Quote:
Originally Posted by 90503
Thanks for pointing out the dangers of fully involved car fires...I doubt magnesium had anything to do with how it got started...
...And yes, drunk kids on a beach doing what drunk kids do is a great example of why magnesium should not be utilized in automobile manufacturing...
....I supposed a tanker truck fire on a highway is reason enough to stop making gasoline, as well...
WTF, man...give it a rest...please...
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I never said that either video explained how these fires got started. I was using them to show what happens when magnesuim is already on fire. Obviously the VW engine blocks were intentionally set on fire, but the SUV that was on fire was an accidental fire.
The purpose of that video shows that even a trained firefighter was not aware of the explosive nature of the fire, and if you actually watched it you will see that the burning magnesium actually burned completely through his fire coat, and he was saved from severe burns by the protection he was wearing under the fire coat. Molten metal is bad enough, but molten metal that is on fire does not cool off until it consumes itself. It burns through whatever it comes in contact with!!!
It must be really nice to be able to go through life unencumbered by logic and critical thinking.
I guess I have to spell it out for you....
1) Magnesium is a flammable metal.
2) Magnesium creates a highly flammable gas when exposed to water while burning.
3) Magnesium cannot be extinguised by anything other than being smothered by an oxygen barrier, or complete vacuum.
4) Magnesium is WAY easier to ignite if it is formed into a thin sheet or strip.
5) Car makers are beginning to produce cars with exterior body panels made from magnesium.
6) Body panels are traditionally THIN METAL SHEETS pressed into shape.
7) Most people instinctively try to extinguish a fire with water.
Therefore, cars are beginning to be made from this material in a much more dangerous form that is more likely to catch fire (in the traditional car fire scenario) and people will automatically introduce water into the fire, creating an explosion of burning metal.
Do you get my point now?
Enough people each year get burned because they don't know how to put out a grease fire on their stove. What do you think is going to happen when people start trying to put out a magnesium car body fire? BOOM!
So we are going to have cars that are made from this stuff that will eventually be involved in a fire, and someone is going to try and put it out with a hose and the hydrogen will explode and shower everything and everyone for several yeards around with burning slag that does not cool off.
People are eventually going to get hurt by this, and it's MUCH more dangrous than a fuel fire or oil fire. Those are much easier to control.
What could go wrong??!?!?
Do you think that auto body shops are NEVER going to accidentally take a torch to one of these things inside a garage to cut away some damage and NOT set it on fire? What are the chances water will be sprayed on it and burn down the whole building?
Look, if we all have to shell out $500 extra per car because some pencil pusher decided that every car has to have backup sensors and rear cameras because a MASSIVE 23 people a year get run over by BAD DRIVERS in cars backing up, how long do you think they will allow carmakers to continue using magnesium once people start getting hurt because it is so reactive? No matter WHAT the cause of the fire was.
It's not so awful using it for castings where thermal mass makes it hard to ignite, but body panels made from the stuff will ultimately get some ignorant pencil pusher to unilaterally BAN it from ANY use in cars. Then NOBODY will be able to use it for ANYTHING in a car.
I will quote this message when it happens and tell you "I told you so".