University of the East

College of Engineering

PLATE NO. 3
LPG CYLINDER MANUFACTURING

NME 3106/ ME-1

PABLO, JOHN EDERSON B.

20160130665
November 2, 2020

ENGR. DIOSDADO C. DOCTOR

PROFESSOR
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. DEFINITION OF TERMS

II. INTRODUCTION

III. MANUFACTURING PROCESS

-FLOW CHART
-DISCUSSION AT THE PROCESS
-LPG CYLINDER TEST
- RAW MATERIALS
-EQUIPMENT OF MACHINERIES

IV. REFERENCES
I. DEFINITION OF TERMS
• Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases
used as fuel in heating appliances, cooking equipment, and vehicles.
• LPG Cylinder Body - The container is where the propane is stored while all
other parts and appurtenances are attached by welds or threads. The
container made commonly of steel or aluminum should be free of bulges and
dents.
• LPG Cylinder Shroud and Collar - protects the valve from damages. Because
the most sensitive part of the LPG Cylinders after production is valve-to-
collarette connection.
• LPG Cylinder Valve Neck - is the connection part of an LPG Cylinder body
and the valve.
• Cylinder Foot Ring - The foot ring ensures the LP Gas cylinder stands in an
upright and level position while also keeping the storage container from
contacting the ground. Foot rings act as the "legs" of the cylinder and the
absence of a foot ring would allow the bottle to easily fall on its side and roll
around.
• Flux-cored arc (FCAW) - a gas metal-arc welding process that uses an arc
between a continuous filler metal electrode and the weld pool. The process is
used with shielding gas from a flux contained within the tubular electrode, with
or without additional shielding from an externally supplied gas, and without
the application of pressure.
• Gas metal-arc (GMAW) - an arc welding process that uses an arc between a
continuous filler metal electrode and the weld pool. The process is used with
shielding from an externally supplied gas and without the application of
pressure.
• Short-circuiting arc (OMAWS) - a variation of the gas metal-arc welding
process in which the consumable electrode is deposited during repeated
short circuits.
• Gas tungsten-arc (GTAW) - an arc welding process which produces
coalescence of metals by heating them with an arc between a tungsten (non-
consumable) electrode and the work. Shielding is obtained from a gas or gas
mixture. Pressure may or may not be used and filler metal may or may not be
used.
• Plasma-arc (PAW) - an arc welding process which produces coalescence of
metals by heating them with a constricted arc between an electrode and the
workpiece (transferred arc), or the electrode and the constricting nozzle (no
transferred arc). Shielding is obtained from the hot, ionized gas issuing from
the torch orifice which may be supplemented by an auxiliary source of
shielding gas.
• Shielded metal-arc (SMAW) - an arc welding process with an arc between a
covered electrode and the weld pool. The process is used with shielding from
the decomposition of the electrode covering, without the application of
pressure, and with filler metal from the electrode.
• Resistance (RW) — a group of welding processes that produces coalescence
of the faying surfaces with the heat obtained from resistance of the
workpieces to the flow of the welding current in a circuit of which the
workpieces are a part, and by the application of pressure.
• Resistance spot (RSW) — a resistance welding process that produces a weld
at the faying surfaces of a joint by the heat obtained from resistance to the
flow of welding current through the workpieces from electrodes that serve
to concentrate the welding current and pressure at the weld area.
• Semi-automatic arc - arc welding with equipment which controls only the filler
metal feed. The advance of the welding is manually controlled.
• Welding flux - is a combination of carbonate and silicate materials used
in welding processes to shield the weld from atmospheric gases.
• Spud - a small opening through which the gas flows. The small opening
causes the gas to enter the barrel with great speed. The spud controls the
amount of gas entering the barrel and makes the flame larger and smaller.
• Induction - a welding process that produces coalescence of metals by the
heat obtained from resistance of the workpieces to the flow of induced high
frequency welding current with or without the application of pressure. The
effect of the high-frequency welding current is to concentrate the welding heat
at the desired location.
• Filler metal - the metal or alloy to be added in making a welded, brazed, or
soldered joint.
• Electroslag (ESW) - a welding process producing coalescence of metals with
molten slag which melts the filler metal and the surfaces of the work to be
welded. The molten weld pool is shielded by this slag which moves along the
full cross section of the joint as welding progresses. The process is initiated
by an arc which heats the slag. The arc is then extinguished, and the
conductive slag is maintained in a molten condition by its resistance to
electric current passing between the electrode and the work.
• Electron Beam (EBW) - welding process that produces coalescence with a
concentrated beam composed primarily of high velocity electrons, impinging
on the joint. The process is used without shielding gas and without the
application of pressure.
• Electrode (carbon) - a non-filler material electrode used in arc welding and
cutting, consisting of a carbon or graphite rod, which may be coated with
copper or other materials.
• Electrode (composite) - a generic term of multi component filler metal
electrodes in various physical forms, such as stranded wires, tubes, and
covered electrodes.
• Electrode (covered) - a composite filler metal electrode consisting of a core of
a bare electrode or metal-cored electrode to which a covering sufficient to
provide a slag layer on the weld metal has been applied.
 II. INTRODUCTION

