The authority scattered around Kilauea are doing everything they can to keep people secure . Despite the inherent capriciousness of theeruption , methods are in piazza to see to it thatlava flowsare avoided , acidiclazeand vog are n’t inhaled , and the great unwashed are n’t hurt .
Over at the Puna Geothermal Venture ( PGV ) , however , there ’s a different story unfolding . It must be stressed that no one ’s in any quick peril in the area , but lava entering a geothermal plant in this path is anunprecedented event .
Although functionary have done – and are doing – everything they can to make certain nothing untoward happens , the situation is certainly unusual , and not without its peril . Here ’s what you postulate to know .
About a week ago , it became unclouded that lava flow advancing from the fissure in the lower East Rift Zone ( LERZ ) wereapproaching the PGV . Like other geothermal plants , it uses boreholes to bug the heating plant of the underlying magmatic plumbing , permit water to turn into steam and power turbine . Lava could easily destruct this equipment , but there ’s more to it than that .
On May 27 , the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency ( HCCDA)explainedthat lava from the Leilani Estates had crossed into PGV property overnight . severalize the populace that they must debar inhalation of volcanic gases , and keep an eye on the lava flow , they also said that they must be quick to be evacuated at a moment ’s bill .
So far , so normal , but the lava ’s coming make a routine of a unbalanced dash beforehand . The plant was shut down in May , and a decent amount of pentane – a highly volatile fuel – had to betaken to a safe distance . Forget the sorry fires make by buried , burning vegetation ; a Dame Muriel Spark on this lot could have mother a hefty crater in the ground .
If you ’re marvel why pentane is hanging around a steam - powered plant , ArsTechnicahas grow you shroud : it has a broken simmering point than water , which means that when it ’s near piss already heated by the underlying magma , it quickly heat up itself , generate vapor , and gyrate those turbine .
Notably , the government agency also mentioned this : “ County , State and Federal agency go along to monitor Hydrogen Sulfide levels and no Hydrogen Sulfide has been notice . Again , no Hydrogen Sulfide has been detected . ”
Hydrogen sulfide ( H2S ) , sometimes discharge by volcanic systems , is most well lie with for give stinky egg or grim bottom toots their characteristically atrocious smell . It ’s a colorless , flammable natural gas , one that is normally emitted in very little quantity from these borehole Herbert George Wells during standard operating procedures .
As noted by the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ) , however , in eminent concentrations , it’shighly toxic – and potentially difficult to observe . When the air contains as fiddling as 0.000001 percentage H2S , we smell rotting eggs , but when that ’s stir to 0.01 percent H2S , it becomes odorless .
At these mixtures , it can cause “ irritation of the upper respiratory nerve pathway and , during long exposure , pneumonic oedema . Exposure to 500 parts per million can cause a human to fall unconscious in 5 minutes and expire in an hour or less . ”
Unsurprisingly , then , authorities working at the privately - owned PGV site – which is n’t affiliated with the USGS – have been working to both depressurize andplugthese well , so as to minimize the risk of exposure of the lava damage them , perhaps trigger a blast and causing any H2S to escape . So far , it has n’t , and there ’s aminimal chanceanything untoward will take place .
At present , the lava period at PGV has cap two wellspring , stalled , and all appear fine . “ Due to preventative criterion , neither well is expected to release any hydrogen sulfide , ” an HCCDAadvisoryexplains .
As ever , the lava menstruate and the sulfur dioxide gas emanation rest the peachy threats , but if H2S emissions are detected , the dominance will be indisputable to allow you know and act accordingly .
