International standards that regulate gas cylinders

Despite significant speed in technological development almost every industry widely uses gas cylinders in its activities. Taking into account the fact that these elements are necessary in order to ensure the conservation and transportation of gas from one location to another, they must comply with international standards. Strict regulation of the production of gas cylinders should ensure the safety of further operation, so they must be tested. Companies that manufacture this product must always pay attention to the fact that the cylinder can be damaged by the gas that is inside. Only gas cylinders that have been tested for safe use and produced in accordance may be taken into service. One of the main tasks of manufacturers is to ensure the safety of their product for the end consumer, so companies need to devote enough time to study international standards that govern the requirements for gas cylinders. This area is regulated by many documents, each of which has its own characteristics, including the material from which the cylinders are made. We have collected for you in this article several international standards that describe the requirements for the production of gas cylinders.

Gas cylinders - Ball valves - Specification and testing

EN ISO 23826:2021

One of the important components of gas cylinders, which performs the functions of locking or regulating, are ball valves. Ball valves are used both in the domestic sphere and in industry. The design of cranes differs depending on their purpose, conditions of use and other factors. For companies that are engaged in the production of these elements, it is necessary to have information regarding the requirements for all production processes, which are collected in the international standard EN ISO 23826:2021.

This document specifies design, type testing, marking and manufacturing test and examination requirements for ball valves used as:

a) closures of refillable transportable gas cylinders, pressure drums and tubes;

b) main valves for cylinder bundles;

c) valves for cargo transport units (e.g. trailers, battery vehicles and MEGCs);

which convey compressed gases, liquefied gases and dissolved gases.

NOTE 1 In the course of the document, the term "valve" is used with the meaning of "ball valve".

This document does not apply to:

• oxidizing gases as defined in ISO 10156,

• toxic gases (i.e. gases listed in ISO 10298 having an LC50 value ≤ 5 000 ppm) and

• acetylene for single gas cylinders, pressure drums and tubes.

NOTE 2 The reason for the exclusion of oxidizing gases is that the use of ball valves as closures of high pressure cylinders for oxidizing gases is known to lead to specific ignition hazards that cannot reasonably be mitigated through the ball valve design or type testing. Safety hazards concern both the ball valve itself and any downstream equipment.

This International document does not apply to ball valves for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),cryogenic equipment, portable fire extinguishers and cylinders for breathing apparatus.

NOTE 3 Requirements for valves for cryogenic vessels are specified in ISO 21011 and at a regional level, e.g. in EN 1626. Requirements for valves for portable fire extinguishers at a regional level are specified e.g. in EN 3 series.

NOTE 4 Certain specific requirements for valves for breathing apparatus in addition to those that are given in this document are specified at a regional level, e.g. in EN 144 series. Certain specific requirements for quick-release valves for fixed fire-fighting systems in addition to those that are given in this document are specified in ISO 16003 and at a regional level e.g. in EN 12094–4.

The main feature of the international standard, which we considered above, is the areas to which its regulation applies. It is very important for manufacturers of ball valves to learn how to understand all these documents. Considering the fact that each international standard regulates a separate area of ​​use of ball valves, you may need to consult specialists. Our team is always ready to help you.

Gas cylinders - Compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with gas contents - Part 2: Non-metallic materials

EN ISO 11114-2:2021

The handling of explosive substances such as gas must be accompanied by increased safety measures. Companies that manufacture gas cylinders that are designed to transport gas must carefully control the quality. Under the influence of gas, the material from which the equipment is made can deform and become unusable. Given this possibility, it is necessary to check gas cylinders in accordance with the requirements of the international standard EN ISO 11114-2:2021.

This document gives guidance on the selection and evaluation of compatibility between non-metallic materials for gas cylinders and valves and the gas contents. It is also applicable to tubes, pressure drums and bundles of cylinders.

This document covers composite and laminated materials used for gas cylinders. It does not include ceramics, glasses and adhesives.

This document considers the influence of the gas in changing the material and mechanical properties (e.g. chemical reaction or change in physical state). The basic properties of the materials, such as mechanical properties required for design purposes (normally available from the materials supplier), are not considered. Other aspects, such as quality of delivered gas, are not considered.

The compatibility data given are related to single component gases but can be applicable to gas mixtures.