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a colorless liquid that quickly evaporates into a
gas. It has no odor, but it typically has an additional odor to help detect leaks. The gas
will burn or burst when it encounters an ignition source or combined with air. It is
heavier than air and appears to sink to the bottom. LPG generally consists of a
combination of hydrocarbons such as propane, propylene, butane, or butylene. The gas
can be liquefied at high force and can be stored as a liquid under pressure in cylinders
and withdrawn and used as a gas. This implies that it can be transported as liquid and
stored and burned as coal. Containers are typically 80-85 percent liquid filled, leaving
15-20 percent vapor room for expansion due to the rise in temperature. The household
gas cylinder has a weight of around 11 kg. In containing and transporting dangerous
LPG from the filling plant to the final user, the cylinders play a crucial role. To ensure
protection of cylinders by material quality requirements, LPG cylinders are to be
produced from certainly prescribed raw material.

The LPG cylinder is a type of pressure vessel which needs high tensile and
compressive strength to be stored pressure-powered gases. The substances contained
inside the cylinder can, depending on the physical characteristics of the contents, be in
a state of compressed gas, vapor over liquid, supercritical fluid or dissolved in a
substrate material. A traditional gas cylinder shape is elongated, with the valve and
mounting at the top to attach to the receiving apparatus, standing upright on a flattened
bottom end. Theoretically, pressure vessels may be almost any shape, but typically
shapes constructed from parts of spheres, tubes, and cones are used. A cylinder with
end caps called heads is a typical design. Sometimes, head shapes are either
hemispherical or tori spherical. Historically, more complex shapes have been far harder
to evaluate for safe operation and are typically much more difficult to construct.
 An LPG cylinder of the same wall thickness has approximately twice the power of a
cylindrical pressure vessel and is the ideal shape to hold internal pressure. However,
the spherical form is difficult to produce and thus more costly, so that most LPG vessels
are cylindrical with 2:1 semi-elliptical heads or end caps at each end. Style codes and
application requirements and the cost of materials determined the choice of steel
without welds for most gas cylinders; steel is treated to resist corrosion. Some newly
designed lightweight gas cylinders are made of stainless steel and composite materials.
According to the extremely high tensile strength of carbon fiber reinforced polymer,
these vessels can be very light but are more difficult to produce. LPG Cylinders
strengthened or assembled with a fiber material must typically be inspected more
regularly than metal cylinders, every 5 years instead of 10 years, and must be inspected
more closely than metal cylinders.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders are placed in the upright position, but some
smaller cylinders and Entonox cylinders are placed horizontally. Cylinders should be
kept indoors, shielded from the elements, and should not be exposed to excessive heat
or cold temperatures. They can also be used for full and empty cylinders in rotation with
various locations. Medical gas cylinders should be kept separately from other types and
different areas for flammable gases, such as cyclopropane, should be reserved. The
cylinders are made of high carbon steel, manganese steel or aluminum alloy to
withstand high pressure, but even these steels do not eliminate the possibility of
explosion if the cylinder is dropped on a hard-concrete floor.

