Forensic Engineering Assessments Of Ruptured Acetylene Cylinders

Abstract

Ruptured Acetylene Cylinder Remnants And Exemplar Acetylene Cylinders, Exposed To A Building Fire, Were Assessed For Pre-Explosion Gas Leak Potential In The Metallurgical Laboratory Using Forensicngineering Protocols. In This Case, 2 Acetylene Cylinders Exploded, And A Building Fire Caused Extensiveroperty Damage And Business Interruption At A Welding Fabrication Facility. Possibilities Of Metallurgicalailures For The Cylinder Shell, Fuse Plugs And Valves Included A Series Of Mechanical Tests, Nondestructiveests And Microscopy Protocols. The Forensic Engineer Considered Corrosive Effects From Constituent Elementsn The Acetylene Gas And The Porous Media Saturated With Acetone Inside The Acetylene Cylinders. Lso, Leaks From Mechanical Damage Were Considered In The Shell, Head, Bottom, Fuse Plugs And Valve. He Forensic Engineer Examined The Cylinder Wall Fracture Surface Features, Pressure Vessel Design, Wallhickness, Low-Melting Temperature Fuse Plugs, And Valve Designs. He Forensic Engineer Scope Of Work Included Visual Examination Of The Cylinder Metal Shell,Ractured Edge Surfaces, Fuse Plug Attachments, And Valves To Ssess Possible Metallurgical Causes Forre-Explosion Gas Leaks From The Acetylene Cylinders Due To Corrosion Or Mechanical Damage Before Theylinder Rupture Events.