Inert gas bottles

These people among others, make industrial gas cylinders from 6 to 150 ft3

Bruce

Cost. Want a shock look at SCBA units for the fire service. The old steel tanks were about 300.00 each. The newer wrapped aluminum ones start at around 900.00 each. Also the steel tanks get bounced around a LOT while being transported and used. If you want lightweight tanks they are available, We use lightweight aluminum tanks for O2 for patients.

brighter than

Are gas supplier that fill customers cylinders common? I have only dealt with ones that exchange cylinders and that would be a problem with expensive customer owned cylinders.

CO2 might react with an unlined aluminum cylinder, but Argon or Helium should be fine. Even CO2 is probably OK as long as there is no moisture around.

Bob

Pepsi and Coke to name a few use aluminum CO2 cylinders all the time. Just what the heck do you think is in CO2 that will react with the aluminum cylinder? Its just carbon and oxygen!

Jim, I was thinking that if there is any moisture around, the water would combine with the CO2 to give you carbonic acid which under cylinder pressures MIGHT be a problem with aluminum. If you read my post, I wasn't screaming that the world would end, just mentioning that maybe it would be worth a little investigation or information from somebody who knows more about CO2 and aluminum cylinders than I do.

Bob

As you know, aluminum oxidizes easily. I would guess that it might react with some of the gases. And maybe they just won't take the knocks of the real world. I have seen aluminum C02 tanks for soda fountains, though.

Very interesting question.

Steve

Carbolic acid (Phenol) C6H5HO, or C6H6O is just about the weakest acid there is. Some even challenge its right to even be called an acid. Its main claim to being an classified as an acid is its weak reactions with salifiable bases ( A simplified explanation is that a base is the opposite of an acid).It will not neutralize any alkalies. In fact water will neutralize it. It is obtained by fractional distillation of coal tar, and it is doubtful that it could ever be formed by the action of H2O and CO2 under the types of pressure likely to be encountered in a cylinder. Hummmm? that is unless the cylinder were buried a few thousands of feet underground and then had a mountain fall on it.Heck then you might get coal or diamonds.

Also the oxidatized surface of the aluminum is just about one of the harder and more resistant natural surface coatings there is. Man made this coating is called anodizing.

Jim

"Diamond Jim" wrote: Carbolic acid (Phenol) C6H5HO, or C6H6O is just about the weakest acid there is. (clip) Stop right there, Jim. CO2 reacts with water to form *carbonic acid,* not carbolic acid. The chemical formula is H2CO3, and it IS an acid. Try a little baking soda (an alkali) mixed with carbonated water and see the reaction.

Try carbonic acid.

Then take a look at Mammoth cave (or ay limestone cave) and see what it can do.