will a flameable liquid ignite when electricity flows through it?

Answer 1

No. Only if there is a spark in the vapors of the liquid.

Most utility transformers are filled with oil. The oil is used to help cool the transformer (dissipate the heat) and insulate the high voltage wires from other components inside the transformer.

Some transformers also have under-oil fuses that can interrupt faults up to 3500 amps directly in the oil.

There are other pieces of electrical equipment known as circuit breakers and reclosers that interrupt arcs directly in the oil.

Answer 2

Not necessarily. What is needed for ignition is heat and oxygen. If the flameable liquid is conductive to electricity, it can probably pass some, perhaps even quite a bit of current without ignition.

Of course you probably know that you would usually use a spark, such as from a spark plug for ignition.

Answer 3

It is possible due to these factors:

1. If the liquid has high enough resistance, it will pass that electricity inefficiently. That means that the passage will result in a heat buildup.

2. If the liquid has a high enough vapor pressure or a low enough boiling point, the vapor above the liquid will mix with air, thus providing fuel and oxidant (=support, in common language).

3. Now, the final key is, what is the "flash point" for the fuel & support mixture? If it is very high, you still might not get a flashover. (Have you ever tried to light ultra-heavy motor oil with a match?) If the flash point is low enough, though, you don't need a spark.

People misunderstand why a match starts a fire. Or a spark. It is not because there is an open flame or a spark - it is because in the immediate vicinity of either of those things, the temperature is much higher. High enough to be above the flash point for the flammable materials in the vicinity.

But if the liquid gets hot enough due to resistance, you don't need a spark. Plain old heat does the trick. All it takes is enough energy to excite the electrons in their orbitals until there is enough energy to cause a "spontaneous" electron jump. (As if that were really spontaneous, given that you were pushing it along with the electricity anyway.) This is the jump (in a reduction/oxidation or redox reaction) that causes creation of combustion products - and produces more heat energy.

Now, molecules with excess heat usually have enough heat to weaken their chemical bonds - and more. They break the bonds and violently collide with neighbor molecules. But they have enough excess heat to share it. Heat sharing through contact is called "conduction" (heat conduction). It is more efficient at heat transfer than any other kind of transfer. So now, after that collision, you have more than one hot molecule in the mix of fuel and support. And THEY go on to collide with other molecules, still trying to pass off their excess heat.

Suddenly you have a cascade of redox reactions at the micro level, with electrons full of excess energy. So much energy that they emit light. When we see a flame (at the macro level), it is merely the light given off by gasses that have just been combusted and are now trying to stabilize themselves by emitting excess energy in the form of light. The wavelengths of that light will depend on the fuel and impurities in the flame. But typically, inner orbitals give off photons in the reds, oranges, and yellows as part of their de-excitation transitions. You've got to REALLY combust stuff (or have some interesting impurities) to get greens, blues, and purples.

Answer 4

I think so that it will ignite because if electricity is left without wires it can only pass if there is spark without the spark how can the electricity pass and the spark contains that capacity to burn anything. even if it is a non-conductor of electricity because it stops the conduction but there is atleast a spark which would for sure burn it as it is a flammable liquid.

Answer 5

"Flammable Liquid" is a misleading term. It is used to describe a liquid that will give off vapors (at a certain temperature) that will ignite, when mixed properly with air/oxygen, and there is an ignition source or ample heat to start the combustion process.The liquid itself will not ignite or burn - only the vapors that come from it will.

Answer 6

I dont know of any flammable liquids that conduct electricity.For combuston an oxidising agent MUST be present,this usually means the presence of air.Of course an electrical,or any other type of spark,in a gas/air mixture could cause explosive or steady burning.

Answer 7

Flammable liquids EMIT gases. That creats the explosive factor and ignition property.

Answer 8

I can't offhand name a flamable liquid that is not
an insulator.
If you did apply enough potential to get current to
flow, you'd probably generate enough heat that
vapor above ignition temperature would be evolved.

Answer 9

I agree flammable liquids don't conduct electricity. I also agree that flammable liquids do not burn. Only the vapors from these liquids burn.

Answer 10

Depends on the liquid.