Petroleum—Important Discovery

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

M. Henri Sainte-Claire Deville has recently presented to the French Academy of Science the third portion of his valuable researches on the physical and heating properties of mineral oils. M. Deville, in this memoir, dwells largely on the dangers incident to the use and storage of petroleum, and on ike modes of preventing the disasters which are of such frequent occurrence. Most persons suppose all such cases to be due to one cause nly; namely, to the highly inflammable nature of the volatile ingredients contained in these oils, which, by admixture with air, form explosive compounds. This is a cause of real danger, but the above-named chemist calls attention to a hitherto unnoticed reason for many fires and accidents. This he attributes to the very great expansion in bulk which mineral oils undergo by increase of temperature. If pelroleum has been barreled during the cold season, it will expand larg@ly vrith. the first appearance of hot weather, and will then burst the containing vessels, on the same principle that ice ruptures our water conduits and hydrants. The inflammable material then oozes out, often without being noticed, and is a lurking cause of danger. It is well known that the burning of petroleum refineries and storehouses gen- erally takes place in hot weather after a cool period has just elapsed. Now is the time of the year to look out for petroleum fires, and to see to their prevention. The conclusion to be derived from M. Deville's memoir is, that it is essential to leave sufficient space for expansion by heat in all vessels containing petroleum, and never to fill them to repletion. When the paper of M. Deville shall have been published, we shall be able to tell our readers the exact extent of space needed for the mean expansion of all mineral oils. This statement, taken in connection with the very recent and destructive oil-fires at Hunter's Point, L. I., and at Wee-hawken, N. J., occurring under the precise conditions of temperature described by Mr. Deville, will attract much attention.

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American