How Do Gas Cylinders Work? FAQs, Safety & Storage Requirements

Storing gas requires a compressed gas cylinder, which is a type of steel vessel that will keep the gas densely stored in a gas bottle without the possibility of a leak. The tight seal of the cylinder is due to special cylinder valves, which allow for the controlled release of gas in precise amounts.

A gas cylinder is typically long and has a valve at the top, with most of them having flat bottoms to help place them upright. Gas cylinders have the following features to help them store the gas:

• Strong cylinder materials: Because the storage is at higher levels than atmospheric pressure, there is need for a strong container materialn, most often steel. They will need to be unwelded and corrosion-resistant to prevent weak points on a gas bottle.
• Cylinder valves: The valves expel the gas slowly when released, but their main role is to act as a control point for the pressure on the inlet and outlet port. Cylinder valve types include O ring valves, diaphragm valves, packed valves and pressure seal valves.
• Gas regulators: The pressure in the cylinder, not the volume of gas, is indicated by a regulator near the valve. Regulators have dials and are used when refilling gas, which is achieved using a bigger tank that comes directly from a gas processing plant.

We sell many types of gas cylinder storage products for LPG and other gas bottles, which are available with free UK delivery, so we are well-placed to explain a bit more about how they work. 

Please feel free to browse our range of gas storage products and buy online or get in touch with us if you have any product questions. You can read on to learn more about gas cylinders.

How LPG Cylinders Work

LPG stands for ‘liquefied petroleum gas’, so an LPG cylinder is simply a container for this type of substance. An LPG might be used as fuel for heating or cooking, as a propellant or refrigerant – or in many other industrial applications. Many people commonly use them for barbecues.

They work in essentially the same way as every other type of gas cylinder, but the contents of an LPG cylinder are compacted to the point that the vapour in the gas becomes a liquid while in the cylinder. Releasing the valve creates an exit point, where the vapour becomes aerosolized.

This is in contrast to many more conventional gas cylinders, such as those containing oxygen or nitrogen, which are simply compressed gas (with no liquid) that is released from the valve.

‘Petroleum gas’ is a bit generic, but people who use the term typically refer to propane or butane, although sometimes a mixture is used too. Other petroleum gases include propylene.

How Should You Store Gas Cylinders?

Whether you have your own cylinder of propane for an outdoor barbecue, use oxygen cylinders for diving, work with other compressed gases or anything else, the HSE has some guidelines for storage. The HSE’s gas cylinder storage guidelines include the following:

• Store upright, with the valve always situated at the top
• Preferably keep them outside, or in another well-ventilated area
• Place cylinders in a cage, or other secure space on a concrete or load-bearing floor

Gas cylinders should also always be kept away from potentially corrosive substances, such as strong acids and cleaning chemicals, flammable substances and anything else that can potentially compromise the integrity of the vessel.

How Gas Cylinders Work Explained

We hope you understand a little bit more about how gas cylinder storage systems work and the potential uses they have. With a large array of different contents, the substances can range from relatively harmless, such as oxygen, or potentially dangerous, such as carbon dioxide or LPG gas.

Gas cylinders work by compressing the gas above atmospheric pressure, which will vary depending on the gas, and are controlled by a valve system and gas regulator.