Choosing Your Gas Cylinder Size – What You Need To Consider

There are a few factors to consider when choosing your gas cylinder size now that there is greater availability in the market.

Traditionally specialty gas and calibration gas mixtures in Australia were produced in “G” size and “D” size cylinders only. Suppliers seldom provided a choice of cylinder sizes so often customers would end up with more gas than required which would be a waste of money, or cylinders too large to manage easily.

The ease of gas cylinder management is particularly important in laboratory applications, where moving of cylinders is required and creates a potential safety hazard for employees.

 The Top Four Considerations

1. How much gas volume do you require
2. What is the gas mixture and how will that impact gas volume
3. The shelf life of the gas 
4. Whether or not your staff need to move the cylinders

What Cylinders Are Available Now?

High pressure cylinders are available in 5L, 10L (“D”), 20L (“E”) and 50L ( “G”) water capacities. Low pressure/non-refillable cylinders are available in cylinders with maximum gas capacity of 34 litre, 65 litre, 103 litre and 112 litre sizes. Binary and multi-component gas mixtures with either corrosive or non-corrosive gases can be manufactured in the range of cylinder sizes. Not all gas mixtures are able to be produced in the smaller cylinders, but each application is reviewed to determine acceptability.

Gas Mixture & Concentration Dictates Volume Not Just Cylinder Size

Cylinder size will typically provide larger volumes of gas with increased cylinder size when the mixtures are standard mixtures such as methane or carbon monoxide.   But when the gas mixture is a multi-component mixture (in particular hydrocarbon mixtures), gas volume may dramatically change with varying gas components and concentration.

A 50L cylinder would hold approximately 7,500 litres of gas at 150bar of 2.5% CH4 in air.

The same cylinder with a multiple component mixture of C1-C5  will produce smaller and smaller gas volumes with increases in gas mixture concentration.

Shelf Life

For more information on cylinder specifications and warranty information click the image below.

Gas mixture, gas concentration, temperature, shelf life and your specific working situation all impact on making the correct decision on which cylinder size is best for your application.

If you have any questions about your gas cylinder sizes we offer free guidance in the selection of gas mixtures and associated equipment you need for your application. We will happily work with you in partnership and determine the total volume of gas that will be consumed and recommend the most appropriate and cost effective strategies.