Filling gas cylinders with your own hands from the gas pipeline. Where to fill a propane gas tank

To date, refueling gas cylinders is a very topical issue. Especially considering that it is much cheaper and easier to refill an old cylinder than to buy a new one. Bottled gas is often used both in everyday life and in production. Most often, gas is used for heating private houses and for domestic needs (cooking). In connection with the growing popularity of the use of gas in various fields, many people have a reasonable question where to purchase and subsequently fill gas cylinders for their household needs.

Where to fill gas cylinders? And where should it not be done?

Sale of gas for domestic cylinders is carried out at specialized filling points. Most often, such points are located at stationary automobile gas filling stations. Of course, there is an opportunity to fill cylinders with gas at many gas stations that are not even equipped with special balloon points, but experts strongly advise against buying liquefied gas on them. This comes with certain risks:

when refueling with gas, cylinders are not checked for gas leaks;
there is no control on the part of tankers of the terms or the period of examination of cylinders, which makes further operation of cylinders unsafe;
the format of the car filling station does not make it possible to fill the cylinder properly. According to the approved norms, the volume of filling with gas should not exceed 85%. This allows creating a so-called “steam cap” in the cylinder, which prevents the risk of the cylinder exploding under the influence of high temperatures (for example, the sun). In automobile gas cylinders, unlike household ones, a special cut-off device is placed to prevent gas overflow in a timely manner. With this in mind, gas cylinders should be filled with the obligatory control of the weight of the equipment on the scales.

Refueling of gas cylinders at automobile gas stations is possible only with specialized equipment and a license.

Companies that fill any gas containers are called "gas filling stations". By the nature of their activities, they may have a different set of equipment. Often, the process of filling a cylinder can take place in three ways:

pumping - using a pump;
pump-compression - the gas is taken by the pump and, under the increased pressure created by the compressor, is fed into the cylinder;
pumping and evaporating - an electric heater is additionally introduced into the gas supply system - an evaporator, which provides increased pressure.

Such a gas filling station should contain:

exhaust and pump installations;
gas storage tanks;
technical tools for transportation;
additional devices: dispensers, instrument for measuring gas density, etc.

Rules for refueling gas cylinders for summer cottages

A sufficiently high degree of explosion hazard determines the existence of standard requirements for filling gas cylinders.

For example, gas filling should not be carried out if one of the following disadvantages exists:

the equipment is faulty;
there is no residual pressure in the cylinder;
there are visible defects in the valves or valve;
the surface of the cylinder is covered with rust;
there are external signs of paint peeling;
there are dents or damage.

In addition to the norms, cylinders are marked with the inscription "compressed gas" and a sticker is applied, signaling an explosion hazard.

Before direct filling, the vessel must be freed from condensate and gas residues. Filling the cylinder is carried out strictly on the basis of its characteristics specified in the technical passport.

Filling gas cylinders can be carried out in two ways:

exchange - the consumer provides his cylinders and in return receives cylinders already filled with gas. The main advantage of this method can be considered a significant time saving. Disadvantage: receiving someone else's equipment, which may have lower technical parameters;
use of own cylinders - the consumer leaves the cylinders at the gas station, and after a certain time (1-2 days) picks them up. The positive aspect of this method is that its cylinders are constantly used. Minus - the cost of delivery and refueling time.

The cost of refueling gas equipment

The price of such services depends on several factors:

level of service (mounting / dismantling);
availability of transport services (additional transportation);
the cost of electricity for refueling;
the cost of the gas itself.

Many country houses use gas cylinders that need to be refilled regularly. Although they are used in production. Refilling is much cheaper than buying a new cylinder. They are used for heating and domestic purposes. When living outside the city limits, the question of where to fill the gas cylinder becomes natural. This is discussed in the article.

Pros and cons of gas cylinders

The self-contained tank is a convenient thing to use. Its advantages include:

Mobility. It can be rearranged, transported.
Unlimited storage period. It can be used later.
Big choice. You can purchase a container of any size, purpose, made of various materials.

Of the minuses are:

Fire hazard. If the tank is located in the area of a fire or a sudden change in temperature, this can lead to a threat to life and health, as well as damage to property.
The presence of sediment in old tanks with prolonged use. They need to be cleaned for future use.
Gas leakage if the equipment has been used for a long time. You need to change the jet regularly to prevent this.
Danger from sudden overturning. There is a risk of a pressure surge and a sudden burst of flame. And it’s almost impossible to pay off everything on your own.
Risk of substance inhalation. If the equipment is malfunctioning, then people living in the house can be poisoned by carbon monoxide.

