Portable gasoline container headspace flammability

Abstract

This work summarizes the findings of a multi-year study into the flammability hazards associated with portable gasoline containers (PGC's). In particular, this investigation focuses on identifying the limited conditions under which a flame can propagate through the pour spout and into the PGC, causing a deflagration. The first series of tests simulate quiescent gasoline storage in a 18.9l (5 gallon) PGC with a child resistant spout and closure. The storage conditions are varied to include a range of liquid volumes (5 to 500mL) and temperatures (−30 to 0°C). The second series of tests simulates pouring of gasoline from the PGC and involves testing over a range of tilt angles from 61 to 73°. In both cases, vapor concentrations are obtained from a paramagnetic oxygen analyzer and from an infrared sensor calibrated for n-butane. It is found that the container tilt angle is a significant controlling parameter and that liquid volumes ranging from 5 to 30mL in a 18.9l PGC are capable of producing a flammable headspace region. Finally, a model is developed to predict the influence of these controlling parameters on the flammability hazard.