Compressor tank explosion

[Billy Shafer]

Good friend of mine was in his shop. Building rocked filled with smoke. Roll up door had a large hole in it. Part of one wall was
missing. Could smell gas.Found one end of his compressor tank was gone. Found the end in the yard. Best guess the end of the tank let
go.The end went through the shop cut the gas line.

The tank was old but showed no signs of rust. Bad weld??. Might be something to check if you have a large upright compressor.

 

[rrlund]

I knew a guy who built one out of an old water well tank. It was standing on end in the corner of the shop. The end blew out and it blew a hole right through the roof on its way out.

 

[GEO-TH, In]

Love to see a pic if the inside of tank that blew out.

 

[Russ from MN]

If it was a vertical I'm surprised it went through a wall/door. I would think a vertical tank would be a little safer than a horizontal, they usually rust a line along the bottom, but then develop pinholes instead of rupturing. I was given a small one once that has 2 pinholes close together on the bottom, I soldered a patch on it and used it at a reduced pressure for a few years, then replaced it with a propane tank. I saw them explode a water heater on Mythbusters once, it was pretty spectacular!

 

[rustyfarmall]

Many years ago there was a certain brand of air compessor that was sold through many farm and ranch type of stores. The manufacturer issued a recall on those compressors because of faulty welds. The tanks had ruptured on more than a few. A neighbor of mine had one of those compressors. Knew about the recall but chose to ignore it. Neighbor was working in his shop, using the air compressor. He walked outside to get something and the compressor tank let go. Split wide open along the bottom seam and blew both ends out. A piece of the tank landed right where he had been standing.

 

[Mike M]

Might of been a faulty relief valve ?

 

[Billy Shafer]

I have some pictures of the damage. Will see if I cam post them. Not to smart on that end.

All I am saying is we need to be careful with any equipment we use. I am just as guilty as anyone. Of saying I will fix it later.Or just one more time. Just be careful.

 

[David G]

And we keep talking about welding up and using old tanks on here.

 

[ss55]

Was it really smoke or was it dust stirred up by the blast and shock waves?

 

[jeffcat]

Yup...they removed every saftey system on it. 500 feet straight up.
myth busters

 

[jim buford]

Some tanks have a date on them as to when to stop using. I have used past that date but always had reduced pressure.

 

[Moonlite37]

I was first on the scene of a ruptured tank that blew up and took off a part of the worker' head. His lawyer got a.million dollars for settlement on a contingent fee. I got $45 for my testimony. One of the lawyers asked if I saw the rust that caused the tank to rupture. My reply was that I saw small specks of rust in the tank. I had to repeat this answer twice for the sane question. The fellow survived but had a different personality, He seemed like a more likable fellow

 

[bobfeather]

Lol. Yup

 

[carpenter]

I had a Bostitch pancake I purchased new and ran hard for ten years. Decided to take it to a cabin where it would only get occasional
use. Got it there and noticed a small pinhole on the bottom. Turned the pressure cut out down to about 85 or 90. Flip it over cleaned the hole
with a little sand paper. Probed with a nail. Flux and a quik drop a solder. Put away may tools. Plugged it in and it ran up and shut of.
I wife came out the door and and as I turned to look at her there was a terrific explosion. I was stunned and she was terrified.
I came to my senses fast enuff to grab here and pull her under the three foot building overhang with me. She had enuff time to get angry
and try to shake loose of my grip. Than it landed where it had been sitting on on a wood table that was now a splintered nothing.
The tank was open like a clam about six inches along the weld at the horizontal circumference of the tank.
I disposed of two other old compressors the next week.

 

[Stephen Newell]

When I was young I was a photographer for a small town newspaper and I was sent out to the city garage where an upright compressor blew and it took off like a rocket and went through the roof of the metal building and landed outside next to the building. They had said they had been doing some patching on this compressor though. I don't know if I ever knew the pressure they were running. My job was to just take pictures.

 

[4520BW]

As humid as it has been this summer people need to remember to drain the tank daily. An automatic blowdown is a good option.

 

[tomturkey]

All this talk of tank blowing up has me wondering?????? Should'nt a person pull up on the stopper on the relief valve every now and then to make sure they are not stuck??? I know I used to do that on the water heater on its relief valve now and then, until one time lime or something got it the seat and it continually dripped after that so I quit doing it. Or maybe even blow down the tank and install a new relief valve every so often. Just wondering what you all think. gobble

 

[Lucid]

Glad you are ok! I replaced my compressor after seeing a thread on here where one blew up and hurt the man pretty good. Mine has a lot of water in it and the valve was rusted shut! Even tossed another fill tank that was >10yrs old. Scary stuff there.

 

[Billy Shafer]

From the looks it was a small fire. No major fire damage. I think just what was in the pipe burned plus some small parts of the wall. Safety valve shut it down I guess.