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Table of Contents
Notice and Disclaimer Concerning Liability Purpose of This Document..........................................................................................................1 What Is a Composite Cylinder?................................................................................................2 TYPES OF Composite Cylinders..................................................................................................3 How are Composite Cylinders Marked?.........................................................................4 Special care of composite cylinders.................................................................................5 How Do I Inspect a Composite Cylinder before filling?.....................................5 Visual Inspection Acceptance/Rejection Criteria...................................................6 Examples of unacceptable damage to cylinders and casing......................7 How Do I Fill a Composite Cylinder?................................................................................8 PURGING Composite CylinderS..................................................................................................9 What If I Need to Requalify or Refurbish a Composite Cylinder?...............9 What Safety Information Do I Give to the Customer?...................................10 acknowledgments..........................................................................................................11
One-Piece Construction
The one-piece composite cylinder is currently manufactured by two companies: Ragasco (models pictured above) and Kompozit-Praha. The cylinders are made from tough polymeric and fiberglass materials that are chemical resistant. An outer casing protects the cylinder and the valve.
Two-Piece Construction
The two-piece composite cylinder is currently manufactured by The Lite Cylinder Company as a two-piece main body (top and bottom fitted together). The two halves of each cylinder are wound with fiberglass and then injected with plastic resin. A hard plastic outer casing protects the cylinder and the valve.
Service pressure (psig) Serial number and manufacturer identification Inspector mark Date of test and inspection
If the latest cylinder test/inspection date is more than 5 years old, it cannot be filled and must be removed from service for requalification. Additionally, any cylinder that is more than 15 years beyond its original test/inspection date must be removed from service, and cannot be requalified for continued service.
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Note: Scratches that do not sever a fiber are not reason for rejection.
Impact damage that has caused surface damage, including delamination, is not acceptable. Impact damage made by a pointed object that has caused delamination and surface damage is not acceptable. A delamination that runs through more than one layer is not acceptable. For a bulge (cavity) internally in the composite overwrap, the maximum diameter of the bulge cannot exceed 10% of the composite thickness. Any bulge combined with outer damage is not acceptable. A delamination that is not in combination with outer damage and not covering more than 30% of the cylinder is acceptable. No fiber strands can be cut.
An inter-laminar delamination is a separation of layers of strands. An intra-laminar delamination is a separation between strands within the same layer. It may appear as a white-ish patch, like a blister or an air bubble, beneath the surface. Impact damage may appear as hairline cracks in the resin or delamination or cuts in the composite.
Chemical Damage
Chemical attack would appear as damage to the resin matrix surrounding the fibers. If affected, typically the cylinder surface feels sticky when touched. A cylinder with a casing that is broken or damaged in such a way that it will not be able to protect the cylinder satisfactorily must be removed from service for maintenance. Examples of such damage are broken foot rings and broken handles.
Chemical attack resulting in damage to the resin matrix surrounding the fibers is not acceptable. The cylinder must be removed from service.
Damage of Casing
Acceptable damage can be, for example, small cracks in the casing. If you cannot establish that the cylinder is unaffected, the cylinder must be removed from service for further investigation. Unacceptable damage is, for example, a broken casing. The cylinder must be removed from service for further investigation.
Heat or fire damage is evident by discoloration, scarring, or burning of the composite overwrap, casing, labels, and nonmetallic components of the valve.
Visible damage from heat and/or fire is unacceptable. Per DOT, these cylinders cannot be returned to service.
Source: Ragasco
Casing damage
Casing damage
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Acknowledgments
The authors of this booklet would like to gratefully thank the following people for their valuable assistance, contributions, and comments in the preparation of this document: Mike Caldarera National Propane Gas Association Philip Conty AmeriGas Propane, L.P. Stuart Flatow Propane Education & Research Council Jay Hilliard Revere Gas Bob Jones Ragasco North America Bryan Lewis CHS Propane Jerry Lucas Heritage Propane Darrel Reifschneider The Lite Cylinder Company Carlton Revere Revere Gas Jeff Shaffer Shaffers Bottled Gas Matthew Stevens Inergy Bruce Swiecicki National Propane Gas Association Mike Walters AmeriGas Propane, L.P.
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