The ignitability of petrol vapours and potential for vapour phase explosion by use of TASER® law enforcement electronic control device

Clarke, C. and Andrews, Stephen Paul orcid iconORCID: 0000-0003-0878-1182 (2014) The ignitability of petrol vapours and potential for vapour phase explosion by use of TASER® law enforcement electronic control device. Science & Justice, 54 (6). pp. 412-420. ISSN 1355-0306

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2014.04.004

Abstract

An experimental study was made of the potential of the TASER-X26™ law enforcement electronic control device to ignite petrol vapours if used by an officer to incapacitate a person soaked in petrol, or within a flammable atmosphere containing petrol vapour. Bench scale tests have shown that a wooden mannequin with pig skin covering the chest was a suitable representation of a human target. Full scale tests using the mannequin have shown that the arc from a TASER-X26™ is capable of igniting petrol/air vapours on a petrol-soaked person. Further tests in a 1/5 scale and a full scale compartment have shown that if a TASER is used within a compartment, a petrol vapour explosion (deflagration) may be achieved. It is evident from this research that if used in a flammable vapour rich environment, the device could prove fatal not only to the target but the TASER® operator as well


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