What should you do to control LOX leaks?

• A. Fog the leak while closing valve
• B. Observe from a distance
• C. Open the valve
• D. Freeze the leak

Answer: (A)

LOX leaks are dangerous because liquid oxygen is extremely cold and can cause severe frostbite, while also greatly increasing the fire risk in an oxygen-rich environment. The quickest, safest way to gain control is to locate the leak and isolate it at the source. Fogging the area makes the leak path visible by condensing moisture from the air around the cold LOX plume, so you can pinpoint the leak without having to approach closely. At the same time, closing the valve stops more LOX from escaping, isolating the leak and preventing further release. Simply observing from a distance does not stop the leak, and opening the valve would feed more LOX into the breach. Freezing the leak isn’t a practical or reliable way to control it. So using fog to reveal the leak while shutting off the supply is the best approach.