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Gold/Mining/Energy : SOFC vrs PEM Fuel Cells (Debate Forum)
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To: Jim P who wrote (56)7/13/1999 11:30:00 AM
From: Scoobah   of 79
 
Was this the thread seeking the skinny on the Hindenburg?
ch2bc.org

At the time, several theories were put forward, ranging from a turkey
farmer shooting at the Nazi-sponsored airship to sabotage. The official
investigation ultimately blamed a leak of hydrogen ignited by static
electricity from the nearby storms. But now Addison Bain, an expert in
rocket fuels at NASA, says the standard explanation is contradicted by the
newsreel images. These show huge flames traveling along the airship from
stern to bow. Burning hydrogen produces flames that are invisible in
daylight and that shoot upward, he said. "The Hindenburg just didn't look
anything like a hydrogen fire," he said. Witnesses also reported seeing
red and orange flames, and the newsreel showed the fabric of the airship
being engulfed at the rate of 50 feet per second. This suggests that the fire
was linked to chemicals used to give the cotton fabric a reflective coating,
to prevent expansion of the hydrogen gas by the sun's heat. Bain carried
out tests on a remnant of the fabric retrieved from the crash. The coating
of aluminum powder and iron oxide is a combination now known to burn
explosively when ignited by a spark and is actually used as rocket fuel for
space shuttles. The mix is also an electricity conductor. "Electrostatic
charge has an affinity to aluminum, and once the reaction starts, the
aluminum gets very hot," Bain said. He said he believes that this deadly
combination of properties was responsible for the Hindenburg disaster,
beginning with a huge buildup of static electricity.
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