To manufacture LPG cylinders, the first sheet is cut to size to make blanks on the
cutting machine. These blanks are now drawn deep into two halves of the cylinder on
deep drawing power presses. Separately, other parts are made, such as foot ring,
backing strip, top ring and turned components. Prior to their welding, both halves are
now joined with a backing strip. The normalization process in appropriate heat treatment
furnaces is relieved by stress after welding the complete cylinder. Sand blasting is
performed after pressure relief.
 III. MANUFACTURING PROCESS

FLOW CHART
DISCUSSION OF THE PROCESS
The manufacturing process of the cylinder body is popular all over the world. The
Handle ring (also known as valve safety rings) and base ring (also known as foot ring)
designs, however, vary according to customer requirements. The most important
parameter for LPG cylinder construction is the raw material. Special-grade steel
complies with the IS 6240 standard. For the cylinder body, hot rolled steel plate sheet
and strip are used to produce low-pressure liquefiable gas cylinders or equivalents. The
flow chart illustrates the development process in both three and two-piece tubes. For
the base ring, it can be produced in compliance with the specifications of the marketing
oil company. Shearing for the diameter and thickness of the foot ring is the first step of
cutting the heated rolled steel plate. The dimension of the foot ring of Brent LPG
cylinder has 265-millimeter diameter. The cut steel plate foot ring will undergo piercing,
where a punch and die are used to create a hole in sheet metal. The rolling process
comprises moving metal stock through one or more pairs of rolls to minimize the
thickness and making the thickness uniform. A Gas Metal Arc Welding is used to
connect the rolling foot rings at both ends. Then, the welded foot rings are formed by
the used of Mechanical press machine in which the edges are shaped into a hollow ring
and to minimize rough edges. For the attachment, foot rings are connected by a MIG
welding process to the trimmed cups. Then it will undergo inspection, the shape, size,
and specificity of the foot ring shall be inspected in compliance with the norm defined by
the Department for the relevant product line.

Foot ring/ Base ring

 For the Handle ring (also known as valve safety rings), there are no
specific guidelines for the shape of the valve safety ring since it is not an integral part of
the cylinder body. Form can also be differentiated from the numerous selling oil firms.
The valve safety ring for the Brent gas LPG cylinder is made of a hollow steel pipe with
three collar plates connected to it. Steel pipe is rolled where the diameter or wall
thickness demands anything other than what is a normal mill product. The rolled pipes
are cut into specific sizes by the used of band saw. At both ends, cut pipes are
connected into an Oxyacetylene welding procedure with precise metal chips of the
same plate content, then it will be attached with spud through MIG welding process. For
the collar plate, hot rolled steel plates are extracted by a shearing machine into defined
dimensions of rectangles and squares. The sheared square plates are pierced where a
piece of material is sheared and twisted. A crucial part of this method is that there is no
material reduction, just a transition in its geometry. The various marks of its net weight,
tare weight, water volume in liters, date checked, and manufacturer Mechanical Power
Press used to stamp on the pierced collar plate. By means of same machine, stamped
collar plates are shaped according to their structure. The quality of the collar plate is
tested in accordance with the specification established by the Department for the
product line.

Handle ring/ Valve safety ring

 For the cylinders body, Shearing is the first step in cutting of the Hot rolled Steel
plate for the diameter and thickness by the used of shearing machine. The sheared
square plates are sheared through a blanking machine into circular blanks. Then, Deep
drawing is a method of sheet metal formation in which a sheet metal blank is radially
drawn by the mechanical action of a punch into a forming die. Thus, it is a method of
shape transformation with material retention. When the depth of the portion drawn
reaches its diameter, the process is called deep drawing, the dimension of Brent Gas
LPG cylinder is about 300-millimeter diameter and 3.00-millmeter thickness. Drawn
cups are trimmed by trimming machine to remove flash, then it will be attached with
spud through MIG welding process. In the rolling machine, rectangular blanks are then
rolled and act as the body of the cylinder. On both sides, rolled blanks are then welded
to guarantee cylinder alignment. Straight within is the longitudinal welding system inside
the cylinder body. And Straight Outside is the longitudinal machining operation outside
the cylinder's shell. Using the tack welding process, drawn cups are added together to
create up the final look of the LPG cylinder. And by using the Sub-merged Arc welding
technique, the trimmed cups are joined. All these parts are degreased and then welded
together to form two-piece cylinders. The complete cylinder was then subjected to heat
treatment to minimize the internal stresses produced by welding. In cylinder production,
welding and heat treatment are important processes. The specifications for welding
methods and welding requirements are set up in IS 3196.

Cylinder Body
 Similarly, to obtain the appropriate mechanical properties in the finished cylinder,
the parameters of the heat treatment process are critically relevant. Cylinders should be
heat treated properly as specified by production of raw materials. Otherwise, the
finished cylinder may exhibit tensile strength values above or below the required
standard specifications, leading to failure to test the mechanical properties of the
cylinder. LPG cylinder is subjected to a hydrotest after the heat treatment process. This
test will show leaks, if any, in the finished cylinders. At this step, the LPG cylinder is
subjected to a test pressure for a specified time to check the leakage of the body and
the welding joint.

