Mobile gas tank: purpose, design and installation features, placement requirements

What to do if you need gas, but a connection to a centralized pipeline is not expected in the near future? A mobile gas holder can be an excellent solution - a mobile unit is used for temporary gasification of various objects.

Before deciding to purchase such a unit, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of choosing, installing and operating a mini gas tank, don’t you agree? All these questions are described in detail in our article.

What is a mobile gas tank?

A gas holder is a container for storing liquefied gas, which is a mixture of butane and propane. Such devices are used to organize autonomous gas supply to houses and plots. If you install the gas tank on a frame with wheels, you get a convenient mobile option, the capabilities of which are much wider.

The capacity of mobile LPG storage is usually about 600 liters. This is enough to replace 12 conventional gas cylinders at once. Although, if desired, you can find a device with a capacity of 1000 liters or 1200 liters, and even very small ones - 480 liters. The frame for transporting the gas tank is a trailer modified for these needs.

The tank is made of durable galvanized steel and is securely mounted on a frame with a wheeled chassis, single or double axle. This structure can be attached like a trailer to a car and transported to the desired location. Of course, it is impossible to connect a gas tank located on an unstable trailer to gas appliances.

Mobile gas tanks are convenient and compact devices that are easy to install, safe, reliable and have a fairly wide range of applications.

First you need to secure the position of the structure. Special stops are designed for this - outriggers, of which there are usually three or four. Once the position of the device is securely fixed, you can use it in accordance with its intended purpose.

The contents of the gas tank are a mixture of liquefied gases hermetically sealed in a vessel. A natural or artificial gas mixture is contained in a closed tank under a pressure of 1.6 MPa.

A mobile gas tank must be covered with an awning made of polymer materials in order to reliably protect the device from the sun and bad weather.

Among the advantages of using a gas holder are:

• mobility, which opens up the opportunity to use a gas tank not only at one, but also at several objects to solve various problems;
• decent container capacity, which can vary between 500-1200 l;
• easy installation, with some experience, you can connect to the gas pipeline system at home yourself, following the manufacturer’s instructions;
• ability to choose refueling option: at a gas station or using a special vehicle;
• convenient control system, device status information is displayed on the indicator panel, etc.

The disadvantages of the device include the rather high cost of the gas storage tank.

And yet, according to customer reviews, using a mobile gas tank is much more convenient than using a set of standard cylinders with the same total capacity. As for safety, if used properly, problems in this regard almost never arise.

Mobile gas tanks of small volume have quite compact dimensions, so they can be installed even in small summer cottages

An important point in the configuration of a gas tank on wheels is the presence or absence of forced heating of the container. The fact is that even in not too severe frosts, the evaporation process of even a “winter” LPG mixture can slow down significantly.

In the southern regions, where winters are warm, this problem is not relevant, but residents of the northern regions are recommended to choose a device that is equipped with a forced heating function.

To ensure the normal evaporation temperature of liquefied gas in winter, the heating system of a mobile gas tank, which does not have additional functions, is connected to the heating circuit of the facility to which gas is supplied. Built-in heating is carried out using an autonomous boiler installation.

This device allows you to use LPG in the most rational way; its operation does not require electrical energy.But there are also modern models in which heating is carried out using electricity. For this purpose, a special carbon fiber film is provided, which is compact and safe.

The control unit automatically turns off the mini-boiler room to avoid dangerous heating levels. In addition, there is a safety valve that is activated if the pressure inside the container reaches a critical level.

Excessive pressure (more than 500 kPa) can lead to deformation of the container and even damage its seal.

Mobile gas tanks are supplied equipped with a set of devices that are necessary for connecting and monitoring the operation of the system, which facilitates installation

Containers with flammable contents should be protected from exposure to natural factors. To do this, the gas tank is covered on top with a polyvinyl chloride awning. This material tolerates heat, cold, rain, and other weather changes well.

