Acetylene Explosion

DOE-HDBK-3010-94

7.0 Application Examples; Production Support Lab Example

Raschig Ring Testing - No significant MAR

Waste

20 g * 1.0 * 5E-4 * 1.0

= 0.01 g

Total

0.01 g

Thermogravimetric Analysis

Metal

150 g * 1.0 * 5E-4 * 0.5

= 0.04

20 g * 1.0 * 5E-4 * 1.0

= 0.01 g

Waste

Total

0.05 g

Atomic Absorption

Liquid

20 g * 1.0 * 2E-3 * 1.0

= 0.04 g

20 g * 1.0 * 5E-4 * 1.0

= 0.01 g

Waste

Total

0.05 g

HEPA Plenum Room

Filters

18 g * 1.0 * 1E-4 * 1.0

= 2E-3 g

The total initial respirable source term conservatively estimated for a building-wide

fire is 1.3 g of plutonium.

B. Acetylene Explosion. Before proceeding to estimate a source term, the concept of

an acetylene explosion in the context of this facility must be understood. The

characteristics of explosive decomposition and propensity for self-detonation

associated with industrial acetylene processing are not relevant to this discussion,

which relates to industrial acetylene cylinders.

By themselves, acetylene cylinders do not represent an explosive threat due to

standards for stable loading codified as law in all industrialized nations. Acetylene

cylinders are filled with an inert, porous material with interstices too small to allow

reaction propagation. The porous mass is soaked with acetone, and the acetylene is

then dissolved and stabilized in the acetone. The overall design precludes explosions

initiating inside the bottle, and cylinder designs are required to pass an ignition test.

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