Where to apply?

Household gas cylinders are sold at specialized points. Usually there is home delivery. Where to fill the gas cylinder if it is empty? In these specialized centers, the filling of containers is carried out. As a rule, these points are located at stationary automobile gas stations.

Other items

Where else is propane? There are several options:

Factory. But this option is not very convenient, besides not cheap.
Companies that have received the right from Gostekhnadzor. These include the exchange of cylinders.

Factories and companies must have special premises that meet the requirements, as well as the equipment that is needed for such work. Where to fill gas This work is performed by the same specialized points.

Where should you not go?

Although you can perform this procedure at almost every gas station, where there are not even special balloon points, you should not buy liquefied gas there. This is quite risky because:

After this procedure, there is no check for gas leakage.
There is no control of tankers, which is why the use of such gas equipment will be unsafe.
Due to the format of the filling column, the balloon cannot be filled with high quality.

According to the norms, the filling volume should not exceed 85%. This creates a "vapor cap" in the cylinder, which protects against the risk of the cylinder exploding due to high temperatures. In automobile cylinders, in comparison with household ones, there is a cut-off valve to prevent gas overflow. Therefore, the equipment must be checked on the scales. Where is the best place to fill a gas cylinder? You can also apply to car gas stations, if only there is special equipment and a license.

Filling process

Refueling centers are called gas filling stations. They may have different equipment. Usually the procedure is performed in 3 ways:

Pumped: A pump is used.
Pump-compression: the gas is taken with the help of a pump and enters the cylinder under high pressure of the compressor.
Pump-evaporator: in the gas supply system there is a heater-evaporator that provides increased pressure.

All refueling methods are safe if the rules and procedures are followed.

station requirements

If you are interested in where you can fill the gas cylinder, then you should check the station for the presence of:

Exhaust and pump installations.
Reservoirs for gas.
Technical tools for transportation.
Additional devices - dispensers, devices for measuring the density of a substance.

Where are household gas cylinders filled in cities? This is usually done by gas services that connect and maintain this equipment. They deliver containers with the substance according to a certain schedule. Gas equipment is also delivered to the villages, delivered by special vehicles.

The procedure is performed according to standard requirements. They must be observed, as there is a risk of explosion. For example, the procedure is not performed if there is one of the shortcomings:

the equipment is faulty;
there is no necessary pressure in the cylinder;
there are valve or valve defects;
rust is visible on the surface;
peeling paint;
there is damage.

Therefore, you need to check compliance with these regulations regarding where you can fill the gas cylinder. They should be labeled "compressed gas". A sticker is also attached, indicating an explosion hazard. Only in this case, everything complies with safety standards, so refueling in such a company can be performed.

Refueling rules

Before the procedure, the balloon is freed from condensate and remaining gas. Filling is carried out on the basis of the characteristics indicated in the data sheet, so that the equipment will work safely. During the procedure, there should be no fire, sparks, coals and other hazardous substances nearby. Work can be done in 2 ways:

Exchange. A person gives away his reservoirs, and he is provided with filled ones. This saves time. But the disadvantage is the receipt of other equipment, which may not have quite high-quality parameters.
own balloons. A person leaves their tanks for refueling, and after a while picks them up. Then only your equipment will be used. But you will have to spend money on shipping and wait a while.

After refueling, the equipment must be properly maintained. It should not be affected by precipitation, sunlight. Cylinders should be stored upright. Equipment should be checked regularly for proper operation. It is better to eliminate any defects immediately, without waiting for adverse consequences.

What does the price depend on?

It is important to know not only where to fill the gas cylinder, but also the price of these services. The cost depends on:

service level;
availability of transport services;
electricity costs;
gas prices.

In case of violation of refueling procedures, firms are held liable. If they do not comply with the rules and regulations, then for these cases it applies. Therefore, if you need to fill a gas cylinder (50 liters or another volume), you should contact specialized companies that work on the basis of a legally issued permit. Then the procedures for filling the cylinders are performed correctly, which is safe for the life and health of people.

