Engineering Stack Exchange
Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [fire]

18 questions
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How can I keep a Zippo lighter from losing fluid to evaporation or leaks?

Zippo lighters are notorious for needing regular refilling. The fuel evaporates from the cotton regularly. Some people put a bit of rubber around the seal. What atmospheric conditions keep fuel from evaporating? Temperature, humidity, etc. Should I…
Mohammad Athar
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Is there fire suppression in some phone batteries, and if so, how does it work?

I recently saw a rugged smartphone, three or four years old, with a ~5000 mAh battery, suffer a major impact to its back. This wasn't a fall, it was a fast impact with a heavy object. Immediately there was this loud hissing sound, and clouds of what…
Jonathan Brickman of Topeka KS
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What is the minimum height of a chimney needed in a camper?

Like a lot of people nowadays, I'm fitting a log fire into the back of a camper van but can't find the minimum height above the roof for the chimney. Ideally, it should be as low as possible for aerodynamic and roof clearence purposes. Building regs…
Mike
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What are the possible implications of the heating of the structural stonework of Notre-Dame cathedral during the fire?

Yesterday, Notre Dame cathedral caught fire. The roof and the central spire were destroyed and some of the stonework was subjected to high temperatures for an extended period. What are the likely implications for the strength of the individual…
Dave Gremlin
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What materials could non-flammable (blowtorch resistant) "plastic" submarine furniture be made of?

In a documentary on Russian submarines they show non-flammable furniture that's made of some kind of plastic of foam. They test/demonstrate it with a blowtorch that is capable of cutting metal (they say it's set at 2000°C), and eventually the …
Fizz
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If a fire-extinguishing bomb of sorts could be engineered or if a huge fire cover could be used, would they work better than the dumping of water?

In several regions of the world, fires rage through hundreds and even thousands of acres, and there is effectively little response that stops the fire, especially coupled with bad winds and extreme temperatures, not to mention dryness. We can dig…
Private Name
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What is the test procedures for a flame arrester?

A flame arrester is basically a heat exchanger in front of the tubulure. It conducts the heat of flame to some other place (to the liquid and/or the container especially if the container is built from a metal material), thereby extinguishes the…
ceremcem
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Is a powder fire extinguisher not good for CRT TVs?

I'm about to buy a standard 6-litre powder fire extinguisher. However, in the description, they all say: Suitable for [blablabla...] and for electronic devices up to 1000 V. Up to 1000 Volts? But then what about the information…
Aljandro Barbone
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What is the cheapest way to build a fireproof box?

I'm breaking my brain for a two weeks trying to find a way to build a fireproof box 100 cm × 100 cm × 100 cm with 1 door at the cheapest price. The immediate candidate is sheet metal, which needs to be at least 1.5 mm thick in order to be welded,…
Simon
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Static electricity in PE foam rolling

In a PE (polyethylene) foam factory there have been some incidents with static electricity that have created minor fires. Fire is a concern in such a factory, as PE is highly flammable, and even more as PE foam uses propane or butane gas in its…
PavoDive
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Protecting heat-sensitive media from fire: fire-safe + Thermos?

Protecting paper documents from fire is quite straightforward with, for example, a Sentry fire chest. This product has been tested hold the inside temperature under 177°C (350F) for 1 hour. This is fine for documents, since they will not combust or…
Figaro
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Why not use fire-retardant plastics everywhere?

Some plastics will sustain a flame. Others won't. Not spreading a fire is obviously preferable in almost every circumstance. What advantages do combustible plastics have over non-combustible plastics, and in what circumstances?
Stephen Collings
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Can I estimate fire temperature from a building's colour?

I am studying a building that was impacted by a fire (from a Natural Hazard perspective, so consider my engineering skills as inexistant!!). There are obvious changes in the outside paint's colour, with the yellow one being original. Can anyone…
e5k
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Is it really sane to drop buckets of water into a (CRT) TV on fire after unplugging it?

Today, I read this absurd (to me) claim on what to do if your TV catches fire: Collect water and fill the unplugged TV. You can fill in only from the side. This is a necessary security measure. The equipment can explode and fragments from the…
Jorrel
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Consequential differences between World Trade Center (1973-2001) with steel columns and concrete columns?

How long would the World Trade Center (1973-2001) have stood after the large commercial passenger aircraft impact if the columns had been made of concrete? The perimeter columns were steel according to Wikipedia... The framed-tube design,…
H2ONaCl
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