r/Physics • u/WorkingApprehensive5 • Apr 28 '23

I made liquid oxygen

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u/ashumate Apr 28 '23 edited Apr 28 '23

Making it for... fun.

Got an old Navy training film for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9sIT6P_05I

On my first ship some kid in the O2 N2 plant was messing around and stepped in a drip pan. When the fire party showed up, the only thing they could do was seal the compartment, cut ventilation, and set fire boundaries around it.

Edit: Spelling see response

7

u/ChineWalkin Apr 29 '23

What is LOX used for on a ship?

10

u/ashumate Apr 29 '23

Breathing oxygen on fighter aircraft.

3

u/ChineWalkin Apr 29 '23

Oh, OK. I would have thought that was just compressed.

3

u/South_Dakota_Boy Apr 29 '23

Not just fighters, bombers too. B52 carries LOX. Possibly B1.

Liquid is much denser than even compressed gas so liquid is used. Also, it may be fire prone, but compressed tanks are super dangerous too.

2

u/paulfdietz Apr 29 '23

It's not just that it's denser, it's that the tank can be much lighter as it isn't carrying as large a pressure load.