Transporting and Storing Inert Gas Cylinders

People do that, but it's stuuuupid. It is also in violation of DOT regulations, AFAIK. Prepare for a slew of posts from people who "do it all the time and have never had a problem."

The "safety reasons" that apply to oxygen apply to inert gasses, as well

- it has nothing to do with oxygen being an oxidiser, and everything to do with the ballistic properties of a cylinder with the valve sheared off - which are impressive. The educational blurb at the gas storage area of a former workplace mentioned such tid-bits as penetrating 8" concrete walls...

Rig a way to chain them upright for transport - it's an easy welding project. Always take the regulators off and put the transport covers (the cover which screws over the valve) on before transporting.

Not a good idea. If there is an accident, and the valve is damaged, the bottle will become a rocket. Do you really want a rocket aimed at people level? By chaining the bottle upright there is less chance of the valve being damaged in a collision, and if it is, the rocket will try to go straight down, which is the safest direction.

A high pressure bottle with a broken valve can travel for hundreds of yards, and penetrate car bodies or concrete block walls. It is really impressive.

No. Bottle pressure will be a bit lower in the cold, but that's it.

Gary

Artemia Salina wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@sheayright.com:

Should be no problem with cold.

Sorry to mooch here but I've got the same concern with OA tanks in my unheated/uncooled garage. I'm a bit worried about summer storage as the summers here can get up to high 80s low 90s ambient. I would guess that the garage interior will reach close to 100F on a hot summer day when the doors are closed. What is the safe upper limit for OA tanks?

Thanks and sorry again for mooching...

Exactly how you have to transport your cylinder somewhat depends on your state.

Here in Seattle, 10 years ago, the state police were handing out tickets to people for transporting cylinders imp[roperly, or not having hazzard placards on their trucks.

Then the funding was cut for enforcement so they stopped bothering people. At the time you had to sign an actuall shipping manifest for every bottle you picked up. Now nobody bothers. The caps on cylinders are designed to take an enormous amount of abuse, and quite honestly they stand less chance of damage while laying flat than if chained upright. In a collision the chance of your rack withstanding the impact forces is dubious, and the upright cylinders would end of falling over, which is more likely to damage a cap than a straight on impact on the top of the cap.

Yes I am one of "those guys" who transports my cyclinder laying down in my truck. I tie them to the side so they can't roll and slide them all the way forward to they have so room to slide if I hit something.

I do have a hazzard placard, but I haven't transfered it yet from my old truck to my new truck.

I found out 2 interesting facts about them from a nice lady state trooper. If some joker flips your placard to "DANGEROUS", when you aren't hauling anything...

1. You can be fined 00 for misuse of a placard, and...
2. If your truck catches on fire no rescue personell are required to go anywhere near your vehicle.

Nice things to know.

The only cyclinders that MUST be transported, stored and used upright are Acetylene cylinders. Otherwise the acetone inside can get up into the valve head.

Most all fuel gas cylinders contain liquid, don't use them laying on there side. Carbon Dioxide (co2) cylinders contain liquid and should be used upright.