[TheForge] old propane tanks

[Bruce Freeman]

That's my understanding too -- chlorinated hydrocarbons + high
temperatures = phosgene.  This is true whether you start with liquids
or solids.  (Gases would probably just blow away.)  Fluorinated
hydrocarbons (teflons, etc.) would produce something else, probably
even nastier.

That said, the phosgene produced would not be chemically pure by a
long shot.  The other stuff in it might be even worse, in some ways.

A good rule of thumb is never to expose yourself to, much less breath,
any smoke or heat-fumes.  Oxidation of compounds usually produces
products that are hazardous to your health in one way or another.
This is the best single reason not to burn stuff to get rid of it,
whether it's your trash, or paint on a battleship, or whatever -- not
to say that burning isn't a useful tool, just that it can be hazardous
to your health.

On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 9:09 AM, Paul Novorolsky
<crosspein at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Just for the record: from what I've read, freon decomposes to phosgene
> at high temps. So while freon tanks are less likely to go boom, they
> aren't completely "safe" either. So they too need to be handled
> appropriately.
>
> Information can be found on many welding safety sites.
> Search= phosgene freon
>
>
> **paul
>
> On 9/26/11 10:50 PM, Dave Mudge wrote:
>> We regularly repair aluminum diesel fuel tanks and aluminum hydraulic
>> tanks at work. We usually wash them out with water then fill them with
>> argon or C-25 (75% argon / 25% co-2) . That displaces any burnable
>> fumes and any oxygen. I would do the same if I was going to cut a
>> propane tank.
>> On the other hand you could (perhaps) crush and sell the propane tanks
>> to the scrap yard then use that money to buy some less dangerous tanks
>> like used freon tanks.
>>
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-- 
Bruce
NJ