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for those wondering why more applications do not source metal as a fuel, burning metal is frighteningly difficult to extinguish. metal fires often burn at more
by nimbius 6y ago
for those wondering why more applications do not source metal as a fuel, burning metal is frighteningly difficult to extinguish.
metal fires often burn at more than 5000 degrees F. That’s hot enough to disassemble water into its component parts, and one of those parts is hydrogen gas, which is not only flammable but explosive. any uncontrolled release of liquid into the fire would be catastrophic. Metal fires cannot generally be quickly extinguished in an emergency or uncontrolled accident.
metal fires also release toxic gasses and byproducts that often require more consideration than electric or gas.
as an update to a few questions: NEVER add water to a metal fire. it will cause an explosion.
depriving the fire of oxygen works, but only insofar as it remains deprived until the fuel source cools from 5000 degrees, or it risks spontaneous reignition. it generally has to be monitored similar to a crucible as it cools.
most accidental metal fires do not have a cogent or quick option to deprive the fuel source of air.
- MuffinFlavored 6y ago> Metal fires cannot generally be quickly extinguished in an emergency or uncontrolled accident. what happens if you spray a fire extinguisher into a metal fire?
- Wohlf 6y agoAt best nothing, at worst you spread the fire around by moving the burning metal.
- karagenit 6y agoDepends on the type of fire extinguisher really. Most extinguishers work to suffocate the fire (e.g. ABC or CO2 extinguishers), but depending on the type of burning metal the chemical(s) in the extinguisher might react with the metal and make the fire worse. They make special "class D" extinguishers specifically for metal fires, which spray a non-reactive powder (usually graphite dust I think) over the metal to suffocate it.
- umvi 6y ago> Metal fires cannot generally be quickly extinguished in an emergency or uncontrolled accident In the case of a furnace, couldn't you simply cut off the oxygen supply?