Published: 03/19/2018 08:11

Good afternoon dear visitors of our site. Many residents of our country are familiar with the situation when, in order to heat their site, they have to resort to self-installation of gas equipment.

This article will tell you about the main nuances of using gas cylinders in everyday life and will be useful to those who have not yet encountered their purchase. We will also find out whether it makes sense to buy a new container and what you need to pay attention to when buying a used cylinder.

Among other things, in the article you can learn about the most important thing - how propane gas cylinders are refueled. Let's not waste time and start studying this issue.

Types and features of gas storage cylinders

A conventional gas cylinder is a durable steel container. There are several common volumes: 5, 15, 25 and 50 liters. There are also cylinders made of polymeric materials, their volumes differ from common steel ones and often the volume of a composite propane gas cylinder is 14 or 33 liters. Naturally, there are differences between iron and composite containers.

Steel cylinders are produced exclusively in the factory. In addition to the use of durable material, when creating, great attention is paid to the reliability of welding seams. The better they are made, the longer the household cylinder will last. When buying a steel model, you should carefully examine the welding points and pay attention to whether the seams are processed. The main advantage of iron models is durability. But before buying, you should prepare a place for installing a container. If there is a sufficiently high level of humidity in the room, the container may rust and deform over time.
A more expensive and modern option is a polymer container. It has quite a lot of positive aspects, but I immediately want to emphasize their main disadvantage: the price of a polymer is 2-3 times higher than a similar steel container. Fiberglass is used in the production, which is durable and lightweight. This is a clear plus, because it is easier and safer to transport LPG in such containers. In addition, high-quality models are equipped with additional body protection. Accordingly, in case of a fall with a permissible height passport or a small impact, the container body will not be deformed. Such a propane gas cylinder can be located near the fire, because resistance to high temperatures is usually provided.

The color of the gas cylinder is a kind of marker showing what materials it is intended for. There are cylinders painted in the following colors:

white with yellow inscriptions for acetylene;
propane tanks are painted red.
medical and conventional oxygen are stored in blue cylinders;
hydrogen should be dark green;
nitrous oxide should only be stored in gray containers with black elements.

For many people, the weight of a propane tank is important. Steel empty models, depending on the volume, weigh from 4 to 22 kg. Thus, the largest commercially available household cylinder is designed for 50 liters and weighs 44 kg when filled. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the possibility of transporting the container to your site in advance.

There are certain rules for refueling cylinders. To calculate how much gas you can fill, you should divide its passport volume by 1.43.

For example, you have at your disposal a standard iron cylinder with a volume of 27 liters. You can safely store and transport in it no more than 19 liters of propane. If the pressure is too high, the safety valve of the container may fail, resulting in an explosion.

Purchase of a cylinder and necessary accessories

Propane storage tanks have an almost unlimited lifespan. The main condition is compliance with all operating standards, as well as storage and transportation conditions. You can save a little and buy a used propane tank, but you need to approach the purchase with the utmost care.

First you need to make a visual inspection of the case. You can safely refuse the offer if traces of poor-quality welding and serious dents are visible on it. Appearance can tell a lot about the conditions in which he was. Suspicion can be caused by both traces of fresh paint, and vice versa, too old cracked coating.

You should not risk buying a used container if there is even the slightest suspicion of rust. This indicates that the container was stored incorrectly, in conditions of high humidity. Even a small speck of rust will sooner or later increase, which will inevitably lead to gas leakage, and in the worst case, to an explosion.

Inlet valve and valve should be in order. If they are damaged or traces of repair are visible, then in the future they will require replacement, and, accordingly, additional costs.

The points described above must also be taken into account when buying a new cylinder, since no one can guarantee that the correct conditions were observed during storage in the warehouse.

In addition to a cylinder for domestic use, the following items will be required:

a set of adapters for connecting to a furnace, burner or heating system;
reducer for propane cylinder;
special gas hose with fittings;
connection isolation tools.

To ensure maximum safety during installation, it is necessary to use keys and other tools plated with brass or copper. Such tools do not form a spark when in contact with metal.

Features of filling the balloon?

So, we figured out what types of gas cylinders are, found a suitable model and a complete set of necessary accessories. It's time to talk about how and where propane gas cylinders are refueled for domestic use.

Before filling a cylinder, it is extremely important to make sure of the following:

there are no damages on the body - rust, dents, violations of welding seams, bursting paint;
the valve and valve are visually in perfect order;
there is no residual pressure in the empty container.

