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Nikki Casali
June 23rd 05, 08:27 PM
It's 31 degrees centigrade in my dining room where I keep my planted
aquarium. It's rather hot today! So at what temperature will my CO2
canister likely to "unload" its contents? According to the pressure
gauge, it's over 70 bar. I have just read that the critical temperature
is 31.6 degrees or 88.88 degrees F. Should I be worried?

Nikki

Ian Stirling
June 23rd 05, 09:12 PM
In rec.aquaria.tech Nikki Casali > wrote:
> It's 31 degrees centigrade in my dining room where I keep my planted
> aquarium. It's rather hot today! So at what temperature will my CO2
> canister likely to "unload" its contents? According to the pressure
> gauge, it's over 70 bar. I have just read that the critical temperature
> is 31.6 degrees or 88.88 degrees F. Should I be worried?

It's essentially a gas.
It's not going to 'boil off' at one specific temperature.
I suspect that a blow-out plug will activate somewhere around 150C.

Rocco Moretti
June 23rd 05, 09:40 PM
Nikki Casali wrote:
> It's 31 degrees centigrade in my dining room where I keep my planted
> aquarium. It's rather hot today! So at what temperature will my CO2
> canister likely to "unload" its contents? According to the pressure
> gauge, it's over 70 bar. I have just read that the critical temperature
> is 31.6 degrees or 88.88 degrees F. Should I be worried?

I probably wouldn't worry about it much. CO2 cylinders are used for
fountain soda dispensers, and if we had them exploding whenever the
temperature got above 90F, we'd hear about it more often. (Soda machine
at a fair, outdoors on a summers day ...)

Also when a scientist talks about a "critical temperature" for a
substance, what that means is just that above the 32C temperature the
distinction between a liquid and a gas disappears. (At 70 atm and 25C,
CO2 is in it's liquid form. If you were able to see inside the tank,
you'd have liquid CO2 on the bottom, and gasseous CO2 on top. As you
heat the tank past 31C, the interface between the liquid and the gas
would start to shimmer & get diffuse. At >32C, the interface disappears
entirely. The fluid in the tank at that point is neither a liquid or a
gas, but exhibits properties of both.) It's an interesting property of
gasses/liquids, but it doesn't mean that your tank will explode.

Look at the pressure rating of your tank, and when the gauge reads close
to that, then start to worry.

P.S. Supercritical CO2 is used in a bunch of industrial processes,
including drycleaning and coffee decaffination.

Nikki Casali
June 23rd 05, 10:11 PM
Rocco Moretti wrote:
> Nikki Casali wrote:
>
>> It's 31 degrees centigrade in my dining room where I keep my planted
>> aquarium. It's rather hot today! So at what temperature will my CO2
>> canister likely to "unload" its contents? According to the pressure
>> gauge, it's over 70 bar. I have just read that the critical
>> temperature is 31.6 degrees or 88.88 degrees F. Should I be worried?
>
>
> I probably wouldn't worry about it much. CO2 cylinders are used for
> fountain soda dispensers, and if we had them exploding whenever the
> temperature got above 90F, we'd hear about it more often. (Soda machine
> at a fair, outdoors on a summers day ...)
>
> Also when a scientist talks about a "critical temperature" for a
> substance, what that means is just that above the 32C temperature the
> distinction between a liquid and a gas disappears. (At 70 atm and 25C,
> CO2 is in it's liquid form. If you were able to see inside the tank,
> you'd have liquid CO2 on the bottom, and gasseous CO2 on top. As you
> heat the tank past 31C, the interface between the liquid and the gas
> would start to shimmer & get diffuse. At >32C, the interface disappears
> entirely. The fluid in the tank at that point is neither a liquid or a
> gas, but exhibits properties of both.) It's an interesting property of
> gasses/liquids, but it doesn't mean that your tank will explode.
>
> Look at the pressure rating of your tank, and when the gauge reads close
> to that, then start to worry.
>
> P.S. Supercritical CO2 is used in a bunch of industrial processes,
> including drycleaning and coffee decaffination.

What about this safety valve I keep hearing about that sometimes blows
out in a hot car or room? I'm worried about that one. It sounds like a
jet taking off when it happens, apparently.

Nikki

kim gross
August 3rd 05, 02:16 AM
Nikki Casali wrote:
> Rocco Moretti wrote:
>
>> Nikki Casali wrote:
>>
>>> It's 31 degrees centigrade in my dining room where I keep my planted
>>> aquarium. It's rather hot today! So at what temperature will my CO2
>>> canister likely to "unload" its contents? According to the pressure
>>> gauge, it's over 70 bar. I have just read that the critical
>>> temperature is 31.6 degrees or 88.88 degrees F. Should I be worried?
>>
>>
>>
>> I probably wouldn't worry about it much. CO2 cylinders are used for
>> fountain soda dispensers, and if we had them exploding whenever the
>> temperature got above 90F, we'd hear about it more often. (Soda
>> machine at a fair, outdoors on a summers day ...)
>>
>> Also when a scientist talks about a "critical temperature" for a
>> substance, what that means is just that above the 32C temperature the
>> distinction between a liquid and a gas disappears. (At 70 atm and 25C,
>> CO2 is in it's liquid form. If you were able to see inside the tank,
>> you'd have liquid CO2 on the bottom, and gasseous CO2 on top. As you
>> heat the tank past 31C, the interface between the liquid and the gas
>> would start to shimmer & get diffuse. At >32C, the interface
>> disappears entirely. The fluid in the tank at that point is neither a
>> liquid or a gas, but exhibits properties of both.) It's an interesting
>> property of gasses/liquids, but it doesn't mean that your tank will
>> explode.
>>
>> Look at the pressure rating of your tank, and when the gauge reads
>> close to that, then start to worry.
>>
>> P.S. Supercritical CO2 is used in a bunch of industrial processes,
>> including drycleaning and coffee decaffination.
>
>
> What about this safety valve I keep hearing about that sometimes blows
> out in a hot car or room? I'm worried about that one. It sounds like a
> jet taking off when it happens, apparently.
>
> Nikki


Normally when they go off, it is in a clossed hot car or hot room, which
can be over 120 degrees F on a hot day and can even come close to 140
degrees F. If you can handle the temp the tank should be fine.

