Cylinder

Inspection Manual www.cng.us.com

Rev. 08/12
Ladies and Gentlemen:

CNG cylinders international is a distributor for Inflex brand cylinders in the US.

Please review the Cylinder Inspection Manual for general inspection and
handling procedure.

Please contact us with any cylinder inspection questions or concerns you may
have that may not be covered in the Cylinder Inspection Manual.

Our contact information is:

CNG cylinders international llc

2331 Sturgis Road
Oxnard, CA 93030

Phone: +1-805-278-8060
Fax: +1-805-278-8090

Email: safety@cng.us.com

Web: www.cng.us.com

Sincerely,

Siegfried Rivalta
President
CNG cylinders international
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Engineering NGV2 1

Index

Pag
1. General Information 2
1.1 Definitions 2
1.2 Description of the cylinder 2
1.3 Normatives 3
1.4 Description of the marking 3
1.4.1 Labels 4

2. Service Statement 5
2.1 Service Life 5
2.2 Service Pressure 5
2.3 Filling Cycles 5
2.4 Cylinder Temperature 5
2.5 Gas Range Temperature 5
2.6 Gas Composition

3. Installation 5
3.1 Installation of the cylinder. 5
3.1.1 Manipulation of the Cylinder. 5
3.1.2 Protection and shielding of the cylinder 6
3.2. Installation of the Cylinder mounting
supports. 7
3.3 Valve Installation. 8

4. Inspection and Maintenance 9

4.1 General guidelines to work with cylinders and
its components. 9
4.2 Inspection 9
4.2.1 General Inspection. 10
4.2.1.I. Inspection Frequency 10
4.2.1.II.General Inspection Steps 10
4.2.2 Certificate Inspection. 12
4.3 Maintenance 12

5. Destruction of the Cylinder 13

6. Storage 14

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1. General Information.

This manual describes the operation and maintenance of Inflex Type 1 Cylinders designed for
on-board high pressure compressed natural gas storage.
The information here container is considered property of Inflex-Argentoil S.A. The rights,
obligations and/or duties of the installer and/or client are controlled exclusively by the
agreement and original warranty of purchase. Inflex-Argentoil S.A. does no assume any
responsibility for error or damages derived from the use of this document. Inflex Argentoil
S.A. reserves the right to cancel, modifies, change, alter or add any part/s or paragraph/s in
this manual without previous notice.

1.1 Definitions.
a) Cylinder Type 1: (Seamless Steel cylinder) Metallic Container of CNG.
b) CNG: Compressed Natural Gas.
c) Abrasion damage: damage in the cylinder materials caused by wearing or grinding,
d) Corrosion: process that refers to the oxidation of materials primarily in wet environments.
e) Destroyed: alteration of a cylinder to make it unusable. Drilling a hole completely through
the cylinder wall is an acceptable destruction method.
f) Impact damage: Damage caused by dropping the cylinder or by a blow from another
object.
g) Mounting brackets: device used to secure the cylinders to the vehicles.
h) PRD: pressure relief device. Device installed in a cylinder or integrated with a valve which
will release the container gas in emergency conditions such as a fire.

1.2 Description of the Cylinder.

High pressure gas storage cylinder type 1 manufactured from steel seamless tube by the
spinning process.
(See figure 1).

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1.3 Normative.
NGV2:2007- Basic requirements for compressed natural gas vehicle (NGV) fuel containers.
DOT - FMVSS 304 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Fuel Container Integrity

1.4 Description of the marking.

The following figure shows the inscription that can be found marked on the dome of each
cylinder. The height of the letter should not be less than 6 millimeters.

BV ARGENT INA
G0 IN
E
4
D
53
/X MA
X 3
B
V

7
-0
5

V2
NG
2

/ YY YY
REFERENCIAS:
6
N X XX

1) Manufacturing serial number /

MM
Nmero de serie de fabricacin.
2) Manufacturer's identity / 1
Identificacin del fabricante.
XX

3) Inspection stamp of
X

certification / Cdigo de matrcula

7

L
X

.X
del organismo de certificacin.

XX
4) Country of approval for stamp
mark / Pais de aprobacin.
120
5) Standard / Norma de 240
aplicacin. DO
6) Manufacture Date / Fecha de NO
fabricacion. T 8 YY
US E YY
7) Nominal capacity / Capacidad AF TER MM /
nominal.
8) Expiration Date / Fecha de
vencimiento.

