I think I see where some of the contention lies (or maybe not). Reaching
flash point or slightly above doesn't guarantee a flame. Additional heat is
still needed to ignite; could be from compression or a spark.
Flash point then is the lowest temperature at which the vapor of a
combustible liquid CAN be ignited in air.
Scout

And, there are more than enough things in a diesel engine room to set the
vapors to fire. In fact, according to a marine insurance company, other than
electrical fire, far and away most inboard boat engine room fires are on diesel
boats. The damned things overheat and just keep on running and running and
running, setting things on fire thus triggering the Halon fire extingusher
which kills the fire but not the diesel engine which keeps on overheating and
restarting the fires. Spray some diesel fuel around the overheated engine room
and the boat burns to the waterline, the passengers in the water trying to swim
away from the burning fuel flowing towards them.

whore vath thinks a diesel engine can't set a boat on fire, but he won't even
bother to look at the insurance company facts listed a couple days ago in this
very thread.




"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
of course, rickie jetcap comic book reader. I bow to your superior
knowledge.
Of course diesel fuel at or above its flash point is incapable of burning.
It
doesn't work that way in a diesel engine for sure. There are little green
elves inside a diesel engine pushing the pistons up and down with the help
of
reindeer.

From: jetcap
Date: 12/25/2004 11:01 AM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

JAXAshby wrote:

once the damned stuff gets beyond its flash point it catches fire,


Wanna work on that one for a while ... you got a lot of work to do
before you can call - anyone - stupid.

Rick