If everything is in order with the container, we start looking for a place where you can fill the gas cylinder in compliance with all standards. In our country, there are specialized gas stations, equipped with the necessary equipment and qualified employees. In turn, there are three refueling mechanisms at such stations:

pumping - gas is pumped into the cylinder by special pumps;
pumping and evaporating - when pumping gas, special heating elements maintain a certain temperature, as a result of which the pressure in the system increases;
pump-compressor - a compressor is used that increases the performance of the pump, which in turn affects the rate of filling the tank.

At such filling stations, fire safety is maximally observed.

You can also fill the tank with propane at some car gas stations. Before contacting the gas station employees with a request to fill a domestic cylinder, you should make sure that special equipment is available.

The specifics of refueling cars and household gas cylinders are slightly different. Unfortunately, gas stations often neglect this. Filling a household container at a gas station that is not properly equipped has a number of negative aspects:

refuellers often ignore the expiration date and certification of household cylinders;
there are no weight control scales.

The last point is worth a closer look. As mentioned earlier, the household container should be filled with propane, taking into account the coefficient of 1.43 - this is 85% of the volume of empty containers. Cars have special fuses that do not allow you to fill in more gas than expected. Ordinary household containers are not equipped with such sensors, therefore, when refueling, it is necessary to control their weight. Filling more than 85% poses a high risk of explosion, especially when exposed to temperatures.

If you have decided which household cylinder you want to purchase, please contact our company. Here you can get additional advice, as well as refuel, order and buy everything you need to install gas equipment.

Gasoline prices are growing at such a pace that you do not have time to remember them, and more and more drivers are thinking about alternative fuels. Alas, the high cost of electric vehicles does not yet allow mass transfer to them, the same applies to hydrogen fuel. Now the most effective way to save on refueling is to equip the car with gas-cylinder equipment () and use natural gas (methane) or liquefied gas (propane, butane) as fuel. Propane is obtained in the process of oil refining, but methane is the same gas that we all use for cooking on gas stoves, it is supplied through pipes to most apartments and private houses. At the same time, if we compare prices for 1 cu. meter of methane at gas stations (about 15 rubles) and gas prices for the population (about 4 rubles), then a significant difference is visible. Therefore, many people have a reasonable question: is it possible to fill a car with LPG with ordinary household gas at home?

Indeed, such a possibility exists, but this does not mean that you can simply connect a hose from a gas pipe to a car and fill it up. The fact is that in the cylinders installed on the car, the gas is under a pressure of 200 atmospheres, therefore, to pump it, you need a special compressor that can compress the gas to the required pressure and supply it to the cylinders. Such equipment exists, although it is mostly imported and it is not cheap - from 3,000 euros. But craftsmen have learned to adapt the AK-150S military compressor for these purposes, which is used on tanks, aircraft, infantry fighting vehicles and other military equipment. It will take from 4 to 10 hours to fully refuel a car with methane, depending on the type of compressor used, so this procedure is best done at night. By the way, the night is the best time for refueling and for one more reason - fewer people use gas at this time, which means that the load that the compressor creates on the gas line will be less noticeable, because about 20 cubic meters of gas enters a 100-liter cylinder and to refuel it it is necessary to pump out methane from 1.3 km of the pipeline of the low pressure network with a diameter of 140 mm. This can trigger the protection automatics at the gas distribution substation and the technical inspection system of the gas supply company will sooner or later reveal the cause of excessive gas consumption.

You don’t need to get any special permits for refueling with methane at home, but you shouldn’t meddle with gas workers with questions either - they will probably find something to dig into. It is clear that such a feint will not work in an apartment, this can only be done in a private house connected to a gas pipeline. And of course, for commercial purposes (i.e., to fill anyone who wants it for money), no one will allow you to open such a gas station at home. As an option - to cooperate with neighbors in the village, buy a compressor together and refuel in turn, then the costs will pay off very quickly. You just need to remember about safety. Speaking of costs - do not forget that the compressor consumes a lot of electricity, so the cost of refueling increases. However, some especially cunning fellow citizens even manage to save here by unwinding both the electric meter and the gas meter, but this is a completely different topic. We invite you to watch a video on how home installations for filling household gas into a car work in Ukraine. By the way, gas prices for the population there are lower than in Russia ...