Heat Treatment Furnace Hydro Testing Machine

Hydro test cylinders are sent for painting. At this point, the cylinder surface is
prepared either by blasting or grit blasting. When the surface has been polished, the
cylinders are powder coated and baked to achieve smooth paint thickness in the body
of the cylinder. The cylinders are then measured on their collars or valve safety rings
and stamped with tare weight. Other specifics of the cylinder, such as the serial number,
the date of manufacture is also stamped on the cylinder body. The cylinders are then
installed with a valve and inspected once again for leakage, if any. If it successfully
completes all these stages, the LPG cylinder is ready for dispatch. In addition, for ISI
certification purposes, manufacturers can test a sample cylinders from each lot. Tests to
be carried out on LPG cylinders for certification are Approval Tests, Burst Test, Volume
Extension Test, Hydrostatic Extension Test, Pneumatic Extension Test, Radiographic
Inspection and Fatigue Period Test.
 LPG CYLINDER TEST

Approval Testing

The purpose of the acceptance test is to check the

properties of the parent metal, such as yield power, Tensile
power, and percent elongation of the parent metal cylinder.
Acceptance research, too, the weld tensile strength of
cylinder weld joints is seen. The regular part 3 of IS 3196
specifies the Sample lot size, criteria for sample processing,
and location of sampling on a cylinder. Often, the, the
specification states minimum criteria for a sufficient number
of cylinders to be approved.

Bursting Machine Test

Inner pressure is raised above the breakeven

point of the LPG Cylinder after filling the LPG Cylinder
to the interior of the cage. The welding quality and
sheet material quality of the LPG Cylinder are defined
based on the welding type (longitudinal / latitudinal)
tear pattern of the sheet material. The LPG Cylinder
Bursting System can be used for visual eye checking of LPG Cylinders.

Volume Extension Test

The volumetric expansion test shows that the cylinder

expansion under test pressure conditions is volumetric. The
standard allows for permanent volumetric expansion of the
overall capacity of the cylinder by 1/20000. A cylinder 's
nominal hoop stresses at burst pressure conditions are
determined depending on the burst pressure.
 Air Leakage Testing

In the event of any leakage on the welded

sections or flange links, LPG Cylinders are visually
checked. A pool full of water is sunk into LPG
cylinders. The air leakage test system is designed to
test 5-10 cylinders at a time, so it takes time to plunge
the cylinder into water and wait for air bubbles to
emerge. The beginning and end of the cage are
closed until all cylinders are brought into the cage,
then the cylinders are plunged horizontally into the
water for improved visual inspection of air leakage.

Pneumatic Leak Testing

Every cylinder has to undergo a pneumatic leak

test once the service valve is mounted on the LPG
cylinder. Under this test, 1180 kPa pneumatic pressure
is applied to the cylinder to check any leaks or weld
leaks from the cylinder body.

Hydrostatic Testing

In the hydro-static measuring machine, LPG

Cylinders are tested to see whether there is some liquid
flowing out of the welding parts openings or whether there
are any holes / cracks on the sheet material as a flaw.
 Radiographic Test

The aim of the radiographic inspection is to

check the welding quality and the welding defects in
the cylinder during the manufacturing process, where
the welding overlaps, to check the welding defects.

Fatigue Period Test

The fatigue or cyclic test is a test of

consistency. This test is performed under cyclic
loads to verify cylinder fatigue strength and cyclic
pressures.
 RAW MATERIALS
Raw material is the most important parameter for constructing an LPG cylinder.
Special grade steel follows standard IS 6240, hot-rolled steel sheet up to 6 millimeters,
and strip is used for the manufacture of low-pressure liquefiable gas cylinders or similar
for the body of the cylinder. Valve safety ring, Foot ring should be verified to Grade 0 of
IS 1079, Hot rolled carbon steel sheets and stripper IS 2062 or IS 6240, the steel pipe
has 3, 8 and 10 millimeters.

