Hindenburg (ustabe History repeating itself (NAC))

[Robert Myers]

At 04:57 AM 3/17/02, Phil Payne wrote:

> > >The Hindenburg was filled with HELIUM - not Hydrogen - which is what 
> led to
> > >her demise! Helium is flammable, and explosive - Hydrogen is safe! VERY
> > >SAFE!
> >
> > NO! NO! NO!!!!!  NO * 10^3!!!!  That is absolutely bassackwards!!  The
> > Hindenburg was using Hydrogen which is __EXTREMELY__ flammable.  Helium is
> > essentially inert.  That is why we have been discussing using Hydrogen, not
> > Helium, as a fuel.
>
>Very true, but even so the Hindenburg would seem to have been the victim 
>of something other
>than a hydrogen fire.  Hydrogen fires are almost colourless.

True, Phil.  A pure hydrogen-oxygen flame is a very pale blue 
colo(u)r.  Trace components of gases, even from materials normally 
considered to be non-volatile, can produce some very interesting color 
effects.  That is the basis for the old-fashioned test used to detect Freon 
leaks from Audi air conditioning systems.  (See a LAC. :-) )

A flame using a copper tube from a barrel (similar to the old fashioned 
Bunsen burner) having its air supply being drawn through a rubber 
tube.  Place the open end of the tube in the immediate vicinity of the 
suspected leak.  If Freon is leaking some will be drawn through the tube 
and into the burner.  The halogens of the Freon will combine with some of 
the copper metal at the hot metal tip of the burner producing very slightly 
volatile copper halides which then impart a green color to the otherwise 
nearly colorless (blue) flame.  Only trace amounts of colorants can produce 
quite significant color effects.  Similar flame coloring effects are used 
in the fireworks industry to produce a variety of colored flames.  Chemists 
uses these flame tests frequently.  No, let me make this statement this 
way.  Chemists _used_ to use these tests frequently.  Nowadays they seem 
more or less to be relegated to parlor trick status in freshman chemistry 
laboratories.

The fabric and paint and God (and perhaps some long ago German engineer?) 
only knows what other components of the airship may well fully account for 
the observed color of the Hindenberg flames.  First, it is unfortunate that 
the disaster happened at all but it is also unfortunate that the only 
pictures we have of the event are in black and white.  That doesn't easily 
permit color determinations other than the flame was bright.  Was the flame 
yellow?  A carbon flame is yellow, particularly when insufficient oxygen is 
present to fully oxidize all of the available carbon.  Witness a poorly 
adjusted yellow flame from a variety of burners burning natural gas or 
propane or other carbon rich fuel.  Take a good look at the flame from a 
pocket cigarette lghter.  Carbon from the fabric skin may have been 
responsible for this color.  Or was the skin fabric?  (I don't know for 
sure.  Do you?  It certainly looked like a burning painted fabric.)  What 
was the actual color of the flames?  Sodium from some source (paint? Ocean 
salt spray? or...?) can also produce the sodium yellow color.  An absurdly 
tiny amount of sodium can produce intensely colored yellow flames.  Do you 
know for sure what the flame color was?

Conspiracy theories always abound but it is usually best to consider 
whether other common effects might have produces what apparent anomalies 
have been observed before ascribing those anomalies to skullduggery of some 
sort.  This is not to say, however, that skullduggery absolutely wasn't 
involved.  :-)


Bob
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  Robert L. Myers   304-574-2372
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