Recently, a new offer has appeared on the market of gas-balloon and filling equipment - mobile (home) gas filling. In other words, you can fill up your car at home from the domestic gas network. As you know, domestic gas tariffs for the population are orders of magnitude lower than gas prices at gas stations. And this is even through the counter. If there is no meter and you pay at standard (albeit overpriced) rates - then everything is clear. Yes, it turns out that you will fill the car almost for nothing. By the way, in the West or in America such home gas stations are gaining more and more popularity, although there the difference in the price of gas in the kitchen and at the gas station is not at all big. We have another thing...

With savings, I think everyone understands - even according to the most conservative estimates, at least more than 10 times, provided that you honestly pay everything according to the domestic gas meter.

In addition to that, refueling a car with natural gas from a household network, brought to your house or apartment will allow:

Again, the main thing is to reduce the cost of refueling the car. The cost of methane is several times lower than the cost of gasoline. The more intensively the car is operated, the higher the economic effect.

Extend engine life. Methane gas, like propane-butane, does not wash off the oil film from the engine cylinder walls, which provides excellent lubrication of piston group parts. In addition, methane, unlike gasoline, does not contain various additives that oxidize the oil itself, which has a positive effect on the resource and stability of engine oil characteristics. Plus, this, by about a quarter, extends the life of spark plugs. Reducing the wear of engine parts increases the engine life by 1.5-2 times, and the service life of engine oil by 2-2.5 times.

The high octane number of natural gas (104-115) allows it to be used for any engines (ZAZ, LuAZ, VAZ, GAZ, Moskvich, UAZ, etc.), as well as in the engines of most foreign cars. This also applies to trucks.

Significantly reduce emissions of harmful combustion products into the atmosphere. When using gas as a car fuel, there are no emissions of harmful toxic compounds of lead and aromatic compounds, emissions of CO, CH, nitrogen oxides are reduced by several times, smoke from the exhaust pipe is reduced three times. Even if you are not an ardent admirer of the "green", cars with methane LPG installed are exempted from environmental control during technical inspection.

And the expediency of using various "devices" to reduce the fuel consumption of a car has already been considered earlier.

Further, there are two options for refueling a car with gas at home:

Purchase a ready-made factory mobile gas filling station. Unfortunately, the domestic industry does not produce such ones (it is understandable, no one will be given permission), and there are already quite a few foreign samples. For example, Neuman ESSER (Germany), Maschinenfabrik (Austria), Litvin (France) and many others are mass-produced. The only, but very significant disadvantage is the price. These gas stations are not cheap, especially for a person who wants to save on this, and therefore, definitely not an oligarch.

Do it yourself. The option, again, is ten times cheaper, but it requires desire, time and, most importantly, "straight" hands, besides, they must grow from the right place;).

Guide for self-production of a set of gas-cylinder equipment for refueling a car with household gas

At the beginning, it is necessary to clarify: there are gas equipment for compressed gas and equipment for liquefied gas. Compressed gas equipment uses ordinary natural gas - methane, which can be taken from an apartment household or industrial gas network. The only problem is how to fill this gas into a car at home.

In a conventional gas pipeline supplied to a home stove, column or boiler, the pressure of natural gas is about 0.05 Atm., And in a high-pressure gas cylinder up to 200 Atm. Therefore, a compressor is needed that will raise the gas pressure to the required value. The design of such a compressor is somewhat different from that used in conventional household appliances.
An ordinary single-circuit compressor is capable of raising the pressure to a maximum of 20 -25 atm., And to fill a gas cylinder, it is necessary to reach 200 atm. This is achieved by adding additional circuits to the system. It looks like a set of several compressors, each subsequent one, of which pressurizes the gas previously compressed by the previous one to a higher pressure.
In general, the high pressure compressor circuit looks like this.

Designations on the diagram: 1 Gas filter at the inlet. 2 Stage 1 inlet valve. 3 Stage 1 exhaust valve. 4 Cooling tube between 1st and 2nd stages. 5 Inlet valve stage 2. 6 Exhaust valve 2 stages. 7 Cooling tube between 2nd and 3rd stages. 8 3rd stage inlet valve. 9 Exhaust valve 3rd stage. 10 Cooling tubes at the last stage of gas release. 11 Pressure switch. 12 Active carbon / molecular filter. 13 Safety valve. 14 Pressure sensor. 15 Outlet fitting to hoses.

