Things that are under pressure, like aerosol cans, explode when they’re punctured, so how is a pressure cooker able to safely release the steam when the vent is opened?
In: Engineering
Previous answers are correct but I would add that Some aerosol cans use propane as a propellant which makes the explosion worse.
Cans are designed with much thinner materials. Their shape is what gives them strength.
If you puncture them the puncture will make the can weak and it will quickly fail which leads to the can ripping open.
This ripping is under pressure so it happens quickly enough to qualify as an explosion.
The pressure cooker on the other hand is built around the vent which, when opened, will not harm the structure of the cooker itself. That is why it can let off steam slowly.
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