CO2 tank overfilled??
10-31-2008, 07:38 PM
#11
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Actually it will hold up to 1800PSI and well it should it is a high pressure gas. Direct sunlight will severly affect the pressure in the bottle, especially if it is full. I've seen tanks blow out the rupture seal and take off like a rocket in direct sunlight. (this was in SF Valley nowhere near as hot as the desert)
It does not require evacuation like a propane tank but it should have liquid released much like you see in a propane tank to help subcool the tank so that you and get the full amount in the tanks.
My nitrogen regulators will dbl as CO2 regulators.
It does not require evacuation like a propane tank but it should have liquid released much like you see in a propane tank to help subcool the tank so that you and get the full amount in the tanks.
My nitrogen regulators will dbl as CO2 regulators.
10-31-2008, 07:46 PM
#12
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Actually it will hold up to 1800PSI and well it should it is a high pressure gas. Direct sunlight will severly affect the pressure in the bottle, especially if it is full. I've seen tanks blow out the rupture seal and take off like a rocket in direct sunlight. (this was in SF Valley nowhere near as hot as the desert)
It does not require evacuation like a propane tank but it should have liquid released much like you see in a propane tank to help subcool the tank so that you and get the full amount in the tanks.
My nitrogen regulators will dbl as CO2 regulators.
It does not require evacuation like a propane tank but it should have liquid released much like you see in a propane tank to help subcool the tank so that you and get the full amount in the tanks.
My nitrogen regulators will dbl as CO2 regulators.
10-31-2008, 09:18 PM
#13
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Weights are off!
sorry to not get to you sooner, but you figured it out. Your weights are way off. You overfilled by several puonds. Also burst discs are usually set to 3k psi, and a co2 tank is a high pressure tank will take presure to 2500 psi, mine is currently reading over 1k psi not 500. i think you prob read the weights for a 20# tank like mine. 10# tank plus your reg and valve etc. 13# sounds much more like it.
10-31-2008, 11:09 PM
#14
JK Jedi Master
Liquid co2 has an ambient temperature of a negative 109 degrees. When a new (empty) tank is filled the liquid co2 needs to take the internal temp of the tank down to a minus 109 before it will actually start to fill the tank. As the cold liquid hits the warm tank it converts to gas and starts to build pressure inside the tank. A co2 tank is a "low" pressure tank, meaning it is meant to hold 500psi vs 2400 psi of a high pressure tank. After the tank is filled and the tank temp and pressure equalize, the high limit will vent off any excess pressure. This is normal and a good thing so you do not have to much pressure in the tank.
Now that you have filled it unless you let the tank go bone dry again it should not be a problem.
As for sitting in the dessert and the heat causing you to lose co2.....unless it gets in the 125 to 130 range you should be fine. Once a tank is full, the pressure keeps the liquid a liquid, barring extreme temps you will be fine. Even if it does get extremely hot, it will just vent off enough to get the pressure back down to a safe level.
another thing to be aware of....around the top of the tank you will see a TARE weight....this is what the tank weighs empty, so you can use a bathroom scale to get a real good idea of how much co2 is in the tank.
Now that you have filled it unless you let the tank go bone dry again it should not be a problem.
As for sitting in the dessert and the heat causing you to lose co2.....unless it gets in the 125 to 130 range you should be fine. Once a tank is full, the pressure keeps the liquid a liquid, barring extreme temps you will be fine. Even if it does get extremely hot, it will just vent off enough to get the pressure back down to a safe level.
another thing to be aware of....around the top of the tank you will see a TARE weight....this is what the tank weighs empty, so you can use a bathroom scale to get a real good idea of how much co2 is in the tank.
Solid co2 (dry ice) is in the -109F range, but the liquid we deal with is at ambient temps. The 500 psi you mention is a little off for room temp liquid co2. Liquid co2 at room temp is at least around 800 psi. Most of the cylinders I dealt with were around 2200 psi. I am pretty sure if the cylinders you mention above were meant to hold 500 psi max, there would be only co2 gas in them.
I could be all wrong, but, like I said, all the liquid co2 I ever dealt with was room temp and over 800 psi.
