Have you ever faced the problem of cleaning an old gas cylinder? Sometimes even the classical method of venting propane is not enough for further safe work with the tank. Gas residues can accumulate inside the cylinder, which can cause a fire or explosion when cutting metal.
Agree, it's better to play it safe to avoid an emergency. There are several ways how to flush a gas cylinder using different solutions to 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 of flushing the gas cylinder, which will get rid of not only gas residues, but also the pungent smell of propane.
The content of the article:
-
Preparing the cylinder for cleaning
- Rinsing the gas cylinder with water
- Other safe ways to flush the receiver
- Safety rules for cleaning the cylinder
- Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Preparing the cylinder for cleaning
The sheer number of instructions for making different structures from a propane receiver can confuse even a professional craftsman. Now everyone can build brazier, 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, if they interact 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 conventional gas wrench.
The presence of a strong propane odor even after flushing the cylinder indicates the presence of gas residues inside the container, which, when interacting with fire, can provoke an explosion
It will not be difficult to unscrew a serviceable valve, however, if it is damaged, problems may arise, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to unscrew it with a key. In this case, you will have to resort to removing the valve by cutting with a hacksaw, but in the process of sawing the valve, the likelihood of a spark increases, which can provoke an explosion.
If the valve is successfully unscrewed, in its place you can see a small hole through which you can flush the gas cylinder. Often, ordinary water is used to clean the container, which allows you to quickly and safely remove the remaining propane, but this will not completely eliminate the pungent 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.
Rinsing the gas cylinder with water
When the valve is unscrewed, it is found 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 bathtub of water, but in this case, you should prepare for the pungent smell of propane in the whole room, which will be quite difficult to get rid of.
For quick filling of the gas cylinder, you can use a metal funnel with a fine tip, used for pouring gasoline
It is better to carry out flushing work away from living quarters, while filling gas bottle liquid can be done in other ways. To do this, you need to prepare a thin 5 mm hose and an ordinary 6 L plastic bottle, which you will have to fill 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), a cylinder is installed next to it;
- it is necessary to stretch a hose between the container and the receiver, and the water will gradually overflow 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.
At the maximum filling of the container, water displaces the gas, washing out even the smallest residues 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.
In the process of draining the liquid, you will need to tilt the balloon in order to direct the fountain out of the water in the opposite direction from you.
If it takes quite a long time to fill the bottle, then draining the water can feel like an eternity. The compressor will help speed up the process, to which a thin hose with a blow gun at the end is connected. With the help of such a simple device, compressed air will be blown 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, as there is a possibility of getting under a cold “gas” shower. As needed, the air inside the cylinder can be refilled, which will remove all liquid from the cylinder in the shortest possible time.
Other safe ways to flush the receiver
To detect leaks, a special fragrance is deliberately added to natural gas - an odorant that has a pungent smell, which we are used to perceive as the smell of gas. Even after you have cleaned the propane gas cylinder with plain water, the smell may not disappear anywhere.
Since the process of flushing the receiver is quite long, it is better to immediately prepare a suitable solution with the addition of substances that neutralize any odors.
The best way to neutralize the odor of an odorant is 9% table vinegar diluted with water, which will need to be poured into a container and left for a day.
The most commonly used odorant is mercaptan, a persistent and caustic flavoring agent that is harmful to human health in large quantities.
If you do not know how to flush the 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 for such a large volume of water.
- Potassium permanganate. The substance not only helps to eliminate the pungent odor of gas, but also removes gasoline residues. Do not worry about the color of the solution, this will not affect the quality of the metal in any way. During the preparation of the solution, it is important to achieve a pale pink color, and to make sure that all the crystals have dissolved. After obtaining a homogeneous consistency, you can start filling the balloon with the resulting solution.
- Detergent for dishes. It is not in vain that we focus on the purpose of the detergent, since it does not contain flammable substances. For example, do not use alcohol-based floor cleaners. In this case, any soap-based dishwashing detergent is suitable, which will help not only eliminate the pungent odor, but also clean the inner surface of propane residues.
The only drawback of the solution with the addition of detergent is that too much foam is formed in the liquid, which may require re-rinsing the cylinder with clean water.
If you do not want to mess around with cleaning the receiver for too long, then it is better to use either of the first two solutions.
To obtain the maximum effect in the preparation of the solution, it is recommended to use a combination of vinegar and potassium permanganate, which will once and for all get rid of the smell of propane
If necessary, you can combine several different solutions, or rinse with different means in turn.
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 a dishwashing detergent. The latter will help neutralize the vinegar smell and leave behind a pleasant scent of purity.
Safety rules for cleaning the cylinder
Even if the old gas cylinder has not been used for its intended purpose for a long time, the fact of the presence of propane inside the container cannot be ruled out. If you immediately start cutting the receiver without rinsing it first, the matter may end large explosionthat will provoke even the slightest spark.
If after the first rinsing the odor of the odorant does not disappear, then it is better to re-clean the receiver or let it ventilate.
Due to the tightness of the propane receiver, the remaining gas will still remain inside the cylinder until the valve is safely removed.
Therefore, when preparing the cylinder for sawing, it is important to adhere to the following rules:
- try to unscrew the valve on your own, especially if it is completely serviceable, without resorting to sawing the structure;
- even after successfully untwisting 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 balloon away from living quarters, because the pungent odor of the odorant can “settle” in your home for a long time;
- valve cut with grinders contraindicated due to the likelihood of fire or explosion.
If a gas cylinder has been left with the valve open for a long enough 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, which must be flushed at least with plain water.
When unscrewing the valve, the master cannot cope without an assistant, since one of them must hold the cylinder, and the other must unscrew the valve with a key
In the process of 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 wrench, you can resort to cutting the valve with 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 the remaining 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 non-alcoholic additives in order to avoid life-threatening consequences.
Have you already flushed 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 of flushing a gas cylinder, and tell us about the products you used to neutralize the odor of propane.
