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Benzinsicherheitslampen (Ruhr museum)

Germany, Nordhein-Westfalen, Essen-Gelsenkirchen, Zeche Zollverein, Ruhr Museum, Benzinsicherheits lampen (cut from T)

 

Shown here is an array of safety pit lamps, manufactured in Bochum by the W, Seippel Grubensicherheitslampen und Maschinenfabrik (’20 -‘50s of the previous century). The Zwickau engineer Carl Wolf developed it in 1881 to detect mine gas (always a big risk in mines). It warns of impending gas explosions. The petrol-operated safety lamp had advantages in terms of luminosity and cleanliness compared to oil-operated lamps.

 

The Davy-lamp was the first generation safety pit lamp and was developed by Humphry Davy in 1815. It was called the ‘Daviaan’ in the Netherlands.

 

About mine gas: Coal mines frequently contain mine gas. It was discovered by Alessandro Volta in 1778 and is a gas mixture that consists of more than 93 % methane. Methane (CH4) is colourless, tasteless, odourless and non-toxic. Still, in high concentrations, the oxygen content for the respiration of the workers may become too low. And the stuff is highly flammable and explosive at certain mixing ratios with air (4½% - 14%). So, open fires in a coal mine can cause major and often disastrous gas explosions. In addition to an open flame, mining gas can be ignited by damaged gasoline lamps, electric sparks, and mining fires.

 

Mine gas is created during the carbonization of plant residues. Because the resulting coal strata are covered with earth and rock layers, the gas cannot escape, and it stays in the coal strata, sometimes under high pressure. The release of the gas from the coal layers starts as soon as they are exposed. Generally, the release is slow and regular, but the sudden release of large quantities of gas cán happen. Because the gas is only half as heavy as air, it will rise to higher places and gather there. Because these mines have powerful ventilation systems.

 

Based on internet sources like this.

 

Click here to see where this picture was taken. [?]

 

This is number 9 of the Zollverein (coal factory) album

and 937 of Minimalism/Explicit graphism.

 

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Uploaded on July 12, 2020
Taken on July 29, 2010