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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Other Sciences Question Forum => Topic started by: newbieny on April 17, 2009, 10:12:54 AM

Title: compressed air dilemma
Post by: newbieny on April 17, 2009, 10:12:54 AM
ok guys here is the scenario:
a moving car at an arbitrary speed carrying a cylinder of compressed air on the trunk.  A car crashes into the rear of the car causing a fire mixed in with the leaking fuel from the gas tank.  The tank ruptures on impact and releases the air..will this air make the explosion bigger and the fire worse?
Title: Re: compressed air dilemma
Post by: Schrödinger on April 28, 2009, 12:07:22 AM
I am not too sure....

I think, if the leak is from a small hole, then the compressed air will come out like a jet, probably putting out the fire.

But on the contrary, if the hole is too big, the air will smoothly come out and aid the fire, thereby aggravating the situation.