Can jet fuel or gasoline explode without a precisely controlled environment?

Answer 1

Short answer: Yes. Fuel, air and spark,within certain values will explode.

Robert A gave good info.

More details: Gasoline vapors must be between 1% and 5% by volume in air to burn (i.e. support a flame front). Above 5 or 6%, the mixture is too rich to burn (takes to much energy to heat up all those hydrcarbons). Below 1.1%, there isn't enough fuel being burning to heat up the surrounding air to auto-ignition temperatures that would speed the flame front.

To "explode" you need to contain the vapors. Out in the open, things will go phooff!, but not BOOOM! because the surrounding air around just expands and contracts as the combustion area heats up.

Gasoline can and does explode accidentially. There have been nasty cases of old storage tanks blowing up, decapitating people or blasting through buildings. Safe handling dictates those tanks be "inerted" with CO2 or N2 to prevent a stray static spark from igniting what is essentially a bomb.

There is an axiom in fuel handling that "full tanks don't blow, empty tanks blow". The headspace in full gasoline tanks is so rich in gasoline vapors (40 to 80%) that it is too rich to burn. But an "empty" tank can have plenty of air and plenty of gasoline vapors to explode.

When heated, jet fuel is like gasoline at room temperature. The center jet fuel tank of TWA flight 800 (essentially diesel) was located over an air conditioning unit that had been running for hours on the ground and heated up the fuel. A wiring insulation fault provided the ignititon source. Ooops.

Higher temps, higher than 20.8% O2, and more flammable species like ether make explosions more likely.

Cold temps, depressed O2 concentrations, CO2, and water vapor all make explosions less likely.

Answer 2

Here in the UK we had a large blast damaging buildings some distance away followed by prolonged tank fires at a fuel depot. It was caused by a gasoline tank being overfilled and tonnes of vapour being released on a calm day, there was some source of ignition and a blast occurred. Such events, called unconfined vapour cloud explosions, are fortunately rare and need quite large amounts of a heavy vapour which does not rise rapidly and disperse. Another large incident in the UK which occurred some years ago was the Flixborough disaster which involved the release of a large amount of cyclohexane vapour which detonated and the blast killed, I believe, about 17 people.

You won't get an explosion with small amounts of jet fuel or gasoline in the open air, a good fire yes, but no explosion. If you try igniting gasoline or jet fuel in a confined space the story may be very different. The initial burn will raise temperature and pressure and as the flame proceeds through the space the rate of reaction increases and it may turn into a detonation.

Answer 3

Most fuels can explode under the right conditions. OSHA has tested all types of gases and calculated the explosive point. The graph of exploding gas starts at o% increases to 100% now at 100% is the critical point. The first alarm point is 10% this allows a good margin of safety .
U might find a similar book on hazardous materials.

Answer 4

If the fuel tank is sealed properly, there is a slight vacuum inside the fuel tank as the car operates. The oxygen and vapor level is extremely low. If you have ever taken time to check your battery voltage with the engine running you will know there should be no more than 13.5 - 14.2 volts of electricity that could possibly reach the electric fuel pump. I'm pretty old and never of heard of an electric fuel pump causing a fuel tank explosion.

Answer 5

Yes, it can. All fuels have a "flash point" where they auto ignite, just because of temperature - no spark required.

Answer 6

AS ANY FUEL.
let it evaporate, mix with enough air, lit it and
babababooommm!!