Cylinders, Tanks and Accessories

Review
Introduction

• Propane is stored as a liquid and burned as a vapour.

• We store this liquid propane in tanks or cylinders
• Storage capacity must be large enough to meet demand of all connected appliances and
equipment.
• Weather plays a key role in sizing
• Therefore tanks and cylinders sizing must be correct.
• As a rule tanks are stationary and cylinders are portable.

Cylinders

• Must be fabricated, tested and legibly marked in accordance with Transport Canada (tc)
and US Department of Transport(dot).
• May be reused.
• May only be reused without rexamination and testing if they are within 10 years of the
manufacturers date.
• After this date they must be reconditioned and properly purged before reuse.

Cylinders have three important parts, it must have

1. At least one opening for a service valve.

2. It must have a protective cap or neck ring in order to protect the valve once it is
installed. (Figure a)
3. Must be equipped with a foot ring allowing the cylinder to be placed securely on a
foundation.
 (Figure. a)

• Most common size used is 20 pounds for appliances such as barbeques

• Most other applications 100 lb cylinder is the norm
• They come in a variety of different sizes.
• They can be transported empty or full
• A cylinders capacity is rated by weight in pounds of water.
• Liquid propane weighs 42 % that of water
• A tank rated at 1000 pounds of water will really gives you 420 pounds of propane.
• always refer to a container by its propane full weight
• Note: you are only allowed to fill a tank 80% full since January 2000
• propane cylinders are no longer allowed to be filled based on their propane full weight
• Different filling methods are used to ensure cylinders are never filled more than 80 %
• extra volume must be allowed for the propane to expand
• An independent service valve controls the flow of gas out of the cylinder.
• The outlet of the service valve is called the service connection.
• The vapours service valve is uniqueand usually have a perstolite (pol threaded
connection).
 • This fitting is unique to vapour service and cannot be connected toa liquid line
connection (figure b)
• Each cylinder has number of marking on it to identify its characteristics.

Figure. b

All cylinders must be legibly marked in accordance with Transport Canada and US Department
of Transportation.

The nameplate (figure c) contains mandatory information related to the cylinder.

The information is as follows:

1. manufacturers name
2. date of manufacturer
3. serial number
4. tare weight ( tw ) which is
the empty weight of the
cylinder
5. water capacity (wc)
6. approval label tc or dot
7. last date of inspection

Figure. c
Valves on Cylinders

A typical cylinder will have a ¾ inch threaded opening for:

1. filling
2. vapour withdrawl
3. pressure relief set at 375 psig and may incorporate
a fusible plug that melts at 212 oF (figure d)

Figure. d

Overfill Protection Device (OPD)

• Many cylinders are equipped with an overfill protection device

• A float inside the tank shuts the filling when the 80 % mark has been reached
• This feature on tanks can be identified by the triangular wheel (figure e)

Figure. e
Liquid withdrawl Connections on Cylinders

• Connections for liquid service differ from vapour connections

• Usually a CGA (Compressed Gas Association) approved fitting will be employed
containing a right handed thread. (figure f.)
• This unique fitting prevents vapour and liquid connections from being intermixed
• Some equipment such as forklifts and automobiles take liquid propane from the tank and
then vapourize it at the engine.

Figure. F

• Propane is kept is liquid form in the service line

• Liquid withdrawl is commonly used when the propane in applied as a vehicle engine fuel
such as in a fork lift engine.
• A cylinder can be mounted in a vertical or horizontal position but a relief valve must
always communicate with the vapour space.
• This type of application would require a hydrostatic relief device.

Figure. G
Hydrostatic Relief Devices on Propane Systems

Hydrostatic relief device:

• Has a similar purpose to a line relief device

• Must be installed between to valves on a liquid line on a propane system
• If liquid propane were to become trapped between two closed valves in piping or hose it
could burst if its pressurewere to reach an unacceptable level.
• The hydrostatic relief device relieves this pressure thus preventing the piping of hose
from bursting
• They usually discharge at 250 psig
• They send a little liquid to atmosphere to reduce tank pressure to a more acceptable level.

