TubeNet

http://wcco.com/specialreports/local_st ... 20658.html

pretty crazy story.

Just to make sure I understand correctly...

1)The thermos is stuffed with a crap load of charcoal.

2)It's "breakproof."

3)It breaks.

4)Major mess.


I didn't know thermoses were stuffed with charcoal. Neat.

The charcoal forms a barrier to radiant energy barrier:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5252408.html

FWIW, if you want a Thermos bottle get one:

http://www.thermos.com/thermos/cfm/technology.cfm

I've always thought that Thermos bottles are pretty amazing You put hot stuff in and it stays hot. You put cold stuff in and it stays cold.

HOW DOES IT KNOW

TubaTinker wrote:I've always thought that Thermos bottles are pretty amazing You put hot stuff in and it stays hot. You put cold stuff in and it stays cold.

HOW DOES IT KNOW

I put a scoop of ice cream and a cup of coffee in one a few years ago. The coffee got cold and the ice cream melted. I want my money back.

Especially now that I know the charcoal did it.

Doug@GT wrote:I put a scoop of ice cream and a cup of coffee in one a few years ago. The coffee got cold and the ice cream melted

It was just confused. Next time, try adding Ritolin®, too

Doug@GT wrote:Just to make sure I understand correctly...

1)The thermos is stuffed with a crap load of charcoal.
4)Major mess.
I didn't know thermoses were stuffed with charcoal. Neat.

I never realized they filled the space either. Anyone know if all the thermoes are filled, or just some? I though the glass and stainless versions were empty, relying on the shape of the chamber for strength. The patent mentions lower levels of vacuum being used in a thermos, so I don't really understand the need for fill material anyway.

I wonder if Thermos brand is filled? I notice the patent belongs to Aladdin-Satnley, filed in 1990 while Thermos has ben making stainless steel vacuum bottles since 1966.

Either way time to check the ones I have at home. One has no handle, and the other has plastic bands around the thermos that the handle attaches to. The article/pictures don show how the handle was attached, or how it came off.

Looking at the patent Chuck linked, I can see why cleanup was so hard.

United States Patent 5252408 wrote: charcoal or activated carbon black when used as the solid particulate material is utilized in a particle size having range of 0.4 to 1.0 microns. Similarly, when silica gel is used as the solid particulate material, a preferred particle size is in the range of 1.0 through 10.0 microns. .... the particles of silica gel would be compressed to a density lying within the range of 6 to 12 pounds per cubic foot ...the preferred density range of charcoal or activated carbon black lies in a preferred range of 16 to 25 pounds per cubic foot.

That's a lot of very fine powder to go floating through a house!

Maybe the title of the post should be changed to "If you have an Alladin Termos". I just received this response from the Thermos company (not the maker of the Stanley containers):

Chuck,

Thank you for your email. Thermos does not use charcoal in their insulation. We
use a vacuum seal between two layers of steel.

Thanks,
Thermos Customer Service

So, apparently if you want to avoid the "charcoal smoke", buy a Thermos brand container.