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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 03 2003 : 7:24:50 PM
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This was sent around work today:
quote:
Engineering Services has requested that we take more care in making sure laboratory gas valves are shut off completely. Month-end statistics for November revealed that the propane gas consumption for <name removed to protect the stupid> was excessively high: 247 cubic meters vs monthly average of 5. Engineering staff tested all outlets and found 8 to be full or partially open on the 3rd and 4th floors. Some were located inside fume exhaust cabinets while others were discharging directly into the laboratory. As all outlets had been checked and were fully closed in early November after the propane tank had run empty, these situations are all recent events.
Leaving the gas valves open represents a significant fire/explosion hazard, not to mention cost and risk of outage. Please ensure that valves are turned off fully after use and that care is taken when working near valves such that they are not left open.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
Thank god I just work in the optics lab where there is no gas valves. -Mind you if the lab next door blows up it will probably still be a problem for me...
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2003 : 7:30:29 PM
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Geez. Can't you smell propane?
My idea of scary gas is me after a box of macaroni and cheese!
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BEatonNo1
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1133 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2003 : 8:49:12 PM
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holy cow...is the sent agent not in the propain they use. It would be impossable to not smell it if its there
Edited by - beatonno1 on Dec 03 2003 8:50:24 PM |
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n/a
DELETED (Inactive)
56 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2003 : 10:15:00 PM
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I didn't know that they put a scent agent in the gas! Whadya know? You learn something every day.
Is the scent agent a derivative of Methane?
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BEatonNo1
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1133 Posts |
Posted - Dec 03 2003 : 11:35:13 PM
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I think its called a mercapiter? it may not be propain that its done with, but the natural gas that comes out of the line.
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 10:55:03 AM
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That's funny...I remember highschool...Everyone was so afraid of the gas, like it was some kind of hyrdocarbon death or something. Though it's funny that you could accidentally leave it open....The hissing would be a dead givaway. I guess it also shows how difficult it is to get a dangerous concentration of gas in an enclosed area.
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 2:07:01 PM
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Hehe... Way back when I was in high school somebody left an unlit bunsen burner running next to a sink. The propane pooled into the sink and sat there. The person then successfully lit their burner, but then tossed the glowing match into the sink. The resulting fireball was quite impressive, although it did little more then scortch the ceiling slightly.
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n/a
DELETED (Inactive)
56 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 2:45:59 PM
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I have a sort of strange question here. Is it true that some sewage companies collect the methane that comes from sewage to be used in some sort of gas operation?
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 6:12:31 PM
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I think they do this in Japan on an experimental basis. They recover methane from garbage and use it to produce power.
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 7:14:12 PM
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Why are all these other countries expeimenting like this when as far as i know, America doesn't give a rat's ass?
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BEatonNo1
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1133 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 8:28:38 PM
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Ive heard of them burning sewage, and I think in WWI or II they used chicken poop for fuel
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n/a
DELETED (Inactive)
56 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 8:53:04 PM
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I can't think of anything better to do with chicken poop, or course the smell was probably pretty disturbing.
What does cirvin mean by his comment? Are you saying that America should experiment more? if so, I agree. I guess I'm confused on what you mean cirvin? I'm not offended or anything, just want to understand. :)
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2003 : 9:53:57 PM
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I hav never heard of america doing anything like using trash fumes a fuel or anything like thy do over in thos other countries. we keep coming up with new fuels while the great ones we have are being ignored.
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2003 : 11:04:06 AM
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quote:
Why are all these other countries expeimenting like this when as far as i know, America doesn't give a rat's ass?
*cough* Big Oil Incorporated *cough*
There's too much money from powerful individuals invested in extracting and selling oil and its related products.
An alternate fuel or energy source would be competition to this.
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n/a
DELETED (Inactive)
56 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2003 : 3:08:17 PM
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Cirvin, thanks for the clarification. I agree with you!
Also, Kale has a great point about the Large Oil companies throwing their weight around.
With Oil being so relatively cheap, why would America choose to spend a bunch of money to investigate alternatives to oil? I guess it will take a shortage to squash that stubborness. Then again, I suppose it is simple economics, supply, demand, cost, benefit, production possibilities, barriers to entry etc.
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Dec 05 2003 : 4:00:30 PM
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Funny thing is, oil is far from cheap. Take away all the government money, add up the military and loss of life needed to protect it, and the cost quickly adds up.
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Topic |
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Scary Gas
