Reply #32: Maybe they are aware of this experiment in burning jet fuel

[JohnyCanuck]

Looks like when the NTSB tried to duplicate in an experiment at Cal Tech the explosion of the centre wing tank they had to inject propane into the tank to mix with the jet fuel vapors to get a reasonable explosion.

Jet A Fuel Experiment - RealPlayer Format 8 min. (2.0 mb) -3-25-00 In this experiment Cmdr. Donaldson uses a crab steamer to heat Jet A fuel beyond the fuel's boiling point. The experiment shows that the vapor does not become explosive until 185 degrees and even then it is not enough for a violent explosion. This closed container test uses a 5 gallon container placed on top of a propane burner. The container has a temperature probe inserted in the bottom of the tank to measure the internal fuel temperature. The ignition source uses a light bulb element to create an extreme spark. Click here to download RealPlayer. Download file.

The experiment starts with the fuel heated to 140 degrees which is the highest temperature that the NTSB estimated that the fuel could have reached at 14,000 ft. While the fuel is theoretically flammable at 127 degrees at sea level, you will see that there is no combustion until the fuel reaches 185 degrees. Then there is only a slow burn, approximately 3 seconds, in which the vapor is consumed and the fire goes out. The final test is with Jet A fuel and Propane, similar to the Cal Tech tank explosion video. You can see that the introduction of Propane adds significantly to the volatility and is not even remotely representative of the Jet A Fuel's true combustibility.

This experiment was originally filmed for a segment of the Discovery Channel which never aired. It has since been recreated using a home video camera. While the quality is not very good, I believe the point is well demonstrated.

link to download video: http://twa800.com/videos/JetA_Cooker.rm

http://twa800.com/pages/fuel.htm


www.twa800.com is a site dedicated to the work of a now deceased retired USN pilot and air accident investigator, Cmdr Bill Donaldson, who along with some other aviation industry professionals started a group crash called Associated Retired Aviation Professionals to independently investigate the TWA 800 crash. From the web site:

The Associated Retired Aviation Professionals was formed in early 1997. Its members include former military, civilian, and aviation professionals who are committed to independently investigating the mysterious crash of TWA Flight 800 on July 17, 1996