Can Engines Be Disabled with Poison?

[jety89]

Hi, is it possible to prevent a diesel or gasoline engine from running with e.g. a smoke bomb or with some gaseous substance? Would it be practical?

 

[256bits]

Just as much as you need oxygen from the atmosphere to breathe and stay alive, so does an engine.

 

[snorkack]

Bromocarbons like halons are routinely used to fight fires. They do so by releasing bromine radicals which react with free radical intermediates of radical chain reaction, so terminating the chain.

Are halons effective against diesel and gasoline fuel fires at concentrations where oxygen is still abundant for reaction?

 

[AlephZero]

Halon extinguishers are used on aircraft jet engines for fires outside of the engine core.

Inside the engine core, the most important factor in extinguishing a fire is to cut off the fuel supply.

 

[jety89]

So, there isn't mouch precedent, and it's probably impossible.

 

[Dale]

Closed pending moderation