[Zderf]

Greetings,

I have worked with toluene over the years and have come to respect it like I do my grandmother. It has a very low vapor pressure, and will disperse into the atmosphere in short order when not stored in a sealed container.

I was involved in developing waste heat recovery systems for a major aerospace firm. We used toluene as the working fluid where it would be heated, pressurized, vapored, and then nozzeled across a high speed turbine attached to a generator. We would then re-condense the fluid to start the cycle over again. Its properties are such that there was very little loss of energy in that process.

Toluene is also used on space satellites where it is the working fluid being heated by solar arrays to produce and unending supply of electrical power. In the 80's, that system was known as KIPS (Kilowatt Isotope Power System). Many satellites are still circling with that power system.

All of this was done in the safety of a remote research facility with blast walls and heavy personal protection. I witnessed more than one explosion when toluene vapors escaped thru plumbing leaks only to be ignited by our natural gas burners simulating the waste heat source.

I am talking BIG explosions...

As such, I have two concerns:

1. Fuel systems are vented. Toluene's low vapor pressure will cause it to evaporate at a measurable rate. Its vapors are heavier than air, and will be present anywhere your fuel system is vented.

2. If you think a spark induced petrol fire is something to see, wait till you see toluene go up.

I'm thinking lacquer thinner.

Just a bit info yawl may want to consider before proceeding.

Respectfully,

Zderf