To connect a container with LPG to gas equipment, corrugated pipes are used, which are equipped with high-quality detachable connections.

These units are designed in such a way that when they are opened, any gas leakage is excluded, which allows you to avoid unnecessary coolant losses when connecting the gas tank to the facility, shutting it down, refueling, etc. Shut-off and control valves almost completely eliminate the possibility of an accident.

The mobile gas tank can be installed on a separate standard trailer or mounted on a similar device, you can choose the most suitable option

Mobile gas tanks are usually equipped with gas hoses, which are enclosed in a layer of heat-insulating material.This additionally protects the liquefied gas from temperature changes during filling of the container and when moving the gas to the object.

Each gas tank is equipped with a reducer. This device is designed to maintain a stable level of gas outlet pressure, which contributes to the integrity of the connected gas equipment.

Mobile versions of gas storage tanks are installed on a two- or four-wheeled chassis, but before connecting and starting work, the position of the device should be fixed using outriggers

In order to save money, some owners of private houses are thinking about purchasing a gas tank that has already been used. This is a possible option, but remember that each device has a limited service life.

In addition, it is not always possible to obtain information about how the previous owner treated the gas tank. In any case, you can make such a purchase only after inspecting the device by an experienced specialist.

How does LPG evaporate?

Why is a mixture of liquefied gases used for such a device? The fact is that propane and butane react differently to increased ambient temperatures.

Propane evaporates better, so the LPG mixture is made in two versions - summer and winter. In the first case, the ratio of propane and butane in the composition is approximately the same, but for use in winter, a composition in which the propane content is 90% is more suitable.

The table allows you to compare the efficiency of using different types of fuel for heating residential premises and draw conclusions about the advantages of using LPG for these purposes (+)

What will happen if during severe cold weather the gas tank operates without heating? Butane, which is contained in the liquefied gas mixture, stops evaporating. As a result, only propane, the second element of the mixture, enters the system.

After all the propane has been used, a portion of the tank's volume (30-50%) will remain filled with unused butane. It would be reasonable to pump this gas out of the tank in order to free up useful space, but this is a troublesome task; usually they don’t do this, but simply refill the cylinder with a new portion of LPG.

If you continue to use the tank in the wrong mode, gradually its volume will be completely occupied by butane. The use of a gas tank will become impossible until the unnecessary gas is completely pumped out, which will lead to significant additional costs.

A certain type of LPG mixture should not be used at an inappropriate period. The composition will evaporate either too slowly or too quickly. This will negatively affect the performance of the equipment and its condition. A fairly wide temperature range is considered acceptable for storing LPG: from -40°C to +45°C.

Reliable protection of a mobile gas tank from the effects of natural factors is a prerequisite. If possible, you should make an additional canopy for the device

In the process of filling a gas tank, you may encounter dishonesty of the gas supplier. For starters, this is not filling the container to its full capacity. To successfully deceive the buyer, would-be craftsmen simply tweak the meter so that it shows incorrect numbers. The second common cheating option is filling with a summer mixture instead of a winter one.

The fact is that propane is more expensive than butane.The summer mixture contains 50% butane instead of the 15% required for the winter mixture. As a result, the gas station sells a cheap summer train at the price of a more expensive winter one.

Since the autonomous version of the gas tank has small volumes compared to stationary models, it is more difficult to cheat with volumes, because the difference will be noticeable.

It is easier to deceive the owner of a stationary gas tank and steal 30-40 liters from a 4000 liter tank, but if the meter is screwed up, then deception is quite possible even in small volumes. Therefore, it does not hurt to check the level gauge after refueling, if there is one in the gas tank.

Where is mobile gas storage used?

Mobile gas tanks are used for a variety of purposes:

• on construction sites;
• for garden houses;
• at the dachas;
• for trailers and cabins;
• as a means of emergency gas supply, etc.

For example, on a plot of five to six acres, technical conditions do not allow installing a stationary model; all that remains is to either carry cylinders or use a mobile option, which is much more convenient. It needs to be refilled less often and is easier to use.

