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Since the introduction of mobile phones in Nigeria, many people believe that using mobile phones at gas stations will cause an explosion. Different messages are generated every time about the dangers of using mobile phones at gas stations and the reasons why mobile phones should not be used in the kitchen.
Some news reports have noticed cases of fire and explosion caused by the use of telephones while using generators. Although there are no cases of gas station explosion caused by mobile phones in Nigeria, there have been some cases abroad.
A news report read: “A tragedy occurred in the Agege region of Lagos State in southwestern Nigeria. At that time, an employee of Fidelity Bank PLC was burned to death when trying to turn on the generator set. When his GSM mobile phone received a call, it generated electricity. The crew caught fire.
"We learned that the victim, Mr. David Adeogun, was married not long ago and gave birth to a new child.
The investigation revealed that a staff member of the bank’s Kotukosi branch, Ad Ogan, went home from get off work and wanted to turn on the generator set with a flashlight when the phone rang. It is said that the generator set exploded immediately. the phone is ringing. ''
There are also multiple reports, especially YouTube videos showing that mobile phones can cause explosions.
I visited some gas stations and found that many gas stations still expressed a certain degree of caution to prevent fire or explosion. Some safety rules for gas stations are written like this: "No smoking, stop your machine, turn off your mobile phone, etc."
What you need to know about mobile phones and fuel
A mobile phone is a wireless handheld device that allows users to make and receive calls. Although the earliest generation of mobile phones could only make and receive calls, today's mobile phones can do more, supporting web browsers, games, cameras, video players, and navigation systems.
In addition, although mobile phones used to be mainly referred to as "cell phones" or cellular phones, today's mobile phones are more often referred to as "smart phones" because they provide all the additional voice and data services.
According to fossbytes.com, there are many smart phones today. This is all a game with different designs, features, cameras, display quality, performance, battery life, and many other things consumers desire. However, what happens under these mobile computer machines is equally important, because if you are knowledgeable in this area, you can almost make a less painful buying decision.
The main components of the phone include:
Circuit board containing mobile phone brain
Petroleum, or crude oil according to Petrole.co.uk, as it is now commonly referred to as raw materials, contains a variety of compounds, the most productive being the hydrocarbon itself, which gives the petroleum composition its combustible properties.
Although the composition of petroleum will contain many trace elements, the key compounds are carbon (93% – 97%), hydrogen (10% – 14%), nitrogen (0.1% – 2%), oxygen (01.% – 1.5%) And sulfur (0.5%-6%) and some trace metals, accounting for a small part of the petroleum composition.
The actual overall characteristics of each different petroleum source are defined by the percentage of the four main hydrocarbons found in the petroleum that is part of the petroleum composition.
The percentages of these hydrocarbons vary greatly, giving crude oil very unique compound characteristics based on geographic area. These hydrocarbons are usually present in petroleum in the following percentages: paraffins (15% – 60%), naphthenes (30% – 60%), aromatics (3% to 30%), and the remainder are pitch.
For many years, there has been controversy over whether mobile use will cause gas stations to explode or dump oil in generators.
Many news spread on various social media platforms, indicating why the use of mobile phones near gasoline can cause an explosion.
However, a quick check by Sunday PUNCH showed that when a person approached a gas station or gas station, there was no connection between using the phone and the fire. Please also read the "phone lamp" caused an explosion, causing two deaths-Akwa Ibom Fire Department Akwa Ibom community requested that 7.6 billion naira be destroyed before the explosion in 2016. Video: Can my mobile phone ignite gasoline? | 60 seconds to break the myth
Using the phone near the fuel will not cause a fire-expert
In a telephone interview with Sunday PUNCH, Francis Idachabba, a professor of communications engineering, refuted the claim that using a telephone at a gas station could cause an explosion.
He said: "It is unlikely that a fire will occur when using a mobile phone at a gas station. Unless the fuel comes into contact with the fire, there will be no explosion."
The professor refuted the notion that mobile phones could catch fire when they get hot. He said: "The manufacturer has specifications. The power generation of mobile phones is so large that it will cause fires at gas stations. This claim is unfounded.
