6533b832fe1ef96bd129ae74
RESEARCH PRODUCT
How can freezing water burst pipes and containers?
J. M. VigoureuxD. Vigoureuxsubject
PhysicsIce formationIsochoric processGeneral Physics and Astronomy02 engineering and technologyMechanics021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology01 natural sciencesPhase changeVolume (thermodynamics)0103 physical sciencesWater pipe010306 general physics0210 nano-technology[PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUSdescription
When a water pipe or a tank completely filled with water is cooled, ice formation generates a pressure which can cause it to burst. This phenomenon is due to the fact that water increases in volume when freezing—but how to explain the expansion force of freezing water? Our aim in this paper is to show that in the case of a total phase change, even the best steels could not prevent bursting. It is also to show how ice formation occurs in isochoric cooling (constant volume) when a container that is full of water is strong enough to prevent water expansion. At the end of the paper, we give some examples taken from everyday life.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-07-01 |