Certain gas cans work better than others when it comes to storing fuel
Although there was a good moment when many of us thought that solar power and alternative energy sources had the potential to be satisfactory substitutes for traditional fuel, the economics of reality begs to differ. We are familiar with solid fuels like wood, coal, charcoal, and liquid fuels like petroleum, diesel, gasoline, or kerosene, but most of us are less acquainted with gaseous fuels simply because of their nature. The decomposing matter exposed to extreme heat and pressure under the layers of the Earth over time forms the chemical bonds that create natural gas.
Gas fuel has found its purpose in a variety of mundane tasks as well as industrial purposes. Gas storage can represent a challenge because of its aggregate state of matter, and gas leaks are the last thing anybody would want hanging over their head. In the very peculiar case that you have been contemplating the best choices for fuel storage, we prepared a guide to help you make the right choice in fuel containers.
Optimal Fuel Storage Materials
It is well established that metal fuel cans are the optimal storage option for any fuel type, particularly gas fuels. Although high-density polyethylene, also known as HDPE, can give the impression of a good enough material choice, over time, even gasoline can permeate and break down the walls of the HDPE container. Non-electric fluid drum pumps and vents can help safely handle the gas fuel and equalize the pressure in the container. Hydrogen, propane, methane, coal gas, water gas, blast furnace gas, coke oven gas, CNG are all best stored safely in metal containers.
Why Use Special Fuel Containers
Many different fuel types degrade over time, while some fuels degrade sooner than others because of the less than optimal storage conditions. Your local petroleum enforcing authority should be able to inform you about the legal quantities of fuel you are allowed to store. Unfortunately, nobody has the jurisdiction to tell you your months-old boat petrol storage is no longer safe to use. Oxidation or air exposure and evaporation of volatile compounds often cause fuel to degrade and lose its combustibility.
Industry Requirements and Regulations
When we talk about storing flammable liquids, you want a storage option accepted under CARB, OSHA, and NFPA Code 30, including safety cans made from galvanized steel to reduce explosion danger and indispensable non-sparking flame arrestors. The Department of Transportation approves storage cans whose thumb screw mechanism ensures double closure, and faucet cans for flammable liquids must have a drip-free and self-closing design. You should pay special attention to disposal cans because sometimes a high-density polyethylene container will do the trick if you are not handling liquid waste, but not always. Liquid waste containers should have a frame-arrestor and a cap assembly that automatically releases excessive internal vapor pressures.
Safe Gas Transportation
When you plan on handling potentially hazardous material, it is crucial to keep the current industry requirements and regulations in mind but also understand the purpose behind them in the first place. Compressor stations, gas tankers, and oil pipelines all abide by industry-specific rules – both before and after pressurizing gas into NGL (natural gas liquid) and transporting it. Gathering, transportation, distribution, development, and planning from a civil engineering point of view are all quintessential examples of where gas handling requirements are indispensable.
Hazard Assessment and Prevention
ust like buying insurance or servicing a fire extinguisher, hazard assessment (COSHH) is an option you want to think about in advance. Safety drills and procedures should be scheduled regularly on an ongoing basis to ensure all of your equipment and storage solutions are functioning like they are supposed to, with minimal to nonexistent odds of causing harm. Regular certification and field evaluation go hand in hand for safely handling fuels and gas-fired equipment, and the B149.3 gas code specifies the minimum requirements to ensure safety. Many companies will gladly conduct a free field evaluation for customers.
Conclusion
It is no longer debatable that metal gas fuel containers are your best choice if you are thinking about the best ways to store fuel, whether long-term or for a specific purpose, on an industrial scale, or for private purposes. Fortunately, there is a wide array of high-quality options for gas storage nowadays, even for small-scale use, so quantity will never be a problem again. Choose metal gas cans for fuel storage, and enjoy safely using and transporting your fuel.
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