The principle of operation of the compressor for refueling cars with gas:

Gas from the domestic domestic gas pipeline through the inlet filter (1) is supplied through the inlet valve (2) to the primary circuit cylinder. Compression occurs and through the exhaust valve (3) through the pipeline through the cooling radiator (4) is fed to the cylinder of the next circuit. Further, the gas pre-compressed in the primary circuit is compressed to an even higher pressure. All processes are repeated in the third circuit. The number of circuits can be increased to five. There are three of them in the diagram above. But this does not change the principle.

Compressed to the required pressure, natural gas (about 200 atm.) Passes through the pressure switch (11), is cleaned in a molecular filter and fed through the safety valve into the tank of the fueled car or into the reserve high pressure tank. The refueling time will depend entirely on the productivity of the plant.

In order to speed up the refueling time of the car, you can use additional stationary cylinders. Then, in his spare time, the compressor pumps gas into these stationary cylinders. And when you need to quickly fill up your car, you distill methane directly from them. Thus, it is possible to reduce the refueling time to 10-15 minutes.

Description of a home-made device for filling a car with domestic gas.

As previously stated, this requires a high-pressure compressor (up to 200 kg/cm2). You can use compressors such as GP4, NG-2, AKG-2, but they require a powerful electric motor, which is not suitable for many. A good option is to use the AK 150C air compressor. It is used on modern armored vehicles and in aviation. This compressor is rather small-sized, lightweight, and requires a low-power electric motor of 1.5-3 kW, which allows it to be connected to an apartment or garage electrical network. The main question is where to get it. But believe me, this is not such a difficult task as it seems at first glance. It often happens that they can be written off, while using up no more than 10% of their resource. Whoever seeks - he will always find (sometimes for very little money or liquid barter :)).

The scheme of the filling device is shown in fig. 2

From the home household gas network through a rubber hose (possibly from a gas welding machine), gas is supplied through a valve to the gas filter (7). The pressure meter (2), connected through an adapter (3), serves to control the pressure in the gas network. The gas in the filter (7) is cleaned of impurities and fed to the compressor (10), where it rises to 150 kg/cm2. Then the gas enters the dehumidifier (18), the high pressure gas filter (19), the automatic pressure switch (20) of the ADU-2S type. After that, the gas is supplied to the filling valve.
When the pressure rises above 150 kg / cm2, the ADU 2 valve opens and the gas returns through the tube (23) to the compressor inlet. The pressure gauge of the NMP 100 type is used with measurement limits of 0-400 mm of water. Art.
The function of the gas filter can be performed by a new fine fuel filter for diesel engines. A valve (17) is used to drain the condensate from the water separator. A manometer (22) (0-250) kg/cm2 is installed to control the pressure at the compressor outlet.

Elements 18, 19, 20 (Fig. 2) are most preferably used from the air system of the tank. In principle, you can do without the ADU-2 pressure automatic device, but then you need to constantly monitor the outlet pressure so that it is not exceeded.

On fig. 4 shows the layout of the holes and the main parameters of the compressor. The compressor does not have its own drive unit and lubrication system.
Figure 3 shows a variant of the compressor drive assembly.

It is attached to the compressor flange (1) with the help of tin, studs in flocks (8) through the gasket (10) housing (11). From below, a plate (12) is welded to the body for mounting the compressor with a lubrication unit (Fig. 5). A bearing (4) of type 205 is pressed into the housing (11) (Fig. 3). A bushing (7) from a slot is pressed into the bearing, which is fastened with a retaining ring (19). On the one hand, the splined shaft (6) of the compressor enters the sleeve, and on the other hand, the shaft (17) is pressed in, the key of which enters the splines of the sleeve (7). This is to avoid splines on the shaft (17). After pressing, the shaft (17) is carefully attached to the sleeve (7) by welding.
After that, the body (11) is closed with a cover (14) with an oil seal (13). The cover is fixed with bolts (5). A drive pulley (15) with a key (16) is pushed onto the other end of the shaft (17). The compressor lubrication unit is shown in fig. 2 and fig. 5. The tank (24) (Fig. 2) serves as the base, which can be made from a rectangular profile or welded from tin. A drive unit with a compressor is attached to the top of the tank. The hole (13) (fig. 3) must match the hole (11) (fig. 5) of the tank. A hole is cut out on top of the tank in a convenient place, to which the filler neck (3) and the cap (2) are welded (Fig. 5).
A hole is drilled in the lower part of the tank for the drain plug (14) (Fig. 2). A hole is drilled in the side wall of the tank for the oil pump (1) and the pump drive shaft (17). The oil pump is attached to the tank wall with studs. The hole (4) (Fig. 5) serves to supply oil to the pump. Shafts (6) and (17) are connected with plate (7) and bushing (8). The bearing (12) is fastened with a housing (15) with a cover (16) and an oil seal (13). The cover is attached to the body with bolts (14). A pulley (18) with a key is put on the shaft (17). The oil pump is used from a GAZ-51, 52, 69 car, but it should be borne in mind that the pumps differ in the length of the drive shaft.