If extensive excavation work is required to install a stationary underground gas tank, then installation of a new mobile model will take a maximum of an hour

A mobile gas holder can power a boiler room; they are used for gas welding, for roofing work, such as drying surfaces, installing surface-surfaced materials: roofing felt, its bitumen-polymer analogues, etc.

In combination with a good gas convector designed for economical fuel consumption, a mobile gas holder will be an excellent choice for heating garages, utility rooms, change houses and other similar objects.

Features of installation and operation

Arranging the installation of a mobile gas tank on an electrically heated trailer is much easier than installation of a stationary model. In this case, special permits from the gas distribution company will not be needed. But the trailed chassis, of course, must be properly registered with the traffic police.

You do not need to obtain special permission to install a mobile gas tank, but it should be registered with the traffic police like any trailer.

In this case, you must follow the same registration procedure that is used when registering conventional mass-produced car trailers.

When purchasing a gas tank, you should make sure that all necessary documentation is included with the tank, namely:

• quality certificate;
• technical passport of the tank;
• vehicle passport;
• device operating instructions.

Permission to install a mobile gas tank is not required, but the unit must have all the necessary certificates. If such documents are missing, the owner of the gas tank may be refused to fill the container with liquefied gas.

But the simplified registration procedure should not serve as a reason for careless handling of a device that is considered a high-risk object.

Even before refueling and connecting the gas tank, you should carefully study the instructions for its installation and operation, and then strictly follow all the manufacturer’s recommendations. To ensure that the gas tank is correctly and safely connected to the heating circuit or other equipment that consumes gas, it is best to invite an experienced specialist.

Standard models of mobile gas tanks are equipped with the necessary monitoring and control equipment, which ensures safe operation of the device if the necessary conditions are met

This is especially true if you choose a heated model, since a professional technician will also set up a mini-boiler room. To connect the gas tank yourself, first you need to carefully study the instructions and follow the recommendations contained in it.

Quick-release connections allow you to connect the device in just a few minutes.

At the same time, gas leakage from the system and the entry of outside air into it are excluded. There are no strict requirements for the placement of such a gas tank on the site.

Of course, the distance from the gasification facility is limited by the length of the supply pipe. In order for the device to last as long as possible without breakdowns or accidents, it should be installed in such a way as to prevent prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Additional protection from precipitation wouldn't hurt either.

The connectors of the mobile gas tank are standardized so that the device can be charged using a conventional gas nozzle at almost any gas station

Another important point is the control equipment. The device must be placed in such a way as to prevent access to the controls for unauthorized persons, for example, for children. It also makes sense to think about the likelihood of theft of a wheeled chassis with a gas tank and take measures to protect it.

Refueling a mobile gas tank can be done in two ways: using a gas tanker or at gas stations.

This distinguishes a mobile gas tank from a stationary model, for which you always need to call a mobile gas filling station to refuel it.

There is no need to wait until the tank is empty; it is recommended to refuel at a time when less than 20% of the total volume of the tank remains in the gas tank. At a gas station, you can fill the device using a standard filling nozzle.

If you have not yet decided on the method of gasification at home, and are thinking about buying a gas holder, then we advise you to read the articles:

1. What is cheaper and better - a gas tank or main gas? Comparative review
2. Types of gas tanks: classification basics + review of popular brands

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

This video demonstrates the procedure for installing and connecting a mobile gas storage facility, which really takes just a few minutes:

Here you can find general information on the operation of devices of this type:

A mobile version of a container for refilling, storing and using gas is an extremely convenient item. There is no need to dig a pit or go through a lengthy registration procedure; the house can be connected to gas in just a couple of days. In some situations, this is the only way to ensure gasification of the facility.

Do you have experience using mobile gas tanks? Or still have questions on the topic? Please share your opinions, leave comments and participate in discussions. The contact form is located below.