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1.4.1. Labels:

MANUFACTURING STANDARD: NGV 2 - 2007

MANUFACTURER'S IDENTITY: ARGENTOIL S.A.
SERIAL NUMBER: 0
NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING: UT
TEST PRESSURE: 372 BAR
CONTROL AGENCY CODE: BV (BUREAU VERITAS ARGENTINA)
DATE OF MANUFACTURE: 0
WEIGHT: KG.
WATER CAPACITY: L.
MINUMUN WALL THICKNESS: 0.265"
REGISTRATION OF PRODUCT: BVG 053/
COUNTRY OF APPROVAL FOR STAMP MARK: AR
EXPIRATION DATE: 0
GASOLINE/GALLON EQUIVALENT: 0 L.

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2. Service Statement
The cylinder must not be used beyond the conditions defined in this service statement.

2.1 Life Service: 15 years. When the Life Service has expired, according to the inscription
marked in the cylinder, it must be removed from service and destroyed.

2.2 Service Pressure:

Work Pressure: 248 bar (3600 psi) at 21C (70F)
Test Pressure: 372 bar (5400 psi)

2.3 Filling Cycles: 750 cycles per year, during the life service.

2.4 Cylinder Temperature:

a. The temperature range for the cylinders material is -40C to 82C (-40F to 180F)
b. Temperatures over +57C must be applied during a short period of time, or must be
localized, to ensure that the gas temperature inside the cylinder never exceeds +57C

2.5 Gas Temperature Range: -40C to 57C (-40F to 135F)

2.6 Gas Composition: Cylinders may be filled only with the compressed gas according the
label description. The composition of the gas as described in NGV2:2007 Standard.

3. Installation.

This section describes the installation of a typical cylinder and its components.
It is the clients responsibility to ensure that the certification of the cylinder and other fuel
storage components are according to the requirements that the jurisdiction regards for its
final use.

3.1 Installation of the Cylinder.

Cylinder must be installed in the vehicle using the guidelines here described.

3.1.1 Handling of the Cylinder.

If the cylinder is to be removed, transported, or stored, the following handling procedures are
necessary to prevent injuries from the personal or damage to the cylinder itself. The cylinders
must be transported carefully, to ensure that no damage occurs to the superficial protective
painting.

The cylinders must be handled in the following way:

The cylinders can only be handled when depressurized.

Safety shoes must we worn to protect the feet when transporting cylinders.
The cylinders Hill be handled with hands free from sand, grease, oil, or any other
substance that may contribute to slippery, burning, or contamination to the surface of
the cylinder or its neck-thread.

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The cylinders should not be handled, transported or grabbed by their valves or

pressure relief devices.
They must not be struck.

The cylinders must be stored in the following way:

The cylinders must be locked to prevent them from rolling or moving during the
storage.
When the neck-threads of the cylinders do not contain connectors or valves, plastic
protective stoppers must be placed to prevent dust from going inside the cylinder.
The stored cylinders must be protected from corrosive environments.
Rubber stripes must be placed in between the cylinders, during their storage, so as not
to cause corrosion on the surface of the cylinders.
Specific elevation tools or devices will be used when required.
Stowage must be done in a dry place, under shed, to protect the cylinders from the
effects of the sun, rain, etc.

3.1.2 Protection and shielding of the cylinder.

The cylinder will be installed with protection and shielding to prevent from any damages that
may occur in the vehicle environment.

The shielding of the cylinders must be used to protect the cylinder from the following (if
necessary):
Damages due to rocks or stones in the road.
Damages because of loads in the vehicle.
Exposure to harmful liquids of the vehicles (e.g. liquids from the brakes or battery)
Exposure to excesive heat of the vehicle, as defined in 2.4.
They must not be struck.
They should never be used in presence of acids (batteries, etc.).
The shielding of the cylinders must be installed (if necessary) so as to avoid:
Direct contact between shielding and the cylinder.
Stones or liquids being between the shielding and the cylinder.
Contact of the cylinder with the components of the vehicle such as supports, panels,
brake lines.
The cylinder must be permanently in the vehicle, and must not be installed in the
engines compartment.

