Storage question

[Peter Christopher]

I've recently bought myself a TIG welder from WeldEquip and I need to get one of the BOC Argon gas bottles. The issue is that I'm in a rented property with only a small outside 'yard' which is fairly insecure. I work outside but I keep my equipment indoors. Is this likely to be a problem with a Argon container? It doesn't present much of a risk in a normal state but I imagine it would be pretty devastating in a fire.

I guess importantly the question is whether there's a legal issue?

I'll have to get in contact with my landlord/insurers and wanted some information behind me.

 

[Shox Dr]

Argon is an Inert gas. So no worry with fire.

 

[Peter Christopher]

I meant more when the bottle heats and the bottle explodes due to the pressure increase.

 

[Shox Dr]

That bottle would be the least of your problems if it got that hot.

Argon is an Inert gas So it will not increase in pressure as the temp raises

 

[Peter Christopher]

Cool thanks. :-)

PS: Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Argon being inert a chemical issue? It doesn't react with anything else which is why we're using it in the first place. The pressure is a physical issue. It should still follow the Ideal Gas law: Volume remaining constant, pressure will rise proportional to temperature.

 

[Jim Davey]

If the cylinder gets hot enough to fail, a sudden release of 3,000 psi will get your attention. The risk of asphyxiation due to the displacement of air in an insufficienly ventilated room could also be life threatening.
It's best to notify your household insurance provider or landlord so they can make the appropriate changes to the policy or whatever necessary steps that need to be made.
Argon gas will expand with heat by the way, inert or not.

 

[norlander]

weld up a cage for secure storage of the bottle in the small yard? would that be possible? its what I did in similar circumstances once (propane bottles for my ch boiler).

 

[Peter Christopher]

Thank you all for your help. I'll have a chat to my insurers/landlord.

 

[backpurge]

That bottle would be the least of your problems if it got that hot.

Argon is an Inert gas So it will not increase in pressure as the temp raises

Sorry fella but you are wrong, even a compressed air cylinder going bang will have devastating consequences, apparently a cylinder exploding has a blast radius of up to 200 metres.

Jim's comments above are spot on

 

[outofthefire]

apparently a cylinder exploding has a blast radius of up to 200 metres.

Probably put the fire out quite nicely, after all red adair used explosives to put out oil wells

 

[brightspark]

i hardly think your landlord and insurance company would be interested in putting it down on there books and once u have told them and they say no u cant even blag your way out of it having it on premises if theres ever an accident and pretend u didnt know

 

[Peter Christopher]

Thank you all for you replies guys. It's really helpful! :-)

 

[Bill Edwards]

It seems to be acetylene that normally worries insurers, now that stuff is dangerous if things go wrong!

If it got hot enough I'm sure an Argon cylinder could explode, and the danger caused by that is very high. At normal pressures the cylinder can travel a long way and go through walls (this happens if they fall over and snap the valve off), in a fire things could be even worse.

However, with an inert gas I think the amount of heat that would be needed for the pressure to rise enough to cause a rupture would be so great that you'd be well clear of the fire, or dead, before the cylinder posed a risk.

 

[Shox Dr]

Sorry fella but you are wrong, even a compressed air cylinder going bang will have devastating consequences, apparently a cylinder exploding has a blast radius of up to 200 metres.

Jim's comments above are spot on

Sorry I see how it looks. It was said tongue in cheek; as in there'd be bugger all left of your house, from the fire before that exploded.

As for the Pressure I Assumed (Ass-u-me) it was the same as Nitrogen regarding heat

TAXI

 

[Shox Dr]

However I don't believe it would explode, It's Inert.

 

[backpurge]

The contents of a propane cylinder only needs to get up to 60 degrees and you're in trouble whereas I think an acetylene cylinder needs to be exposed to around 300 degrees for a couple of hours

 

[backpurge]

However I don't believe it would explode, It's Inert.

The gas won't explode but an increase in pressure will cause the cylinder to rupture, the resulting rapid release in pressure can be catastrophic

 

[brightspark]

its hardly likely. how many explosions do u hear of after the fire brigade put fires out in houses when many have butane gas heaters and patio gas bottles in the house

 

[backpurge]

That's why propane cylinders have built in pressure relief valves

 

[brightspark]

That's why propane cylinders have built in pressure relief valves

and the primus 2000 bottles have a solder safety nut in them