Meth's flash point

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Ok, I forgot the flash point of meth, but I remember it was something really low, like in the 70's somewhere. So then if it's that low, why doesn't it all evaporate as soon as it meets that temp under our hoods?

 

[pacecarta]

just because a liquid will evaporate doesnt mean it happens instantly , a fine mist vaporizes faster than droplets or puddles or a tank full with a small vent

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I didn't say evaporate, I said flash. Not sure what the difference is though lol. But I'm assuming they can't be the same.

 

[aminga]

Boiling point is 147F.

I didn't say evaporate, I said flash. Not sure what the difference is though lol. But I'm assuming they can't be the same.

The flash point of a volatile material is the lowest temperature at which it can vaporize to form an ignitable mixture in air. Measuring a flash point requires an ignition source. At the flash point, the vapor may cease to burn when the source of ignition is removed.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Boiling point is 147F.



The flash point of a volatile material is the lowest temperature at which it can vaporize to form an ignitable mixture in air. Measuring a flash point requires an ignition source. At the flash point, the vapor may cease to burn when the source of ignition is removed.

Ah there we go. Ignitable. Very good. There we have it. So what IS the flash point of meth then? I ask this because of an old topic of whether or not meth can eat the coatings off of supercharger rotors. I was told no because the flash point is too low. It flashes before it gets to the rotors. But the above explanation states that a flash point needs to be "ignited" so if I'm understanding this correctly, it don't matter if the intact tract is the same temp as the meth flash point, it's still a liquid unTIL it gets ignited. So it CAN eat the coatings off of a rotor then, as it still IS a liquid UNTIL it reaches the combustion chamber..... Hmmmm......

 

[rmar]

Must be pretty low......because houses be blowing up all the time around here...lol

 

[Jerryl]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Lol

 

[hawkfan]

Anybody putting heat shielding on their underhood meth tanks? It's mighty close to the downpipe.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Wait... What meth jug is by your down pipe???

 

[Jerryl]

Believe it or not, the kits using the stock over flow containers on our applications have been around a long time and there are no reports of diminishing performance with the under good heat, or fires if the system works as designed.

 

[hawkfan]

Believe it or not, the kits using the stock over flow containers on our applications have been around a long time and there are no reports of diminishing performance with the under good heat, or fires if the system works as designed.

To be honest, that was my main concern when I was considering an Alky kit. But with so many people running it in daily drivers with no issues, I figure the risk is minimal. Alky is on my 'to do' list at some time in the near future. The meth tank still seems a little too close to the downpipe though.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

It's not anywhere near the downpipe. Not even close. You'd have a better chance of your downpipe starting your passenger's feet on fire than for it to mess with your meth tank.

 

[Raeban]

Ah there we go. Ignitable. Very good. There we have it. So what IS the flash point of meth then? I ask this because of an old topic of whether or not meth can eat the coatings off of supercharger rotors. I was told no because the flash point is too low. It flashes before it gets to the rotors. But the above explanation states that a flash point needs to be "ignited" so if I'm understanding this correctly, it don't matter if the intact tract is the same temp as the meth flash point, it's still a liquid unTIL it gets ignited. So it CAN eat the coatings off of a rotor then, as it still IS a liquid UNTIL it reaches the combustion chamber..... Hmmmm......

What the person who told you that was likely referring to was that the methanol going from a high pressure liquid leaving the alchy pump and spraying through the nozzle into the intake tract goes through a pressure drop. The resulting pressure drop turns the liquid methanol into vapor, i.e. flashing.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Must be pretty low......because houses be blowing up all the time around here...lol

Like this?? I guess this one exceeded the "flash point!

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

What the person who told you that was likely referring to was that the methanol going from a high pressure liquid leaving the alchy pump and spraying through the nozzle into the intake tract goes through a pressure drop. The resulting pressure drop turns the liquid methanol into vapor, i.e. flashing.

I see. I wonder if meth vapor can screw with the clearances of supercharger rotors.

 

[Raeban]

Well as long as its vapor I wouldn't be too worried. Liquid droplets might have a negative effect but the gas should compress.

 

[Nigel]

The flash point of a volatile liquid is not what you are looking for. As pointed out, at atmospheric pressure methanol will boil at roughly 147 degrees F. If you have methanol under pressure and the methanol is at a temperature above 147 degrees, but below the saturation temperature under pressure it will remain a liquid, but if exposed to atmospheric pressure it will flash instantly. The liquid will continue to flash until all of the liquid is gone, or enough energy has been transferred through the latent heat of evaporation to cool the liquid to the saturation temperature at atmospheric pressure. In order to start boiling off the methanol under your hood, your under the hood temp would have to remain at or above 147 degrees long enough to heat and boil off the meth. At 22 pounds of boost the saturation temperature of methanol is roughly 200 degrees. As pressure increases so does the saturation temperature and vice versa. So if the temperature of the air charge leaving your intercooler is below 200 degrees F, the methanol will remain a liquid even after it is injected into your intake. Injecting methanol before a blower, you will be injecting liquid, unless the methanol is under pressure and hot enough to vaporize or the intake of the blower is below the saturation pressure which I doubt but possible. It will likely vaporize after entering the blower through the heat of compression if running enough boost.

 

[1952ray]

The flash point of a volatile liquid is not what you are looking for. As pointed out, at atmospheric pressure methanol will boil at roughly 147 degrees F. If you have methanol under pressure and the methanol is at a temperature above 147 degrees, but below the saturation temperature under pressure it will remain a liquid, but if exposed to atmospheric pressure it will flash instantly. The liquid will continue to flash until all of the liquid is gone, or enough energy has been transferred through the latent heat of evaporation to cool the liquid to the saturation temperature at atmospheric pressure. In order to start boiling off the methanol under your hood, your under the hood temp would have to remain at or above 147 degrees long enough to heat and boil off the meth. At 22 pounds of boost the saturation temperature of methanol is roughly 200 degrees. As pressure increases so does the saturation temperature and vice versa. So if the temperature of the air charge leaving your intercooler is below 200 degrees F, the methanol will remain a liquid even after it is injected into your intake. Injecting methanol before a blower, you will be injecting liquid, unless the methanol is under pressure and hot enough to vaporize or the intake of the blower is below the saturation pressure which I doubt but possible. It will likely vaporize after entering the blower through the heat of compression if running enough boost.

Oh my, now my head hurts!!