11-02-2008, 09:59 AM
#15
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Trying to remember back to physics now. I think the more pressure you put on a gas the less "coldness" you need to turn it into a liquid. So if there isn't that much gas pressure you need it really cold for it to become a liquid. Conversely if you have a lot of pressure it does not need to be as cold to turn it into a liquid.
It's been a while since physics classes. LOL. Someone correct me if I'm off.
It's been a while since physics classes. LOL. Someone correct me if I'm off.
11-02-2008, 11:06 AM
#16
JeepSWAG
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ready for some science?
Here's a diagram that shows pressure inside a CO2 tank at different temps and different fill levels. Unfortunatley this chart only goes up to 2500 PSI. A standard burst disk on a CO2 tank is 3000 PSI. If you understand the graph, you can extrapolate that if a tank is over filled, the PSI at 89 degrees goes up very quickly.
According to this graph;
- a tank that is filled to 100% capacity
70 degrees = pressure of approx. 850 PSI
80 degrees = pressure of approx. 980 PSI
90 degrees = pressure of approx. 1250 PSI
100 degrees = pressure of approx. 1400 PSI
110 degrees = pressure of approx. 1700 PSI
120 degrees = pressure of approx. 1940 PSI
As you can see the increase in pressure is an exponential function of an increase in temperature, given the percentage of fill remains constant. The same is even more exaggerated for an increase in percentage of fill.
- a tank that is filled to 140% at 60 degrees, will have a pressure of 2500 PSI
So if in the desert, pick a safe fill level for what ever temperature that you expect your tank to get to. Buy a silver or white tank, if it's going to sit in the sun. Black
If you expect your tank to get to 120 degrees and you don't want the pressure getting over 2000 PSI, then 100% fill should give you a 1000 PSI safety factor.
LINK TO MORE INFO
If you blew a 3000 PSI burst disk, and your tank got to say 100 degrees in the sun, they most likely over-filled your tank.
According to this graph;
- a tank that is filled to 100% capacity
70 degrees = pressure of approx. 850 PSI
80 degrees = pressure of approx. 980 PSI
90 degrees = pressure of approx. 1250 PSI
100 degrees = pressure of approx. 1400 PSI
110 degrees = pressure of approx. 1700 PSI
120 degrees = pressure of approx. 1940 PSI
As you can see the increase in pressure is an exponential function of an increase in temperature, given the percentage of fill remains constant. The same is even more exaggerated for an increase in percentage of fill.
- a tank that is filled to 140% at 60 degrees, will have a pressure of 2500 PSI
So if in the desert, pick a safe fill level for what ever temperature that you expect your tank to get to. Buy a silver or white tank, if it's going to sit in the sun. Black
If you expect your tank to get to 120 degrees and you don't want the pressure getting over 2000 PSI, then 100% fill should give you a 1000 PSI safety factor.
LINK TO MORE INFO
If you blew a 3000 PSI burst disk, and your tank got to say 100 degrees in the sun, they most likely over-filled your tank.
Last edited by Woods; 11-03-2008 at 06:42 AM.
11-03-2008, 10:05 AM
#17
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This reminds me of the time I was coming home with a newly refilled co2 tank, but for beer distribution, not tire inflating 
I never made it home, the tank blew while I was going home, and the cockpit of my truck filled quite quickly of co2......I could not see out the windshield....and then I could not breath.........luckily I was ona 40mph road and came to a quick halt while rolling the windows down as quickly as possible. Glad I was not on the highway doing 80mph in ht fast lane I went back to the knucklehead that filled it and he fessed up that he over filled it. I'd watch these guys closely and find out what the proper amount of fill is.
I never made it home, the tank blew while I was going home, and the cockpit of my truck filled quite quickly of co2......I could not see out the windshield....and then I could not breath.........luckily I was ona 40mph road and came to a quick halt while rolling the windows down as quickly as possible. Glad I was not on the highway doing 80mph in ht fast lane I went back to the knucklehead that filled it and he fessed up that he over filled it. I'd watch these guys closely and find out what the proper amount of fill is.