> The last total system failure was in 2007, when an 82-year-old pipe at 41st and Lexington exploded, showering Midtown in debris. Heavy rainfall had cooled the pipes, producing large amounts of condensate quickly, and a clogged steam trap meant that the system was unable to expel the water. When this build-up hit a critical level, the internal pressure shot up, causing the explosion. Almost fifty people were injured, and one woman died of a heart attack while fleeing
The photo of this explosion makes it look huge. I wonder how much the pent up infrastructure work to avoid these issues would cost. Are water or gas pipes also vulnerable to this sort of thing?
> I wonder how much the pent up infrastructure work to avoid these issues would cost.
The cost is essentially incalculable. Back in the 1800s people kept poor records of what they were stuffing under the streets, and the records that were kept were lost, and the ones that weren't lost are sitting in a box who knows where. NYC has effectively no idea what they're going to find under a street every time they tear one up, and the deeper you dig, the more you find.
I happened to be walking a few blocks north and one east of this when it happened. I saw dozens of people running up the street in a panic. Office ladies running barefoot with their heels in hand. I asked what had happened and they said there was a giant explosion that could only have been terrorism.
Compressed gasses are worse than fluids. I'm not sure if a water pipe even can explode - as soon as the pipe shatters there is no more energy as the water isn't going to expand. Gases will expand in the explosion and drive the pipe parts to more energy.
That isn't to say water/fluids are not dangerous. They can kill. However for the same pressure gases are much worse.
The city where I live has a district heating system using water, the temp in the mains is up to 130C or thereabouts. Occasionally there are failures, but they tend to be fairly undramatic. Due to the temperature the water flashes to steam when released. It's not recommended to go too close to the leak due to the risk of scalding from the hot water and steam. But no explosions like can happen with a hydraulic block in a steam system.
The photo of this explosion makes it look huge. I wonder how much the pent up infrastructure work to avoid these issues would cost. Are water or gas pipes also vulnerable to this sort of thing?