"The technology of mobile phones and fuel is different. They are located on different arcs. No one has proven that using a mobile phone at a gas station can cause this. Technically speaking, from what I have seen, there is a difference between the two The relationship is far apart."
Idachaba said that if the mobile phone showed such a degree of danger, the manufacturer would not allow it to enter the market.
He said: "Most of these devices are guaranteed not to cause these things. If the mobile phone has this explosive capability, I believe that the use of the mobile phone will be restricted, and the manufacturer will also give such preventive measures. According to my firm Knowing that these hypotheses have not been confirmed."
On the mobile phone that caused the explosion when the generator was used, the lecturer said that it is important to observe the conditions under which the explosion occurred.
Idachaba said: "It is important to pay attention to the conditions of the generator, not just generalization. Is the generator turned on when the fuel is poured into it? This is because if the generator is turned on, it will be very hot, the gasoline It’s not friendly with heating. That’s why people are usually told not to turn on the engine while refueling.
“For the generator, it should be turned off and cooled before the fuel is poured, because the exhaust is usually very hot. However, it is not likely to cause a fire if it is recommended to use the mobile phone as a flashlight when the fuel is poured into the generator.”
Idachabba added that it is almost impossible for a mobile phone not to be used to generate heat that could cause an explosion, just as it is unlikely to cause an explosion when in use.
He said: “When you hold the phone and don’t make a call, it does nothing. What happens when you use the phone is what we call status updates. The updates are sent from the middle of the phone to the nearest GPS.
“It’s a bit far-fetched to say that not using a mobile phone will cause a fire. It shouldn’t. This is engineering, but in addition to the conditions that can make room for this type. But I have not seen, nor have experience. The facts show that the fuel is poured into the generator Using a mobile phone flashlight at any time can cause a fire. I have not seen it before. It is not that simple, but it can happen under certain conditions."
Similarly, oil and gas expert Bala Zakka determined the fuel composition and distillation process when analyzing the phone’s ability to cause a fire at a gas station.
He said: "When we generally talk about crude oil, we are talking about fossil fuels. In the process of refining and distillation, they are based on specific gravity or weight. When these products start to appear based on their weight or gravity, the lighter the product, it The more flammable.
"In other words, natural gas is lighter than gasoline, gasoline is lighter than diesel, and kerosene is lighter than asphalt. The lighter the product, the more flammable or dangerous when it is near the fire.
"That's why when you see a fire on a tanker, it is more deadly than gasoline, and gasoline is more dangerous than diesel and kerosene. When you talk about these petroleum products, the only thing that creates friction between them is the one that generates light instead of electricity. friction.
"Electricity is different from the kind of light that produces flames. It is different from friction, which produces heat and produces flames. There is no connection between using a telephone and a fire at a refueling station.”
Petroleum experts further stated that the possibility of fire caused by sparks generated by electricity is very small.
Zakka added: “However, the sparks generated by the charging of the mobile phone can cause a flame. When there is gas, gasoline or other products (depending on their flammability) nearby, an explosion will occur. Fuel and a phone are two different types. Product. Mobile phones will not cause fire.
"The function of the mobile phone is based on the charge we know. The charge does not produce a normal flame, but when there is a spark, such as when two batteries are put together, it will produce a spark, and then we will produce a flame.
"A car battery is a good example. A car battery does not cause a fire. It powers the car, but when you put the heads of the battery together now, it generates sparks. If there is no source of sparks, then The mobile phone will never produce sparks that could cause a fire.
"What I do at the gas station is what I call prevention is better and cheaper than treatment. Rather than looking for medicine to cure it after the explosion, it is better to prevent it."
Contrary to popular belief, using mobile phones near gasoline and other petroleum products will not cause fires. But if there is an electric spark, it is possible.
Researchers produced this fact-checking report based on the partnership between Dubawa 2021 Kwame KariKari Fellowship and The PUNCH to promote the "truth" spirit of journalism and improve the country's media literacy.
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