Combination Valve for Liquid Service

• This excess flow valve protects the container against uncontrolled discharge of liquid
propane gas in case the service line breaks.
• It is installed in the liquid dip tube
• The valve will only close upon a excess flow condition
• Excess flow valves are rated for 1 ½ times the normal flow condition
• The dip tube completely isolates liquid from the inlet of the relief valve.
• Vapour is free to flow around the dip tube to the inlet of the safety relief valve.

Figure. h
How does it work

Figure. i

Automatic Changeover Regulators for Cylinders

• When cylinders are used an automatic changeover regulator systems can be added
• The function of this set up is to change supply of propane over to the reserve cylinder
when the main cylinder is empty
• This happens without interruption
• Allows main tank to be removed without disruption of service.

Figure. j
Manual Changeover Manifold for Cylinders
• Cylinders and tanks may have changeover manifolds
• Used when two cylinders are in use
• Allows propane supply to be switched from supply tank to reserve tank when propane
levels drops below a certain point
• The change must be made manually
• The main container can then be filled without interruption of service

Figure. k

Cylinder Safety

Safety Concerns

• Always use propane appliances like barbeques in well ventilated areas

• Shut the cylinder off when you are finished using the bbq
• Don’t store cylinder inside
• Put transportation cap when transporting
• Store upright
• Always check for leaks after attaching to regulator
• You should never use a cylinder that shows sign of damage ( dents, bulge, fire
damaged, corrosion, etc)
Tanks

Figure. m

• When larger installations are planned, propane storage tanks are often required to deliver
sufficient flow of propane to meet demand.
• Tanks also have a nameplate

Figure. n
 • A common connection on a tanks and cylinders is called a pigtail
• It forms part of the vapour withdrawal system
• It allows for flexibility in movement in the rest of the piping system

Figure. o

Sizing Tanks and Cylinders

• When sizing a propane container the most important consideration is the vapour or liquid
capacity of the container
• The container must always have a propane withdrawal capacity that is high enough to
supply all equipment connected downstream.
• When filling an tank or cylinder we must never exceed more than 80 % of the container
filled with liquid propane
• Overfilling reduces the vapourization rate and may result is liquid being withdrawal or a
hydrostatic build up

What is Vapourization rate ?

Vapourization rate

• The vapourization rate of a container is the volume of propane that can be boiled off
inside the container during a given period of time.
• Expressed in cubic feet per hour
• When sizing a tank or cylinder always make sure the vapourzation rate is greater than the
demand of propane.
• If it is smaller, the appliance will not operate at their rated inputs due to low supply gas
pressure
• Can become a safety issue (possible delayed ignition low pressure situation may be
created.)
Factors That Effect Vapourization Rate

There are six factors, these factors either slow down or speed up the boiling rate.

• surface area of the tank.

• ambient temperature
• temperature of the gas
• level of liquid.
• relative humidity.
• Location

Surface area of the tank

• Heat is transferred through the walls of the tank.

• The specific area of the tank that comes in contact with the liquid propane is called the
wetted surface area.
• In effect the larger wetted surface area, the higher the vapourization rate.

Ambient temperature

• If the temperature around the wetted surface area is high, more heat causes a higher
vapourization rate.

Temperature of the gas

• The temperature of the liquid in the container determines how much extra heat is
required.
• If liquid temp is low, more heat is required from the wetted surface area to bring the
propane liquid to its boiling point.

Level of liquid

• As propane vapour is withdrawn, the liquid level in the tank drops also.
• This also means the wetted surface area decreases
• This causes heat transfer to the liquid to decrease and therefore your vapourization rate
will also decrease.

Location

• Containers installed above ground benefit from high summer temperature.

• Direct sunlight will also improve vapourization.
• Tanks and cylinders should be located on the south side of a of building if possible to get
as much direct sunlight as possible.
Relative humidity

• If the air around the tank is very humid, in winter frost can accumulate on the tank or
cylinder.
• This will create a frost line on the tank.
• Frost acts as an insulator and drastically reduces vapouriztion rate.

Where to Locate the Tank

• Check all code requirements before installing the container.
• Sparks from electric motors, switches, air conditioners etc. can cause enough heat for
combustion to occur.