Uploaded June 2016 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Description:
A Timet employee was instructed to use a standard ShopVac vacuum to clean out a build up of titanium residue that had built up in the ducts over time. The dryer that was supposed to keep the titanium dry was not working properly, so the employee tried to vacuum up wet titanium, which produces hydrogen gas and is very flammable. When the nozzle of the ShopVac hose disturbs the smoldering nest of titanium, exposing it to the air and releasing hydrogen gas into the duct system. The hydrogen gas is ignited by the now exposed embers and explodes and travels through the duct system.
Visualizations Produced:
An exemplar ShopVac was scanned with a 3D laser scanner and the Timet plant was modeled from cad and photos. The plaintiff claimed that the arc from the ShopVac's universal motor ignited the gas, however upon further inspection it's clear that the fire came from above, in the duct work, as opposed to from the ShopVac below
Description:
A Timet employee was instructed to use a standard ShopVac vacuum to clean out a build up of titanium residue that had built up in the ducts over time. The dryer that was supposed to keep the titanium dry was not working properly, so the employee tried to vacuum up wet titanium, which produces hydrogen gas and is very flammable. When the nozzle of the ShopVac hose disturbs the smoldering nest of titanium, exposing it to the air and releasing hydrogen gas into the duct system. The hydrogen gas is ignited by the now exposed embers and explodes and travels through the duct system.
Visualizations Produced:
An exemplar ShopVac was scanned with a 3D laser scanner and the Timet plant was modeled from cad and photos. The plaintiff claimed that the arc from the ShopVac's universal motor ignited the gas, however upon further inspection it's clear that the fire came from above, in the duct work, as opposed to from the ShopVac below