Kim

ddss
August 3rd 05, 04:08 PM
In article >,
says...
> Nikki Casali wrote:
> > Rocco Moretti wrote:
> >
> >> Nikki Casali wrote:
> >>
> >>> It's 31 degrees centigrade in my dining room where I keep my planted
> >>> aquarium. It's rather hot today! So at what temperature will my CO2
> >>> canister likely to "unload" its contents? According to the pressure
> >>> gauge, it's over 70 bar. I have just read that the critical
> >>> temperature is 31.6 degrees or 88.88 degrees F. Should I be worried?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I probably wouldn't worry about it much. CO2 cylinders are used for
> >> fountain soda dispensers, and if we had them exploding whenever the
> >> temperature got above 90F, we'd hear about it more often. (Soda
> >> machine at a fair, outdoors on a summers day ...)
> >>
> >> Also when a scientist talks about a "critical temperature" for a
> >> substance, what that means is just that above the 32C temperature the
> >> distinction between a liquid and a gas disappears. (At 70 atm and 25C,
> >> CO2 is in it's liquid form. If you were able to see inside the tank,
> >> you'd have liquid CO2 on the bottom, and gasseous CO2 on top. As you
> >> heat the tank past 31C, the interface between the liquid and the gas
> >> would start to shimmer & get diffuse. At >32C, the interface
> >> disappears entirely. The fluid in the tank at that point is neither a
> >> liquid or a gas, but exhibits properties of both.) It's an interesting
> >> property of gasses/liquids, but it doesn't mean that your tank will
> >> explode.
> >>
> >> Look at the pressure rating of your tank, and when the gauge reads
> >> close to that, then start to worry.
> >>
> >> P.S. Supercritical CO2 is used in a bunch of industrial processes,
> >> including drycleaning and coffee decaffination.
> >
> >
> > What about this safety valve I keep hearing about that sometimes blows
> > out in a hot car or room? I'm worried about that one. It sounds like a
> > jet taking off when it happens, apparently.
> >
> > Nikki
>
>
> Normally when they go off, it is in a clossed hot car or hot room, which
> can be over 120 degrees F on a hot day and can even come close to 140
> degrees F. If you can handle the temp the tank should be fine.
>
> Kim
>
The MSDS (material data safety sheet) notes 125F or 52C as the max
storage temperature.

Link:
http://www.badgerfire.com/GetFile/F10CB9D2105742D380256C9500379D03/Carbo
n%20Dioxide.pdf

DD

Nikki Casali
August 3rd 05, 04:22 PM
ddss wrote:

> In article >,
> says...
>
>>Nikki Casali wrote:
>>
>>>Rocco Moretti wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Nikki Casali wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>It's 31 degrees centigrade in my dining room where I keep my planted
>>>>>aquarium. It's rather hot today! So at what temperature will my CO2
>>>>>canister likely to "unload" its contents? According to the pressure
>>>>>gauge, it's over 70 bar. I have just read that the critical
>>>>>temperature is 31.6 degrees or 88.88 degrees F. Should I be worried?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I probably wouldn't worry about it much. CO2 cylinders are used for
>>>>fountain soda dispensers, and if we had them exploding whenever the
>>>>temperature got above 90F, we'd hear about it more often. (Soda
>>>>machine at a fair, outdoors on a summers day ...)
>>>>
>>>>Also when a scientist talks about a "critical temperature" for a
>>>>substance, what that means is just that above the 32C temperature the
>>>>distinction between a liquid and a gas disappears. (At 70 atm and 25C,
>>>>CO2 is in it's liquid form. If you were able to see inside the tank,
>>>>you'd have liquid CO2 on the bottom, and gasseous CO2 on top. As you
>>>>heat the tank past 31C, the interface between the liquid and the gas
>>>>would start to shimmer & get diffuse. At >32C, the interface
>>>>disappears entirely. The fluid in the tank at that point is neither a
>>>>liquid or a gas, but exhibits properties of both.) It's an interesting
>>>>property of gasses/liquids, but it doesn't mean that your tank will
>>>>explode.
>>>>
>>>>Look at the pressure rating of your tank, and when the gauge reads
>>>>close to that, then start to worry.
>>>>
>>>>P.S. Supercritical CO2 is used in a bunch of industrial processes,
>>>>including drycleaning and coffee decaffination.
>>>
>>>
>>>What about this safety valve I keep hearing about that sometimes blows
>>>out in a hot car or room? I'm worried about that one. It sounds like a
>>>jet taking off when it happens, apparently.
>>>
>>>Nikki
>>
>>
>>Normally when they go off, it is in a clossed hot car or hot room, which
>>can be over 120 degrees F on a hot day and can even come close to 140
>>degrees F. If you can handle the temp the tank should be fine.
>>
>>Kim
>>
>
> The MSDS (material data safety sheet) notes 125F or 52C as the max
> storage temperature.
>
> Link:
> http://www.badgerfire.com/GetFile/F10CB9D2105742D380256C9500379D03/Carbo
> n%20Dioxide.pdf

Great. That's just the link I needed.

Nikki