ADDITIONAL TESTS TO DETERMINE EFFECT OF GASOLINE AND OIL ON APPROVED KAPOK LIFE PRESERVERS
Abstract
Previous tests have shown that there is a serious loss in buoyancy of kapok life preservers (without PVC envelopes) when subjected to agitation in water with a thin film of gasoline or kerosene. These past projects were carried out using fresh water and the performance tests were done by immersing life preservers in a gasoline or kerosene film for a continuous period of 12 hours. In carrying out tests in this project, salt water was used for control test purposes. In addition, data was collected for loss of buoyancy when immersed in an oil film for thirty to sixty minutes and then removed from the oil film and immersed in salt water for a total of 12 hours. All the immersions were done with agitation. In order to round out the available data on the effects of gasoline and oil, sixty used life preservers of known vintage and history were subjected to tests. The specimens were divided into two groups for tests: one group five years old or over, and another group under five years old. The results of tests in this project do not follow the same trend as past tests. However, it showed that about 90% of the older preservers and about 50% of the newer preservers will fail in less than 12 hours when agitated in sea water (with or without gasoline and fuel oil films). Jackets with the same history showed large differences in performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 23, 1959
- Accession Number
- AD0437175
Entities
People
- C. F. Scharfenstein Jr.
Organizations
- United States Coast Guard