How to flush a gas cylinder: safe ways to flush a receiver
Have you ever faced the problem of cleaning an old gas cylinder? Sometimes even the classic method of bleeding propane is not enough for further safe work with the container. Residues of gas may accumulate inside the cylinder, which during the process of sawing metal can lead to a fire or explosion.
Agree, it is better to play it safe to avoid an emergency. There are several ways to wash a gas cylinder using different solutions that get rid of propane residues.
When working with a gas receiver, an important condition is the creation of safe conditions, which in this case is ensured by cleaning the container from gas. We have selected several of the safest methods for flushing a gas cylinder, allowing you to get rid of not only gas residues, but also the acrid smell of propane.
The content of the article:
Preparing the cylinder for cleaning
A huge number of instructions for making different designs from a propane receiver can confuse even a professional craftsman. Now anyone can build grill, smokehouse and even potbelly stove, however, not everyone knows the rules for preparing a gas cylinder for further use.
For many years, gas residues can be stored inside the cylinder, which, when interacting with the slightest spark, can lead to an explosion. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is try to unscrew it yourself valve to bleed gas using a regular gas key.
Unscrewing a working valve is not difficult, but if it is damaged, problems may arise, and it is unlikely to be possible to unscrew it with a key. In this case, you will have to resort to removing the valve by cutting it with a hacksaw, however, in the process of sawing the valve, the likelihood of a spark increasing, which can cause an explosion.
If the valve is successfully unscrewed, you can see a small hole in its place through which you can flush the gas cylinder. Often, ordinary water is used to clean the tank, which allows you to quickly and safely remove propane residues, but this will not completely eliminate the acrid smell of gas.
Therefore, in this case, it is recommended to use solutions with the addition of substances necessary for more effective cleaning of the receiver.
Read more about how to disassemble a gas cylinder Further.
Flushing a gas cylinder with water
When unscrewing the valve, it is discovered that the diameter of the flushing hole is only 6 mm, which means that filling a 50 liter gas cylinder with the same volume of liquid will be somewhat problematic.
A quick option is to lower the receiver into a bath of water, but in this case you should prepare for the fact that the whole room will smell of the acrid smell of propane, which will be quite difficult to get rid of.
It is better to carry out flushing work away from residential premises, while filling gas cylinder liquid can be done in other ways. To do this, you will need to prepare a thin 5 mm hose and a regular 6 liter plastic bottle, which will have to be filled with water from time to time.
The gas container is filled with water as follows:
- a bottle of water is placed on a hill (the hood of a car, for example), and a cylinder is placed nearby;
- it is necessary to stretch the hose between the container and the receiver, and the water will gradually flow from one container to another;
- To speed up the process, you can install a vessel with water at a higher height, but in this case you will have to find a longer hose.
When the tank is filled to its maximum, water displaces the gas, washing away even the slightest traces of propane. For the best effect, it is recommended to leave the balloon filled with water for about a day, and only after that proceed to the next stage - draining the liquid.
If filling the tank takes quite a long time, draining the water can seem like an eternity. A compressor connected to a thin hose with a blow gun at the end will help speed up the process. Using such a simple device, compressed air will be injected into the cylinder.
In this case, it is enough to pump the air a little, after which you will need to quickly remove the gun along with the hose. It is not recommended to remove the gun first and then the hose, since there is a possibility of getting caught in a cold “gas” shower.As necessary, the air inside the cylinder can be replenished, which will remove all the liquid from the cylinder in the shortest possible time.
Other safe ways to flush the receiver
To detect leaks in natural gas, a special flavor is deliberately added - an odorant that has a pungent odor, which we are accustomed to perceive as the smell of gas. Even after you clean your propane gas tank with plain water, the smell may not go away.
Since the process of washing the receiver is quite lengthy, it is better to immediately prepare a suitable solution with the addition of substances that neutralize any odors.
The most commonly used odorant is mercaptan, a persistent and caustic flavoring that is harmful to human health in large quantities.
If you don’t know how to clean an old gas cylinder from the smell of mercaptan, you can use the following solutions:
- Vinegar. The product is known for its amazing properties of neutralizing absolutely any odors, while the aroma of the vinegar itself disappears in the shortest possible time. To flush the gas receiver, you will need to dilute a small amount of 70% acetic acid in 50 liters of water. In this case, it is impossible to overdo it, especially with such a large volume of water.
- Potassium permangantsovka. The substance not only helps eliminate the acrid smell of gas, but also removes gasoline residues. There is no need to worry about the color of the solution; this will not affect the quality of the metal in any way. When preparing the solution, it is important to achieve a pale pink color and make sure that all the crystals have dissolved.After obtaining a homogeneous consistency, you can begin to fill the container with the resulting solution.
- Dish detergent. It is not in vain that we focus on the purpose of the detergent, since it does not contain flammable substances. For example, you should not use floor cleaning products that contain a predominance of alcohol. In this case, any soap-based dishwashing detergent will be suitable, which will help not only eliminate the pungent odor, but also clean the inner surface of propane residues.
The only downside of a solution with added detergent is that too much foam forms in the liquid, which may require re-rinsing the bottle with clean water.
If you do not want to spend too much time cleaning the receiver, then it is better to use either of the first two solutions.
If necessary, you can combine several different solutions, or rinse with different agents one by one.
For example, it is better to use an acetic-manganese solution in water first, and then rinse the gas cylinder with a solution based on dishwashing detergent. The latter will help neutralize the smell of vinegar and leave behind a pleasant aroma of cleanliness.
Safety rules when cleaning the cylinder
Even if the old gas cylinder has not been used for its intended purpose for a long time, the presence of propane inside the container cannot be ruled out. If you immediately start cutting the receiver without first washing it, the problem may end large explosion, which will be provoked by even the slightest spark.
Due to the sealed nature of the propane receiver, residual gas will still remain inside the tank until the valve is safely removed.
Therefore, when preparing a cylinder for sawing, it is important to adhere to the following rules:
- try to unscrew the valve on your own, especially if it is fully operational, without resorting to sawing the structure;
- even after successfully unscrewing the valve, it is important not to roll or drop the gas cylinder;
- It is not recommended to rinse the container near a fire source, since even in combination with water the gas can ignite;
- It is advisable to rinse the cylinder away from living quarters, because the pungent smell of the odorant can “settle” in your home for a long time;
- cutting off the valve using Bulgarians Contraindicated due to the risk of fire or explosion.
If a gas cylinder has been left with the valve open for quite a long time, this does not mean that it does not need to be cleaned.
There are still gas residues on the inner walls of the container that need to be washed out with at least plain water.
When unscrewing the valve, it is recommended to use a professional gas wrench, but in the absence of one, you can build the tool yourself.
If the valve cannot be unscrewed with a simple key, you can resort to cutting the valve using a hacksaw.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Detailed instructions for flushing and subsequent steaming of the gas receiver are presented in this video:
The article presented the best methods for flushing a gas cylinder, allowing you to quickly and safely remove residual propane from the container. The rules for preparing the receiver for flushing will help make the process safer, and in this case it is necessary to follow a certain sequence of actions.
When cleaning the cylinder, it is important to use additives without an alcohol base in order to avoid life-threatening consequences.
Have you already washed the gas cylinder before sawing it? If you know more effective ways to clean a propane receiver, then you simply must share your experience with our readers. Tell us your story about flushing a gas tank, and tell us about the products you used to neutralize propane odor.
