h a l f b a k e r yCall Ambulance,
Rebuild Kitchen.
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<sets fire to [simonj]'s balloon>
<runs off, laughing> |
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If it went on fire would it be a ZIppolin? |
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How dangerous would it be to give every guest a hydrogen-filled balloon on a string, and then ignite them? Are we talking about shock and suprise, or singed toupées, or 3rd degree burns, or crushed by falling masonry? |
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A balloon filled with hydrogen, when ignited, burns with a reasonably gentle rising flame. |
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A balloon filled with a 2:1 hydrogen / oxygen mix goes with a hearty crack. |
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It's interesting to note that in the Hindenburg fire, most of the hydrogen didn't burn. As soon as the envelope was ruptured, the hydrogen escaped upward (as it was the only thing supporting the weight of the structure). The vast volume of escaping hydrogen displaced the air, so there was ver little oxygen available to support combustion. Once the little oxygen around the periphery of the escaping hydrogen cloud was consumed, the flame front stopped and the remainder of the hydrogen continued upward. |
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The fact that 2/3 of the passengers and crew survived the total destruction of the craft should be seen as testament to the inherent safety of airships. Instead, we all remember the frantic voice of the reporter on the newsreel. |
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It was the envelope of the Hindenburg that burned so spectacularly. |
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Attach a small media player that plays a recording of
insults and it could be a deride-gible. |
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How do the chicken entrails fit in there then? |
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//A balloon filled with hydrogen, when ignited, burns with a reasonably gentle rising flame.// |
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Having experienced this with a rubber balloon, I'd call it a mad roiling flame that lasts about a second. |
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Whilst I'm not sure how to define the sanity of a flame, I'd agree that's what I was getting at, gentle being relative to the explosion of the H2/O2 mix. |
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// the envelope ... burned so spectacularly // |
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Serves them right - you're not supposed to send those things through the mail. |
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Apart from the doped linen cover (the dope was nitrocellulose based, very flammable), the fuel on board contributed significantly to the fire. |
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[pocmloc], you have to try it to find out. |
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[pocmloc]: You are offal, but I like you. |
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Aye, that was a gutsy effort. |
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