[Fwd: [M] [M} IC Thermodynamics]- Part 3

[C C]

At 09:13 PM 11/4/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Many fuels can burn in an explosive manner under certain
>conditions--methane, gasoline, propane, even diesel fuel. However, they are
>definitely NOT explosives. By definition, an explosive is a chemical or a
>mixture of chemicals which contains its own oxidizer. As in nitroglycerine,
>or diesel fuel after it is mixed with ammonium nitrate prell. Ask Timmy
>McVeigh! Explosives are generally categorized from fast to slow by their
>rate of flame propogation--and most automotive fuel/air mixtures (including
>propane/air) have far too slow a flame speed to be considered even a slow
>explosive, until the p-t conditions get really radical (see detonation)!!
>But these kind of p-t conditions do not and cannot occur in an engine's
>inlet tract, even on a three stage turboed tractor pull diesel. There is at
>least one other individual on list with far more professional explosives
>expertise than my own---Chris??? Do you care to say anything here??

Actually, diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate (aka: ANFO) is NOT classified
as an explosive.  It is a blasting agent.  Timmy used an explosive to detonate
the blasting agent (ANFO).  But that is kind of besides the point, huh? If 
I remember right from chemistry, things are classified as an explosive if they
generate a supersonic shock wave, not just a subsonic shock wave (aka:
propane).  Anyway, just becareful folks!

Clint