To: Blacksheep
Your illustration about the Coke can is well taken. The presence of liquid or even gaseous Oxygen in the presence of hydrocarbons causes the hydrocarbons to Oxidize at a rapid rate causing a temperature increase to the point of combustion. But it doesn’t always work that way.
When I was first introduced to ballistic missiles a demonstration was made for our edification. A hole was dug in the ground. The hole was about three feet across and about a foot deep. The hole was lined with polyethylene sheet. Two cups were placed at the edge of the hole. One was filled with a quart of hydraulic fluid and the other filled with a quart of Liquid Oxygen. Both cups had long strings attached to them. Also placed in the hole was a squib. Standing at a safe distance the cup with the hydraulic fluid was tipped into the hole followed by the Liquid Oxygen. A few seconds elapsed while the LOX and the hydraulic fluid formed a gel. There was no rapid oxidation and there was no fire. When the squib was fired there was an explosion and the hole looked like the impact crater from a 155mm shell.
I also saw this demonstrated on a much larger scale. An Atlas missile filled with RP1 (rocket fuel) and liquid Oxygen had a mishap at liftoff and it fell into the coffin complex. Both tanks ruptured and a gigantic gel was formed. It stayed that way for a minute or so and then something (a vibration) set it off and it destroyed the complex and almost took out the launch crew.
In another instance, an Atlas missile carrying a highly secret payload suffered a mishap on launch. It rose up about 18 inches and the engines shut down. The payload was equipped with an acceleration-sensing device and it sensed the cessation of upward movement triggering an explosive device. The shock wave caused the liquid Oxygen to penetrate the fuel tank immediately resulting in a massive explosion totally destroying the launch complex.
Here is another one. An Air Force technician was screwing around and pressed the wrong button to see what would happen. Once it happened he realized the magnitude of his error. In the process of correcting his mistake he damaged the missile. The following day the missile was scheduled for a test dual propellant loading. The fuel tank was topped off at about 14,000 gallons. Then they added the LOX. They figured that there was no more than 80 gallons of LOX onloaded when the LOX leaked into the fuel tank. The fuel tank immediately exploded and there was an extremely fuel rich fire. This too destroyed the launch complex and in doing so wiped out one third of the USAFs nuclear retaliatory strike capability.