These cautions will help to avoid corrosions or damages over the surface of the cylinder. The
protective layer of the cylinder must be open so as to prevent dirt or water from accumulating
over the cylinder, making the visual inspection of the cylinders surface easier.

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3.2 Installation of the cylinders mounting support.

The installer is responsible of accomplishing with the regulations regarding the mounting of
supports for cng cylinders.
Furthermore, the following indications must be accomplished (see figure 2).

Two mounting supports, with protective rubber straps, must be used.

The rubber straps must not bet wet nor absorbed water.
Ensure that the support and the bed-spring are perpendicular regarding the cylinder. If
they have not been placed correctly, the support will move when the bed-spring is
adjusted.
The bed-springs must be tightening with a torque of 40 ft-lbs / 5.54 Kg-m. Ensure to
tighten both supports equally.
Notes:
1. All the mounting systems must absorb the expansion of the cylinder.
2. Inflex -Argentoil S.A. does not take responsibility for any damages that occur to the
cylinder due to the instalation of the supports and/or operation of the vehicle.
3. Brackets should be designed and used in accordance with: NFPA 52, CSA B109 and
ANSI/AGA NGV3.1/CGA 12.3.

Mounting Brackts with

rubber strips

Mounting brackets

Fig 2.- Cylinder Mounting diagram

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3.3 Valve Installation

The valves are required to seal one end of the cylinder, while they allow highly pressurized
gas to come in and out of the cylinder. A pressure relief device (PRD) is added or mounted in
the valve.

a. Hold the cylinder with the proper help to adjust the valve.
b. Check that the neck thread is clean and well formed.
c. Wrap around the valves thread Teflon, 15 times; apply a thin layer of thread sealer,
for threads with high torque effort (loctite 680).
d. Screw manually the valve (2) in the cylinder (1) and adjust it with the torque key (4)
at 17 a 20 Kgm, using a special socle (3) for the valve used.
e. The valves must count with a PRD system.

Thread 25mm
IRAM 2539 or according
to clients requirements.
NOTE:
An excessive torque may cause damages over the excess flow system inside the valve. Check
for leaks once it is installed.

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4. Inspection and Maintenance.

This section gives guidelines for the maintenance, and for the programmed and recommended
inspections that must be performed in Inflex cylinders.

This section only gives guidelines, and must not substitute any regulations required by the
law, or by standards applicable to the industry.

Inflex -Argentoil S.A. does not take responsibility for errors or damages resulted from the use
of this document.

4.1 General guidelines to work with cylinders and their components.

Here in after can be found some important aspects to be taken into account for safety, when
filling or depressuring the cylinders and components.
1. Protection from graze:
Glasses and security boots.
2. Use the proper tools:
Use the proper tools recommended by the manufacturer, if applies.
Organize the proper documentation with the manufacturer before starting.
3. Understanding the system:
Only trained personnel may perform maintenance and inspection duties.
A clear understanding of the fuel systems functioning is mandatory.
4. Eliminate potential sources of ignition:
No fires, or other sources of heat, are allowed.
5. Assume that the system or component is pressurized:
Open the adapters and connectors slowly, and stop if gas starts leaking out, or if
an excessive torque is required to open the connection.
6. Take the proper precaution regarding inflammable mixes:
Do not operate, store or send a system with a mixture potentially inflammable.
Purge the system.
Do not connect any electric line to a system that contains a potentially inflammable
mixture.

4.2 Inspection
An inspection is a very important safety measure to detect if a cylinder, the mounting system
or the pipe is damaged, and to make sure that those are not suffering from a corrosive
environment.
There are two types of inspection, the General Inspection and the Certificate Inspection.
The damage level determination and the inspection general rules should be doing according
the CGA C-6.4 -2007 documents.

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4.2.1 General Inspection

4.2.1. I.Inspection Frequency:
They are not mandatory; however, Inflex -Argentoil S.A. recommends that these are
performed every 12 months to ensure that fuel storage system is always in good conditions.

Conditions that require an immediate visual inspection:

The cylinder or vehicle in which it is installed is involved in a fire.
The cylinder is exposed to excessive heat.
The cylinder falls or is struck.
The vehicle is involved in a collision.
The cylinder is suspected to have any damage.
Abnormal behavior is seen:
9 Smell of gas is noticed (possible gas leak).
9 Unexpected depressurization of the cylinder
9 Loosening
9 Unusual sounds.

