Useful And Essential Facts About Cryogenic Gases

By Laura Cox


Cryogens are the kind of gases which can undergo condensation at very low temperatures to become liquids and later solidify into solids. All cryogenic liquids exist in gaseous forms at room temperature. The reason behind changing the gases to liquids or solids is to make transportation and storage easier. This does happen because a huge amount of the gas normally turns into a very small amount of liquid when it undergoes condensation. This is what Cryogenic gases are all about.

When condensed, the gases reduce in volume by between 600 and 900 times of the liquid. That implies that about 900 liters of gas only condenses into a single liter of the liquid. It is this form of convenience that makes it economic to condense. Once condensed, it can be transported easily and with more convenience before being evaporated back into gaseous form for use.

Cryogenic tanks are manufactured following strict standards. They come in a wide range of capacity and size. They can withstand pressure levels that are very high. Their design also allows them to withstand huge temperature differences and quick changes in pressure. They are capable of withstanding extreme pressures while keeping their contents at a constant temperature.

High levels of standards are adhered to during the production process of these tanks. Strict quality assurance is also adhered to all the time during the manufacturing process. There are several stages in the process of production that are used to test the tanks vigorously. It is also mandatory for every tank to undergo specific sets of test before being put to use. If the tanks fail the tests, they has to be recycled or remade.

The superiority and quality of a tank is usually measured based on how long a cryogen can stay in the tank. High quality tanks can keep cryogens for a very long period of time, which means that there is low product loss. A good tank should be able to hold product for a minimum of 25 days up to several months. This is important since it can be expensive to have to change the storage of the product often.

Tanks are normally designed with valves which release pressure for safety. When pressure inside them exceeds a certain level, the valves open then release the gas into the air. Normally, there are sensors to detect such events. Knowing whether there is leakage in the tank is necessary so that measures can be taken to control the situation.

Cryogens have a lot of hazards associated with them. For example, asphyxiation is one among many. This condition occurs due to insufficient oxygen in the air or in a body organ. This happens mostly where oxygen is displaced by a denser gas. Such gases include nitrogen. Nevertheless, this situation can only happen if the denser gas occurs in very high volume.

The presence of excess oxygen on the other hand usually leads to excessive combustion. This may result in catastrophic fires because oxygen gas supports burning. Frostbite, over pressurization, cold burns, and hypothermia among others are the additional effects of cryogens.




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