On Mon, 22 May 2006 23:51:56 -0500, "AL" wrote:

I agree that corrosion was the culprit, but corrosion of the safety valve
and not the tank. I never understood why they couldn't make a tank with a
weak spot that would blow out first before the entire tank ruptured.
Obviously this is what the spring loaded safety valve is for, but those can
fail (as we've seen). Perhaps during the manufacturing process, have a flat
spot ground or milled near the bottom of the tank (thick enough to withstand
normal pressure, but slightly thinner than the rest of the tank so that this
spot will blow out first).

I have a Bostitch roofing nailer with a "spot" on the cylinder which looks
like a shallow plunge cut from an endmill. If over pressurized (for example
if someone were to connect it to a 2000 psi nitrogen tank), this spot will
blow out rather than the whole cylinder exploding.

Freon tanks and disposable helium tanks are built this way.

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