The installation of the cylinder suffers significative changes.

The cylinder is transfered to another vehicle.
The cylinder has been over-pressurized according to the design limits.

4.2.1. II.General Inspection Steps:

General Installation
STEP 1: PREPARATION Inspection

Mounting Bracket Inspection

STEP 2: INSPECTION PRD Inspection

Piping Inspection

STEP 3: DISPOSITION Cylinder Inspection

STEP 1: PREPARATION

If the cylinders are mounted underneath vehicle, place vehicle on lift.

If the cylinders are roof mounted, open roof mounted shields.
If the cylinders are mounted in the truck bed and are shielded, remove
shields.
Clean cylinders with soap and rag.
Take a note about the cylinders details like serial number, date of
manufacture, etc.

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STEP 2: INSPECTION
General Installations
Verify that the service life has not expired. If expired, condemn cylinder.
Verify that cylinder mounting follows the NFPA 52 guidelines

Mounting Bracket
Verify the mounting system: they ensure that all the supports are in
good conditions and are properly safe in the vehicle that no screws are missing.
Ensure that the protection straps are in good conditions and that the cylinders
are tightly held.
Verify that the rubber gaskets are in place and in good condition. Check
the brackets for signs of damage.

PRD
Verify that PRD is attached to cylinder. IF no PRD present, contact
cylinder manufacturer.
Examine the valve and PRD assembly for damage.
Inspect the PRD for signs of bulging of the thermally active material.

Piping
Leak inspection. Damage, wear and signs of deterioration or corrosion.
Inspect hoses for leaks, damage, wear and signs of deterioration and/or
corrosion.

Cylinder
Perform detailed Visual Inspection starting at fill end and progressing to
opposite end. Use a flashlight, and mirror.
If cuts, scratches, abrasion, Impact, are visible, Use the CGA guidelines
to note the damage level.
Verify if rusting or pitting for surface corrosion is visualized.

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STEP 3: DISPOSITION

According to the level of damage the cylinder:

Is approved for continued use.
Should be handled according to the cylinder manufacturer guideline.
Must be condemned and destroyed.

4.2.2 Certificate Inspection.

It is a deep examination of the mounting system, of the cylinder and of the pipes system.
Trained and certified according to local authorities personnel does this inspection. The
frequency of this inspection is to be determined by the local authorities, and must be
performed every 36 months. If the vehicle is involved in an accident, or a fire, an inspection is
required as well.

4.3 Maintenance.

When maintenance to the vehicle is done, or to the mounting devices of the cylinder, the
following instructions are to taken into account:

Do not use welding equipment near the cylinder.

Do not strike the cylinder with tools or other objects.

During maintenance duties of the cylinders:

Be careful when depressurizing. (Must always be used earth-connected electricity to

avoid sparks due to static electricity).
The handling of the cylinder must be very careful.
Ensure to align the supports perpendicularly regarding the cylinder, use the rubber
straps and torque firmly the screws of anchorage symmetrically.

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5. Destruction of the cylinder.

If a cylinder is not in proper conditions to be used, it must be destroyed and must be marked
immediately for its disposal and removal from service.

Steps to follow to destroy a cylinder:

1. Depressurization of the cylinder (an electric land connection must be used to avoid
sparks due to static electricity). The depressurization must be done in an open
place, far from sparks sources, as motor engines or switches.
2. Once the cylinder is totally empty:
o Fill it with inert gas, such as nitrogen (N2) at low pressures, to remove the
residual cng.
o Make sure that the cylinder is not pressurized before removing the valve.
o Remove valves and accessories.
o Cut the cylinder approximately around the middle of its cylindrical body,
covering at least 50% of its circumference to avoid the cylinder from being
filled.
o Dispose the cylinder.

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6. Storage.
The following section describes the basic sequence to be followed for a good packaging of the
cylinder.

Figure 3 Wrapping of the cylinder.

Wrapping is closed to prevent any substance or object from going inside the packaging
(see figure 4).

Figure 4 Closed Wrapping of the cylinder.

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Figure 5 Cylinders packed.

Figure 6 Cylinders packed.

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Figure 7 Cylinders packed in batches.

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