To control the oil level, a viewing window (11) of an arbitrary design is used. The lubrication system works like this. The torque from the electric motor pulley through a belt drive is transmitted to the pulley (16) (Fig. 2), (18) (Fig. 5) and through the shaft (17), bushing (8) and plate (7) is transmitted to the shaft (6) pump drive (1). The oil enters through the hole (4) into the pump (1) (fig. 5), (8) (fig. 2), passes through the adapter (3), into which the automobile pressure sensor (4) is screwed and is fed through the tube to the inlet fitting (12) oil supply to the compressor. Fitting (12) in fig. 2 is conditionally deployed. It is screwed into the hole (3) (fig. 3). The diameter of the thread depends on the tube you have, which can be used from the hydraulic system of autotractor units.

Then the oil passes through the lubrication channels of the compressor (fig. 3, fig. 4), collects in the lower part and is thrown out through the oil drain hole fig. 4, fig. 11 (det. 11) then flows through the hole (13) (fig. 3) into the tank (24) (fig. 2) Part of the oil passes through the bearing (4) (fig. 3) and lubricates it. Detail (7) ( Fig. 11) can be made from a compressor drive gear, which must be purchased. To do this, grind the ring gear to the dimensions shown in Fig. 11 (det. 7). An automobile bulb can be connected to the pressure sensor (4) (Fig. 2). Instead of a sensor, you can connect a pressure gauge for control. In order to divert the gas that has broken through the piston rings into the housing of the drive unit, there is a threaded hole near the upper part of the housing (Fig. 11), (det. 11), section A-A, into which the fitting (13) is screwed ( Fig. 2). A rubber tube is put on the fitting and is brought out above the roof of the garage, at home. Although the design of the filling device provides for the localization of possible gas emissions into the room, it is desirable to install it outside the room.

The design of the compressor allows you to pump gas of any pressure. But it must be remembered that when the compressor is operating at a very low pressure or the complete absence of gas at the inlet, with the main valve fully open, a vacuum may be created at the compressor inlet and the compressor, instead of gas, begins to draw air through leaks in the valve seals, etc. Therefore, before when filling gas into a cylinder, it is necessary to let the compressor run for several minutes into the atmosphere until the air is completely removed from the filling device.

Re-equipment of the car to run on natural gas.

On fig. 1 pictured scheme of gas equipment for natural gas.

First you need to make sure that it is appropriate to install HBO on your car.

Cylinders (5) containing natural gas are connected by high pressure pipes (3) through adapters (4) screwed into the cylinders instead of valves. Through the shut-off valve (6), gas is supplied to the flow valve (9) and enters the high pressure reducer (HP) (11), where the high gas pressure (200 atmospheres) is reduced to 10 atm. During this process, the gas cools rapidly and strongly, so the reducer can freeze during a fast gas intake, then the gas will stop flowing. To prevent freezing of the gas, a reducer heater (12) is used. Further, the gas, already through the low pressure pipeline (14), through the solenoid valve (15) enters the low pressure reducer (18), where the gas pressure decreases again and is sent through the tee (20) to the car carburetor (22), in proportion to the engine load ( depending on the pressure on the gas pedal). By transferring the voltage of switch P1 to the EM gas valve (15) or to the gasoline valve (23), it is possible to switch the type of fuel on the go. Gasoline enters the carburetor (22) through the fuel pump (24), valve (23). The start valve (19) is used to start the engine on gas.
On fig. 1 shows a simplified diagram of the control of EM valves. Valves 15, 19, 23, reducer-heater 12, low pressure pipes can be used from the set of equipment for liquefied gas. All this can be mounted in the engine compartment in their regular places. This can be done in a workshop for installing liquefied gas equipment. You can also purchase these units there, install, adjust, and check. You can do all this on your own, but you still need documents to register a gas installation on a car, and they can only be issued by a workshop that has a license for this. Yes, and for the correct adjustment of gas equipment, on which both engine thrust and consumption greatly depend, it is desirable that a qualified craftsman would perform the appropriate equipment.

