Ammonia Recovery and Disposal?

Originally Posted by alloy2

Anhydrous means water removed,

I'm thinking during the last farming season this particular tank was used someone had left some valves open and water entered the vessel over the winter months. Once the tank was refilled a reaction began building up pressure inside well beyond the tanks ability to contain that pressure which caused the tank to explode.

Ammonia is an oxidizer that reacts with a number of metals, this is why you'll never see copper or aluminum used in the manufacture of an RV refrigeration circuit that comes into direct contact with ammonia.

I noticed the gouge inside the tank, its near where the cracked edge of the loose bit of tank end is.
I figured that when the tank was made, the welder accidently dropped the handpiece with a rod, possibly a 'GO' gouging rod or a cellulose electrode in it, or it fell off something while the welder was away from the job.
It arced and kept arcing as it moved, gouging a gouge out of the tank end.
This has caused a inside stress close to where the outside weld for the lifting lugs are, closish to the end cap welds.

I had not figured into the equation that there could be water involved as well.
At this point after refilling and maybe day/night temp differences, it decided to blow....



But did you see that tractor? The tanks hit it and broke it in half! I'm glad there was nobody near it when it happened though.