This document does not apply to cryogenic fluids (this is covered in ISO 21010)

A feature of this standard is that it regulates the characteristics that non-metallic, composite and laminated materials must have in order to be suitable for the production of not only gas cylinders, but also pipes, pressure drums and cylinder bundles. If your company operates in this market segment, then you can read the text of the international standard at the link attached below.

LPG equipment and accessories - Procedure for checking transportable refillable LPG cylinders before, during and after filling

EN 1439:2021

The use of reusable portable cylinders for transporting reduced petroleum gas greatly simplifies the process of its transportation. However, these gas cylinders must be subject to a strict inspection procedure at all stages of placing petroleum gas in them. A thorough inspection will help you ensure the safety of people who will use these tools in their work.

All necessary requirements for gas cylinders that can be used for compressed gases are described in the international standard EN 1439:2021.

This document specifies the procedures to be adopted when checking transportable refillable LPG cylinders before, during and after filling.

This document is applicable to transportable refillable LPG cylinders of water capacity not exceeding 150 l and deemed to be fitted with valves designed according to EN ISO 14245 [4] and EN ISO 15995 [5].

This document does not apply to the requirements for filling LPG cylinders that are designed and equipped for filling by the user.

This document does not apply to the requirements for filling LPG containers on vehicles.

This document is applicable to the following:

• welded and brazed steel LPG cylinders with a specified minimum wall thickness (see EN 1442 and EN 12807 [1] or an equivalent standard);

• welded steel LPG cylinders without specified minimum wall thickness (see EN 14140 or an equivalent standard);

• welded aluminium LPG cylinders (see EN 13110 [2] or an equivalent standard);

• composite LPG cylinders (see EN 14427 or an equivalent standard); and

• over-moulded cylinders (OMC).

Specific requirements for the different types of cylinders are detailed in Annex A, Annex B, Annex C, Annex D and Annex G.

This document is intended to be applicable to cylinders complying with RID/ADR [6] [7] (including pi marked cylinders) and also to existing non RID/ADR cylinder populations.

A feature of this international standard is that it applies to gas cylinders of a certain volume, namely no more than 150 liters, but it is also worth noting that it is not suitable for all cylinders, depending on their purpose. In order to get advice regarding international standards, as well as to determine which one is suitable for the scope of your company, you can contact our specialists.

Gas cylinders - Vocabulary

EN ISO 10286:2021

Gas cylinders are a very complex and responsible design, the production of which must be carefully controlled. Since this area is quite specialized, it contains many professional terms that may not always be clear at first glance. A correct understanding of the terminology that is used in international standards is the key to the correct application of the information that is described in them. In order to make it easier to navigate the terms and concepts that are used, an international standard has been created, in the format of the dictionary EN ISO 10286:2021.

This document defines terms for gas cylinders. You can familiarize yourself with the terms that are given in this standard on our website, using the link that we posted at the end of the article.

Production of gas cylinders must comply with international standards

Companies that manufacture gas cylinders must understand the level of their responsibility for the product they produce. Gas cylinders are means for storing and transporting explosive substances, in this case, we are talking about gases. During the development and manufacture of gas cylinders, it is necessary to check all its elements, including the materials from which they are made. All materials used in production must be resistant to gas, which will also expand inside and have a negative effect, thus making the cylinder not safe enough to use.

Taking into account that non-compliance with international production quality standards can pose a threat to human life, we once again want to emphasize how important it is to correctly define international standards that regulate your field of activity, and it is also important to correctly implement them in all production processes. In this article, we have analyzed some of the main international standards that have collected the requirements for gas cylinders. However, do not forget that there are many more documents in this area that can be useful to you. In order to make a safe product, in accordance with international standards, you can seek advice from the specialists of our company.

References:

https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/6983599d-a1ac-4f8c-a4a1-a3ecae5fdc84/sist-en-iso-23826-2022 https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/4e75ec36-7ecb-4625-88fe-e85dfb7a6068/sist-en-iso-11114-2-2022 https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/bbc2c31b-909a-44bf-828b-fd31d26d2e61/sist-en-1439-2022 https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/c2700db4-f9fa-4538-a5c7-ff6f157946b9/sist-en-iso-10286-2022