Understand the Operation of Compressed Gas Cylinders

Compressed gases are usually used in laboratories. Compressed gases present a number of risks for the laboratory worker. Gas cylinders may cover gases that are combustible, toxic, corrosive, asphyxiants, or oxidizers. Unsafe cylinders can be easily knocked over, causation serious injury and damage. Effect can shear the valve from an uncapped cylinder, causing a catastrophic release of pressure leading to individual injury and wide damage. Lastly, mechanical failure of the cylinder, cylinder valve, or regulator can result in fast dispersal of the pressurized fillings of the cylinder into the atmosphere; leading to explosion, fire, runaway reactions, or burst reaction vessels.

Compressed gas cylinders are used in many industries, including small and medium industries. Compressed gas cylinders safety is necessary for workers. So, this Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety Training is mainly covering the aspects of safe use, handling, transportation, storage, and disposal of gas cylinders. Taking care of all such safety aspects is essential to confirm the safety of employees and workplace where compressed gas cylinders are used and stored.

Operation of Compressed Gas Cylinders:

The hand wheel opens and closes the cylinder valve. The pressure release valve is designed to keep a cylinder from explosion in case of fire or dangerous temperature. Cylinders of very poisonous gases do not have a pressure release valve, but they are built with special safety features. The valve outlet connection is the combined used to attach the regulator. The pressure regulator is attached to the valve outlet connector in order to decrease the gas flow to a working level.

The Compressed Gas Connotation has purposely made certain types of regulators incompatible with certain valve outlet connections to avoid accidental mixing of gases that react with each other. Gases should always be used with the suitable regulator. Do not use connecters with regulators. The cylinder connection is a metal-to-metal pressure seal. Assure the curved mating surfaces are clean before attaching a regulator to a cylinder. Do not use Teflon tape on the threaded parts, because this may essentially reason the metal seal not to form correctly. Always escape test the connection.

Basic Operating Guidelines:

• Verify that the cylinder is protected.
• Attach the appropriate regulator to the cylinder. If the regulator does not fit, it may not be appropriate for the gas are using.
• Attach the suitable hose connections to the flow control valve. Protected any tubing with clamps so that it will not lash around when pressure is turned on. Use appropriate materials for connections; toxic and corrosive gases need connections made of special materials.
• Fit a trap between the regulator and the reaction mixture to dodge backflow into the cylinder.
• To stop a surge of pressure, turn the delivery pressure adjusting screw counter clock wise until it turns freely and then close the flow control valve.
• Slowly open the cylinder valve hand wheel till the cylinder pressure gauge reads the cylinder pressure.
• With the flow control valve closed, turn the delivery pressure screw clockwise until the delivery pressure gauge reads the wanted pressure.
• Adjust the gas flow to the system by using the flow control valve or another flow control device between the regulator and the experiment.
• After an experiment is accomplished, turn the cylinder valve off first, and then permit gas to bleed from the regulator. When both measures read "zero", remove the regulator and replace the protective cap on the cylinder head.
• When the cylinder is unfilled, mark it as "Empty", and store empty cylinders separate from filled cylinders.

Attach a "Filled/In Use/Empty" tag to all of cylinders, these tags are perforated and can be attained from the gas cylinder seller.

Ian Colin has published many articles regarding ISO Certification. Ian has rich experience as a online publisher and prepared various Certification documents as per ISO guideline since large amount of years in his professional career.