Investigator: John H. Smith

Technical Description:

Many industries use metallic cylinders for the storage and shipping of a wide range of different types of gasses from hazardous gasses to breathing air. Occasionally, these cylinders fail releasing their contents and injuring personnel. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the structural integrity and safety of metal and composite high pressure gas cylinders and to develop improved design standards and testing procedures for the cylinders.

Technical Objectives:

• Develop the technical basis for safety regulations governing the design, manufacture, and testing of new, advanced high pressure gas cylinders.

• Develop test methods and fracture resistance acceptance criteria for high strength steel cylinders.

• Evaluate sustained load cracking in aluminum cylinders.

• Develop design standards and test methods for full composite cylinders.

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Improved safety and reduced liability costs associated with the storage and shipping of industrial gasses.

• Improved public safety and increased use of compressed gasses by the general public including compressed natural gas for public and private transportation.

Accomplishments for FY 1995:

• Interactions with the compressed gas industry through the Compressed Gas Association have resulted in the U.S. technical standards governing the design and manufacture of high pressure steel cylinders being significantly updated and consolidated.

• Through participation in the Cylinder Design committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) a new standard for the design and construction of high strength steel cylinders has been adopted.

• The technical basis was developed to support changes in the present standards for the manufacture of aluminum cylinders to prevent failures that have occurred due to sustained-load-cracking.

• Summary report and a failure analysis report on sustained-load-cracking in aluminum cylinders has been prepared.

• A draft of revised technical standards for the design and construction of steel cylinders.

Impacts and Technical Highlights:

• Changes in the manufacture of aluminum cylinders have eliminated the occurrence of failure in newly produced aluminum cylinders.

• The adaptation of a single ISO worldwide standard for high strength steel cylinders permits the U.S. manufacturers to produce steel cylinders for worldwide use.

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Last modified: Mon Jan 06 09:46:15 1997 Metallurgy Webmeister