BillHustonBlog: What an XNG Truck Explosion might look like (12 tons of CNG)

What an XNG truck explosion might look like....

Background:

The Vestal Police were sent to find me IN PERSON because they didn't like the language on my blog, where I refer to XNG trucks as "Bomb Trucks".

He kept trying to paint me as a terrorist, because I "talked about bombs" on my blog and had photos of XNG's trucks and facilities.

I was very upset! I tried to calmly* (* failed) tell the officer that I did NOT talk about "bombs" on my blog! I have declared very strongly I OPPOSE ALL ACTS of Industrial Sabotage, as it violates the principles of Nonviolent Direct Action, and violates the Precautionary Principle.

I tried to explain the context. The "Bomb Trucks" are just like the unit trains shipping crude oil by rail are "Bomb Trains".

According to Google, crude by rail started in a major way in 2012, and the term "Bomb Train" was first applied to these trains in 2013, following an explosion in ND Dec 2013.

I did not invent the term.
The earliest use of the term "Bomb Trucks" I can find is June 2016:
http://spectrabusters.org/category/hazard/bomb-trucks/

But here's the main point....

Let's try figure out if this term is appropriate:

What would a catastrophic explosion of one Titan-XL look like?

So I decided to try to figure out what is the TNT equivalent of 12 tons of methane, to see if the term "Bomb Trucks" is really warranted.

Friends, Please check my math:

1 Titan XL = 526,612 scf (source) = 555 GJ (source)
1 ton of TNT = 4.184 Gigajoules (source)
1 Titan XL = 12 tons of methane (source) = 555 GJ
555 GJ / 4.184 GJ per ton of TNT = 133 tons TNT
This video is an explosion of 5,001 lbs of ANFO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW8c4xJFwjU
ANFO:TNT = 1.35 : 1 (source)
5001 pounds of ANFO = 5001/1.35 = 3705 pounds TNT = 1.85 tons TNT
1 Titan XL = 133 tons TNT / 1.85 tons TNT = 72x the size of the Mythbusters explosion
1 Titan XL = 72x bigger than the Mythbusters explosion above.

Yes, friends, let us imagine an explosion 72x bigger than this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW8c4xJFwjU

Unless I've made a math error... that's what 1 Titan XL would be like. 72x bigger than that.
Wow.

To be fair, 72x would be if all 4x tanks in the Titan-XL blew up.

If only one tank blew up, then the resulting explosion would be "only" 18x bigger than what you see here.

Whew! What a relief!
It's good to know these #BombTrucks trucks are 'SAFE'!

Now, let's say there were 100 trucks per day carrying the methane equivalent of 133 tons of TNT through your neighborhood every day.

Q#1: Do you think the term "Bomb Truck" is appropriate for such a thing?
Q#2: Would you think this was a good idea, or "safe"?

Have a nice day!

--
May you, and all beings
be happy and free from suffering :)
-- ancient Buddhist Prayer (Metta)