Hot day - methonal storage

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Today it's 40 c in my shed. At what point does Methonal go poof?
G

[tillyfromparadise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tillyfromparadise]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

Hello gwalker

The Auto ignition temperature for methanol is about 455deg C.

Tilly

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

Tilly, that's a nice margin for error!

[Chev28 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chev28]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

So will a drum be OK outside in the sun?

[bj4408 Member Find all posts View Profile Close bj4408]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

Don't let the drum get hotter than the boiling point of the methanol, 65 degrees C, I think. Quite easily reached in summer. It may not ignite but you can waste alot of methanol.
If the drum is sealed it will build up pressure as it heats up, the pressure stops it from boiling. It can not evaporate which would cool it. When you open the lid you release the pressure the methanol will boil if above its boiling point temperature and you end up with methanol everywhere.
It happened to me with a full 200l drum of petrol that had been sitting in the sun during summer a few years ago. A lesson I'll always remember. As well as wasting about 30 litres of petrol.
bj4408

[gwalker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwalker]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

Amazing what great information is generated even from a 'silly' question.

[Chev28 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chev28]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

It happened to me with a full 200l drum of petrol that had been sitting in the sun during summer a few years ago. A lesson I'll always remember. As well as wasting about 30 litres of petrol.
bj4408

So, just to be clear, you had a drum sitting in the sun all day and then opened the tap and 30 litres came out in a hurry? Was the tap in the liquid portion in the drum or was it in the gas portion?

I was wondering if one could release the pressure in the gas portion before decanting?

Thanks

[bj4408 Member Find all posts View Profile Close bj4408]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

Just removed the bung. Thought I was just letting vapor out , hissing sound, and as the bung released it boiled and petrol spurted out the drum. It was a stinking hot day.
If in doubt leave the drum to cool over night or wait till hissing stops which will show there is no pressure.
When in a hurry you sometimes don't think.
bj4408

[smokey2 Member Find all posts View Profile Close smokey2]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

And remember all that vapour only needs an ignition point to go bang big time. Also pure alcohol burns without a flame so its not easy to identify.

[Chev28 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chev28]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

Thanks for the warnings bj4408,

I want to get the drum out of the way and the place I was thinking is in the sun a bit. My real concern is the heat and gas pressure during the day.

I will decant in the early morning to avoid boiling but other than that, have you heard of problems with unattended drums in the sun?

Cheers

[Chris Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: Hot day - methonal storage

Hi all
I am reading the last few pots's with a bit of concern
Look if you have a drum of Methanol sitting in the sun and getting hot like the top is bulging
This is the best thing to do;
Throw a coule of hessian bags over it and put the water hose on the bags so as to get them thouroughly wet
There is no need to keep water on them after that let the water evaporate
As the water evaporates it will cool the drum down enough so as to bring the lid down again
It will work like an evaporative air conditioner, it is the same principle
But whatever you do don't try to open the bungs while it is under pressure
Not a good idea and a very DANGEROUS practice,
At worst case let them cool overnight if you want to take material out of them do it in the morning
The drum wont explode sitting in the sun, so don't worry about that