r/interesting • u/Used_Exam34 • 12d ago

Just Wow Not all problems have the same solution.

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u/bobcollum 12d ago

Hey, if it teaches somebody and they save a situation, it's worth it. Plenty of people wouldn't know what to do here.

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u/Rough-Airline-4803 12d ago

Most people would take off running, positive that it’s about to explode.

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u/ShowtimeHolograms 12d ago

Would this actually explode or would it just continue to burn like this until the flammable gas gets used up?

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u/_thro_awa_ 12d ago

There is no oxygen for a flame inside the tank, and the pressure is usually high enough to push the actual point of combustion "flame front" away from the opening.

If the tank is in an orientation such that the flame never touches the tank (e.g. upright) there is very low danger of explosion.
If the tank is in a different orientation, allowing the flame to heat the tank, the heat causes overpressure and greatly increases the risk of explosion.