gas explosion in space(the vacuum)

[goldenpeach]

Seeing that NASA plan to begin sending a modular base on the moon by 2020.

From what I briefly read on the net, oxygen explosion is a possibility, so the explosion of helium or other volatil gas is probable.

If a pocket is perforated and a technical incident(e.g: drilling machine, robot, life systeme) caused the gas to ignite, what could be the consequences according to you?

I prefer giving my answer later, so I don't kill your imagination

---

note: this post was translated from a french thread in the international forum.

If you want to see the original thread, click here

not 2: do not take this as a perfect translation, in case of doubt, check the original thread please.

[Duckytrask]

It really maters on how well the base was constructed, if its just one long hallway with no airlocks you might be in some trouble.

If it was constructed smartly, the leak could be easily sealed and damage minimal.

[Kerbart]

[...]so the explosion of helium or other volatil gas is probable.[...]

I dare say that the volatility of helium is likely a lot less that you're suggesting here.

[Tommygun]

Well we have seen what happened during the oxygen fire on Apollo 1 and Apollo 13's oxygen tank failure, but I think you are asking for more of a Apollo 1 type of fire if too much oxygen is released into the station?

Even a small explosion's shock wave confined inside a small metal tube is going to have a huge effect on the crew's bodies.

It might take hours or days to kill sometimes.

So if the explosion doesn't kill the crew or depressurize the hull right away, the smoke might well be more of an immediate danger to the crew.

The ISS has fire respirators on the station for this and that's usually the first priority for the crew to get them on and then fight the fire.

Low and micro gravity fires do behave differently than on Earth, but they have developed fire fighting procedures for the ISS that should be applicable to a Moon base.

[LordFerret]

Helium is not a volatile gas, it does not burn or explode even when mixed with oxygen. Do you mean hydrogen? Helium burning (fusing) in a star is another story.

[Nibb31]

Seeing that NASA plan to begin sending a modular base on the moon by 2020.

No they are not.

But to answer your question, it wouldn't ignite unless it was mixed with oxydizer. Helium is pretty inert, so it would basically just expand in the vacuum into a very thin cloud.

[lajoswinkler]

Don't use volatile for chemical reactivity, it's wrong. Volatile means easily turning into gas by rapid evaporation.

Helium tank will explode only if you heat it so much that the tank lining breaks up, or if you smash the tank. Otherwise no. Not on its own, not with anything else. It's probably the most inert chemical we know.

Oxygen can't explode. Hydrogen can't chemically explode. Mixtures can because explosion is a reaction. If you have only one gaseous element, there can be no chemical reactions.

So if a mixture capable of detonating is formed in a lunar surface dwelling, and you activate it, and the module breaks apart, there will be a very weak (in some cases no) flame front lasting for a very short time, followed by a visible weak plume of water vapor precipitated because of sudden drop of pressure to zero. Debris will be ejected at ballistic trajectories. No sound will be heard except very close. That's about it.

And yeah, explosive decompression of the whole structure.

"Gravity" did it very correctly.

Edited April 4, 2015 by lajoswinkler

[magnemoe]

Seeing that NASA plan to begin sending a modular base on the moon by 2020.

From what I briefly read on the net, oxygen explosion is a possibility, so the explosion of helium or other volatil gas is probable.

If a pocket is perforated and a technical incident(e.g: drilling machine, robot, life systeme) caused the gas to ignite, what could be the consequences according to you?

I prefer giving my answer later, so I don't kill your imagination

---

note: this post was translated from a french thread in the international forum.

If you want to see the original thread, click here

not 2: do not take this as a perfect translation, in case of doubt, check the original thread please.

If I understand you correctly you think of an gas pocket below the surface on moon, then drilling for oil this is pretty common, but rarely an issue unless you also get an fire or oil under pressure.

Not sure how plausible this is on moon, also you get no fire risk and as the gas will enter vacuum then exiting the hole the only danger is small rocks propelled out by the gas.

You will not drill inside an dome, drill will probably be put on the back of an rover to drill multiple places.

Now an gas pocket on an asteroid is more plausible here its also an real risk since the drill rig will have to be anchored to the asteroid to push down an gas leak might shoot the rig away from the asteroid. the bore hole would act like an gun barrel and push it out, in this case it would be very practical if the rig was an independent probe with rcs so it could get back.

If you had to do an eva to get it it might get too far away.

again no danger outside the rig itself.