A tube burst-What happened?
 

We had an outreach event for our team yesterday, and we were displaying our robot, driving it around, running the shooter, etc. Then we heard a very loud pop and one of our team members immediately pressed the power switch. We went over to take a look and found this:

http://i.imgur.com/gf2CB.jpg

Something crazy must have happened here. By looking at the whole, it looks like the tubing melted, which made the tubing thinner. Would the heat from that compressor (I believe it's the small one that is prone to overheating) be able to weaken the tubing enough to have it pop?

We were using the compressor for extended periods of time, due to using large amounts of pressure for our center wheels, which use up like 1-2 large PVC tanks of air per full cycle.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

The new compressor isn't prone to overheating - but you do have to pay attention to its duty cycle and not run it all the time. That's true of all compressors though.

I have seen the compressor (run constantly) melt pneumatic tubing. It's a good bet that's what happened.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

Was it hot out? I heard (from across the tent) this happening to 469 at IGVC last year. The 100 degree heat combined with the short match turnarounds caused the tubing near the compressor to melt and burst.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

I wouldn't say it was extremely hot out, but it was warm. And we had been running the robot for something like an hour when this happened.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

Compressors make heat. Hot enough to cause serious burns even under normal usage.

It's important to not use a push-on fitting connected directly to the compressor like that. Get some brass (t-fitting or extension tube) between the compressor and that fitting to help dissipate the heat before it gets to the hose.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

What he said! We had the tube burst thing happen a lot with our practice robot this year, too, until we put some "insulation" between the outlet and the first push in tube. The new "little" compressors do run quite hot, enough to cause what you saw happen. Definitely need to cool the output side however you can manage to do it.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

PV = nRT

hot gas coming out....

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

same thing happened to our 2011 bot when running demos. just over-ran it a bit, bet that's what happened here.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

Yeah, the above posts are probably correct in that heat from the compressor caused the rupture. I would definitely suggest either brass or nylon fittings anywhere near the compressor, brass being the safer but mildly heavier bet.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

Heat defiantly was the murderer but also replace that T just in-case there is a weird constriction.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

Gotta love the internet.

There's even a website for that :)

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

It was the right spelling, just the wrong word.

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

Same thing happened to a team at Midwest last year. The team had been checking for a problem leak and couldn't find it. They had the compressor running continuous for about 15-20 minutes. When the tubing let go it was like a firecracker.
I have to ask, it looks like your compressor is discolored. Is it covered in something? Did it get contaminated?

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

If you are going to run the compressor for long duty cycles, especially out in the heat, maybe you should put a length of copper tubing, preferably with cooling fins, out of the compressor for a couple of feet.

Because of PV=nRT the gas is coming out very hot and directly hitting the tubing.

I would bet in commercial applications the air is already cooled before it is distributed around a plant and delivered to systems using the flex tubing. In commercial plants that has to deliver a lot of air they may even push the air through a heat exchanger to cool the gas before storage and delivery.

If you have a shop air compressor you can, but SHOULD NOT touch, the copper tube from the compressor head to the storage tank. After it runs is is very hot, and if you touch it may burn your hand.

The air in the tank now has a new set of dynamics and moisture will condense, rain, into the bottom of the tank. That is why there is a valve on the bottom of the tank, so you can drain the condensate, but I digress.

PV=nRT

Re: A tube burst-What happened?
 

Ed,
Just received a new scene shop compressor that will be used for tools in building sets. It is a two stage compressor where the output of one piston enters a second piston. That pipe is finned and passes in front a fan that also passes air through the output heat exchanger. I have been asked several questions about "radiator" on the new compressor.