been subject to the force of an interna! explosion. Some of the carbide drums were broken, and the material, when acted upon by water from hose streams, liberated acetylene gas, which was ignited and contributed a small factor to the loss. All the other contents of the building were wrecked by the explosions and fire, and a large three-story brick factory building on the west, occupied by the Acetylene Apparatus Manufacturing company, was destroyed, together with its contents. Most of the persons injured by the explosions were employed in that factory. A shed and a coke pile about 150 feet distant were also burned.