Ensuring Safe Operation

Is This Thing Gonna Blow Up?

Any pressure vessel has the potential to store a lot of energy in the form of compressed gas.  As long as you follow the design considerations follow the drying procedures listed on Aerogel.org, your manuclave is most likely not going to get close to blowing up.

Possible failure modes which are much more likely to occur are:

• A leak at a taped joint, resulting in slow depressurization with an audibal hiss
• Taped seal failure due to penetration by organic solvent causing a leak with an audibal hiss
• Failure in the pressure gauge which results in a loud pop followed by a loud but gradual depressurization of the vessel through the pressure gauge
• Operator error resulting in complete instead of partial opening of a discharge valve while pressurized instanteously depressurizing the vessel through the discharge valve

These issues can be addressed by:

• Ensuring careful tape seals, sweeping threads and wrapped fittings free of detritus before mating, and pressure testing the system before you start to use it regularly
• Minimizing exposure of large tape seals (i.e., the large pipe plug door) to organic solvents (i.e., when sealing the vessel with gels inside soaking under liquid)
• Changing the pressure gauge as a preemptive maintence item every 30-50 runs (this only costs $10 to do)
• Tightening valve handles so they turn stiffly to prevent accidental sudden opening of a valve

Always inspect your vessel for cracks, discolorations, and changes in surface texture after use.  Although unlikely, appearance of cracks or surface aberations would indicate the vessel is not safe to operate any more.  That said, we’ve never had any of these appear on any of our vessels we’ve built but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen to you.  A manufacturing defect or unexpected source of corrosion could accelerate crack formation.