Steel Plate Steel pipe

The bung or valve pad should be confirmed by class 1A or class 2 of IS 1875,

carbon steel notes, blooms, slabs, and forging bars or IS 2062, Steel for general
structural purposes. The finished cylinder should ensure 240 MPa yield tension, 350
MPa to 450 MPa tensile strength, and when subjected to the parent metal tensile
measure, the percentage of permanent elongation of the parent metal should not be
less than 25 percent.
 IV. EQUIPMENT OF MACHINERIES

Shrinking Machine
It is used for shrinkage of safety straps on
cylinder valves. It is a hot water vaporized system.
It is used with steam generator and water tank
together.

Trimming Machine
The trimming machine is used to cut the edge of
the envelope of the cylinder without any scraps. The
system adopts gas jar clamping, feeding, and cutting
automatically through the inclining hob, and adjustable
slope tilt. It gathers equipment, electricity, and gas in one
facility, with a fair structure, stable efficiency, and simple
service.

Blanking and Deep Drawing Machine

Blanking and Deep Drawing Die Maker with the

consistency and strict manufacturing measures of the
steel used in the die manufacture. The LPG Cylinder's
most significant compound is Die. Each single stage is
managed to ensure the highest consistency for the
final product, from the machining of the steel to the
hardening process.
Shearing Machine
Multipurpose instruments used to cut alloys and
other sheet metal are used. A scissor-like, angular shear
operation is used by some shearing machines to cut metal
into sheets or strips. In contrast to the angular motion,
other, bigger devices use a pure shear action with the
blade set at an angle.

LPG gas Furnace

This furnace is designed to anneal LPG cylinders by applying flame from gas
burner on the cylinders. It composes, burner, flaming chamber, smoke collector, rails,
chain roller, exhaling system.

Painting Line Machine

LPG Cylinder Surface Coating Line uses an overhead
conveyor system that transmits the cylinders to the main coat
paint spraying in the primary coat painting cabinet, flash off in
the flash off tube, manual paint application in the paint touch
up cabinet, final coat paint spraying in the final coat painting
cabinet, flash off in the second flash off tunnel, paint curing in
the paint curing oven

Shot Blasting Machine

The LPG Cylinder Shot Blasting Machine is

used to automatically clean the surface of the LPG
cylinders in an enclosed chamber by blasting the grit
content coming from the machine turbines. When they
pass into the blasting chamber at the base of the unit,
the LPG cylinders are shot-blasted. When they move
through to ensure the cleaning of the entire floor, the
cylinders are often turned on the rollers.
Valve Seat Welding Machine
To finish the welding of the ring joints of the valve
bench. The clamping is convenient to ensure consistent
shaping, good appearance, weld penetration, and weld
width meets the technical specifications. Girth welding at
once for submerged arc welding technology.

Zinc Machine

Arc spraying zinc unit, spray gun automatic

mechanism, automatic transmission, and workpiece
rotating speed shift mechanism, spraying room, vacuum
cleaners, electrical control pieces are the zinc metalizing
line. It is especially used for the surface area of LPG
cylinders.

Mechanical Press Machine

Mechanical power press shears, punches, shapes,
or assembles by means of instruments or dies attached to
slides or rams, metal, or other materials. By putting stock
on a bottom die and hitting it with a top die, metalworking
takes place.
 V. REFERENCES
Akula, Ramakrishna, Siddiqui A Nihal, and Sojan Lal P. "Study on Hydro testing of LPG
Cylinders." International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology III, no. I
(July 2013): 167-170.

Akula, Ramakrishna, Siddiqui A Nihal, and Sojan Lal P. "Review of Liquefied Petroleum
Gas (LPG) Cylinder Life cycle." International Journal of Advanced Engineering
TechnologyIV, no. III (July-Sept 2013): 37-41

Anonymous. (2018, June 27). [PDF] Chapter-2 2. LPG Cylinder Life Cycle - Free
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https://nanopdf.com/download/chapter-2-2-lpg-cylinder-life-
cycle_pdf?fbclid=IwAR2RkmRFw0hUYsTeudX4NP9E8dia8pYsDuHrArAF0eqjpK8JBFk
4OHbjX8U

A detailed guide to lpg cylinder manufacturing Process - Minsheng. (2020, June 17).
Retrieved November 02, 2020, from https://www.msgascylinder.com/lpg-cylinder-
manufacturing-process/

Supplier Homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2020, from https://kelly-

huang71.en.made-in-china.com/product-group/kMHxqbsylRce/LPG-Cylinder-
Manufacturing-Machine-catalog-1.html