# co2 explosion? dangers?



## VisionQuest28

Sure, there's a chance, theres always a chance, but is it very likely? I dont think so. I dont believe co2 is explosive, not like oxygen,its not flammable. And if you had a cylinder leak you arent going to kill you or your family, people get carbon monoxide and carbon DIoxide confused. You wouldnt want to be breathing pure co2 for very long, but thats not going to happen anyway. Once you get everything set up, there are ways to check for small leaks (soapy water on lines and connections) after you do that, and find no leaks you should be in pretty good shape. Just dont go shooting off small fire arms or fireworks around your cylinder and you should be fine. lol


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## airborne_r6

Considering that CO2 is used in fire extinguishers to put out fires an explosion is impossible. 

A cylinder bursting is possible but extremely, extremely unlikely. 

You would have to rapidly empty a 100# or larger cylinder in a small, enclosed, unventilated space before you would even begin to feel the effects of too much CO2. (I have researched this but dont care to find my sources at this time, just trust me.) 

The only possible danger is the cylinder tipping over and knocking the valve off which can turn the cylinder into a missle. To prevent this any pressurized gas cylinder should be secured to prevent tipping; a simple strap around the cylinder screwed to the wall or stand is perfect. And honestly, I have seen several cylinders tip over in my years working construction, some even hitting the valve, and not one has ever even damaged the valve.


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## Centromochlus

I've always wanted a co2 system, but my mom is afraid it will explode! I need to convince her that it is very, very unlikely.


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## Darkblade48

I would imagine that a propane tank is more dangerous than a CO2 tank...


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## Ruadh

airborne_r6 said:


> Considering that CO2 is used in fire extinguishers to put out fires an explosion is impossible.
> 
> A cylinder bursting is possible but extremely, extremely unlikely.
> 
> You would have to rapidly empty a 100# or larger cylinder in a small, enclosed, unventilated space before you would even begin to feel the effects of too much CO2. (I have researched this but dont care to find my sources at this time, just trust me.)
> 
> The only possible danger is the cylinder tipping over and knocking the valve off which can turn the cylinder into a missle. To prevent this any pressurized gas cylinder should be secured to prevent tipping; a simple strap around the cylinder screwed to the wall or stand is perfect. And honestly, I have seen several cylinders tip over in my years working construction, some even hitting the valve, and not one has ever even damaged the valve.


This is absolutely correct.

I do, however, want to clear up a possible mis-conception from an earlier post. 

Oxygen will not explode. Oxygen is non-flammable. It will not, by itself, cause an explosion.
Oxygen does promote rapid oxidation, which is what burning is, and this is where the idea of the explosion comes from.
I'm not saying it is without danger, any gas, including the air we breath, under pressure is dangerous if mis-handled.

Thank you and good night

Ruadh


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## [email protected]

AzFishKid said:


> I've always wanted a co2 system, but my mom is afraid it will explode! I need to convince her that it is very, very unlikely.


You could point her at the pet supply web sites selling CO2 setups. They wouldn't do it if there was much danger to the end user. Their insurance companies wouldn't permit it. 

For instance
http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith....ype:product&isort=score&method=and&ts=results

Dry ice is far more dangerous and they sell it at our local megamart Meijers - next to the water ice. 

Also - point her at us. Show her some of the threads, particularly the ones dealing with this exact question.


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## [email protected]

Oh, by the way, DIY CO2 can be really dangerous to *your* health if you spill a working bottle of gunk on Mom's carpet.


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## plantbrain

They have CO2 gas tanks in every bar that has beer on tap, most every Gas station that sells fountain soda, every restaurant pretty much.

Never heard of anyone dying, getting maimed yet.
More likely to get killed driving with Mom.

Maybe you should walk, ride a bike
And get CO2 gas tank.

Regards, 
Tom barr


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## Hoppy

Every time you hop into the family car you are sitting just a few feet away from a tank of really explosive stuff - gasoline. All it takes is a spark at the wrong time and that tank of gasoline will become a massive fire ball. That's when you want the bottle of CO2 handy, to put out the fire. Seriously, we don't even think about the real danger that gasoline brings to our lives, and CO2 is so non-dangerous you can get a CO2 fire extinguisher and dump the entire thing on the kitchen stove to stop a little grease fire, without the CO2 harming anyone. (Don't try that with gasoline:hihi


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## jazzlvr123

yunno ive also never heard of anyone getting seriously harmed via co2 explosion so i had to google it and look it up for fun. i only found one article here. that's amazingly low considering how many co2 tanks we are around every day! Walking around Manhattan I'm more likely to get hit by a crazy Cab driver on the sidewalk than i am to get harmed by my co2 tank under my aquarium in the living room. 


however i have heard a story where some fraternity guys put a tank underneath the door of one of the pledges room and turned it on, projecting co2 into the room as an attempt to wake up and frighten the new pledge. the pledge suffocated the the frat guys went to jail! but now im just trying to scare you haha j/k


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## PDX-PLT

Hoppy said:


> All it takes is a spark at the wrong time and that tank of gasoline will become a massive fire ball.


Hollywood films nowithstanding, it takes more than that. The gasoline needs to be dispersed in the air first. Gasoline burns; atomized gasoline/air mixtures expode.


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## GTR

Gas...under pressure or in a confined space.


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## kid creole

plantbrain said:


> They have CO2 gas tanks in every bar that has beer on tap, most every Gas station that sells fountain soda, every restaurant pretty much.
> 
> Never heard of anyone dying, getting maimed yet.
> More likely to get killed driving with Mom.
> 
> Maybe you should walk, ride a bike
> And get CO2 gas tank.
> 
> Regards,
> Tom barr


This is why I only drink cask conditioned beer. It's all about the safety.


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## Left C

There was a post some time ago where an aquarist's wife knocked over a CO2 cylinder while vacuuming. The regulator broke off and CO2 was coming out in a continuous blast. She freaked and called her husband. He rushed home and turned the cylinder off. There was no damage done. The carpet was frozen in the area, but it soon thawed out. Then they both laughed about what happened.


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## Choco

(explosion =/= fire)
you don't need certain type of gas for an *explosion*, the air we breathe can explode too when pressure built up to the point making whatever holding it snap. 

Just like an air balloon.. That's why the cylinder has to be tested


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## kcharley

Highly unlikely the tank would ever explode and it would most likely take a deliberate act, not an accident.

A full CO2 tank has 800 lbs of pressure in it. The tanks are designed and built to easily withstand that 800 pounds of pressure. 

To make the tank explode the pressure would have to far exceed 800 lbs. The tank would have to be grossly overfilled or subjected to extreme heat. 

Bbbbbbuuuuuttttt, there is a safety device on the main valve called a pressure relief valve. That valve will release the pressure before it explodes the tank. 

So for the tank to explode, the pressure relief valve would have to be either defective or tampered with AND the tank would have to be subjected to pressure far greater than normal. 

This has been demonstrated on Mythbusters at least once and I think twice.

The chance of a dangerous explosion are virtually nil.

HTH. 

Greg


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