The wind tunnel in the Ricketts Building, part of a lab operated by the department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering, was the site of an explosion last Wednesday afternoon at approximately 1:25 pm. The incident broke several windows and the pressure release panel, and closed the building for almost two hours. While initially thought to have been caused by moisture trapped inside the machinery, an investigation revealed that the accident was caused by an aerosol can left near the heating coil.
The machine was warming up for some lab work when the explosion occurred, so no one was in the room at the time and no one was injured. However, an RPI staff member who entered the lab shortly after the incident was sent to the hospital as a precautionary measure after he experienced difficulty breathing, but was later released.
The aerosol spray can, left inside the machine, originally contained lubricant, and was most likely accidentally left inside after routine oiling. At present, no action is being taken against laboratory workers over the mishap.
Claude Rounds, vice president for administration and leader of the committee that appraised the damage, said that temporary repairs have been carried out and full repairs estimated at only $3,000 to $3,500. He said that the damage was not extensive, explaining that the shutter door was the only major part that will need to be replaced on the machinery.
The most visible damage was done to the pressure release panel, a piece of wood designed to break in the event of an explosion to prevent damage to critical structure. Theresa Bourgeois, spokesperson for the Institute, said that “the system functioned as it was intended. There was no structural damage to the building.”
Members of RPI Public Safety; Troy Fire and Police; New York State Police; and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms all responded to the explosion. The event drew crowds of students, faculty, and staff, along with news media from the surrounding area.
Witnesses outside the building said that it sounded just like a car accident, and did not realize what had happened until they realized that there had not been a collision nearby. Alejandro Suarez, a student in the Class of 2006 who was in the lecture hall above the lab, said that it felt like the floor suddenly rose about a foot and then receded, followed by the smell of smoke. “My professor said that after six years in southern California, it was the biggest jostle he’s ever felt,” Suarez expanded.
The wind tunnel has been in use for over two decades, and has been used in many experiments regarding air flow over aircraft wings, turbine blades, and spacecraft.
