Are you considering investing in pressure vessel installations?
Where are pressure vessels used?
Conjugated air installations, as well as other technical gases, are essential tools used for work in many different industries. Installations using technical gases and pressure vessels are commonly used in garages and car repair shops to carry out a range of repairs. Installations using compressed technical gases can also be found in the work of a painter or dentist. In all these cases, the coupled gas plays a very important role. However, pressure equipment is complex equipment, subject to a fair amount of adjustment. Before investing in the pressure vessel needed for a job, it is a good idea to first familiarise yourself with all the requirements associated with this equipment.
How do you determine the capacity and pressure of the tank?
Depending on what kind of work the technical compressed gas installation will be used for, it is necessary to determine what volume the tank itself will be and at what pressure it will operate.
In the case of capacity, there is a simple way to calculate how much gas a tank should hold when operating. For most tanks this is 1/3 of the capacity of the compressor connected to it. This means that if the compressor connected to the system has a maximum capacity of 600 l/min the tank should be able to hold 200 l of technical gas.
The operating pressure of the tank also depends on the compressor connected to the system. A technical gas receiver should operate at 1 bar more pressure than the maximum pressure of the compressor. Therefore, for example, if the compressor connected to the tank has a maximum pressure of 15 bar, the tank itself should operate at 16 bar.
What inspections are pressure vessels subject to?
Pressure vessels in Poland are classified as equipment subject to technical supervision. This means that for their maintenance and repair it is necessary to have the appropriate entitlementsThe course includes a theoretical part and a practical part. The examination consists of a theoretical and a practical part. During the examination, the trainees first take a written test to check their knowledge of the construction of compressed gas installations and the Health and Safety working with pressure vessels. In the practical part, they have to correctly perform in front of the UDT commission the activities related to the work of a pressure vessel maintainer, such as changing and filling cylinders or cleaning the compressor. Successful completion of both parts of the exam ensures the certification needed to work as a compressed air system maintainer.
In addition, because improper use or lack of proper maintenance of a compressed gas installation causes serious and real danger to health and life, pressure vessels are subject to an additional level of inspection. Before a compressed gas installation can be put into service, it must first be approved by the Technical Inspection Authority. Above all, it must meet the correct pressure-to-tank ratio. A mathematical formula is used when approving equipment for use:
PD x V > 800 bar x dm3
Where V is the tank volume in dm3 (litres) and PD is the allowable overpressure considered by the manufacturer. If these values agree, the installation should be approved for use.
