[AR] Re: one downside of methane
- From: Henry Spencer <hspencer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Arocket List <arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2021 19:37:22 -0400 (EDT)
On Mon, 11 Oct 2021, roxanna Mason wrote:
Because LNG can become GNG and mixed with the atmosphere
detonatable clouds...
Unless it's cryogenic gas, which is very short lived, GNG is lighter than
air and dissipates rapidly as does H2 gas...
Unfortunately, GH2 *that has just boiled from LH2* is not significantly
lighter than air, so it is rather more dangerous than ambient-temperature
GH2, and just-boiled methane has roughly the density of ambient propane.
Proper tank facilities for large amounts of cryo fuels tend to include
things like steam jets so that a large gas release can be broken up and
warmed up quickly.
...Musk is very resourceful, I'm sure he has a plan for all contingencies.
Unfortunately, for this stuff, it is not sufficient that he has a plan --
he has to tell the regulators what it is. When lives are potentially at
stake, his plan must be reviewed by people who *don't* have a vested
interest in meeting budgets and schedules.
Henry
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