You don't have to buy a balloon. A standard car will not work, because it is designed for low pressure (16 atm) and the mileage will be very small. Therefore, it must be replaced with a high pressure cylinder (Fig. 7) 200 (150) atm and a high pressure reducer (11) (Fig. 1) must be added to reduce the pressure from 200 (150) atm to 10 atm. Aviation oxygen reducers that do not freeze well, or a reducer from a truck with a heater, are well suited for this.
Also, for this purpose, you can use a conventional oxygen reducer for gas welding. But it needs to be modified a bit. It is necessary to change the cover with a large thread diameter, at the top for a fitting and a safety valve with a fitting from a truck gearbox. The fact is that the oxygen reducer is not suitable for gas removal when the safety valve is triggered or when the membrane breaks. A rubber tube (10) (Fig. 1) is put on the safety valve fitting and the cover fitting (13) and is led out of the body.
In addition, for the oxygen reducer, it is necessary to purchase a liquid heater (12) (Fig. 1) with a bracket. In this way, you can reduce the cost of the system. It should be borne in mind that the above applies to the oxygen reducer type DKP-1-65. There is also a new type of gearbox EKO-25-2, which does not fit the cover from the gearbox of a truck.

The HP reducer is installed in the engine compartment of the vehicle. The liquid heater is installed in the rupture of the hose that goes to the stove. The copper pipe from the LPG kit that goes into the trunk must be replaced with a seamless high-pressure steel pipe from the truck's compressed gas equipment. Control over the operation of the HP reducer is carried out by the pressure gauge (16) (0-25 kg/cm2), which is installed in place of the reducer pressure sensor.
To determine the amount of filled gas and control the pressure in the cylinders, a high pressure gauge (1) (Fig. 1) (0-250 kg/cm2) is installed on the final cylinder. pressure from a home refueling device, or at a gas station - CNG filling station. For this, a filling fitting from a truck is used. To connect the cylinders to each other, connect the HP reducer, tees, only high-pressure seamless steel tubes (3) with an outer diameter of 10 mm and an inner diameter of 6 mm can be used.
To prevent damage from vibration and distortions, short parts of gas pipelines are bent in the form of rings with a diameter of 100 mm. In addition, the cylinders must be installed on a common frame in nests lined with rubber bands. The entire package must be pinned together to prevent cylinders from moving. Each brand of car has its own layout option.
On fig. 9 shows one of the possible options. In addition, the design of a package of cylinders depends on the type of cylinders, their number, which ultimately determines the mileage.

The mileage depends on the amount of gas in the cylinders, the determination of which is difficult because at different air temperatures, different amounts of gas enter the same volume. For orientation, you can use a simplified conversion factor:
a) at a pressure in cylinders of 150 kg / cm2 - 1 liter of cylinder volume, equivalent to 0.3 liters of gasoline.
b) at a pressure in cylinders of 200 kg / cm2 - 1 liter of cylinder volume, equivalent to 0.4 liters of gasoline.

That is, if the average car consumption is 9 liters of gasoline per 100 km and the total volume of cylinders is 50 liters (for example), the mileage will be as follows:
a) at a pressure in cylinders of 150 kg/cm2; 50 * 0.3 = 15 liters of gasoline (15 * 100): 9 = 167 km

Now knowing this, you can choose the type and number of cylinders depending on the required mileage. You should not chase after a high mileage, because the weight increases, the volume of the cargo compartment decreases. It is better to have a basic set of cylinders for a run of 80-100 km and an additional one for long trips.
Specifically for passenger cars, our industry does not produce high-pressure cylinders. Therefore, it is necessary to use them from different fields of technology,
On fig. 7 shows the dimensions of the most common types of HP cylinders. Oxygen cylinders of non-standard reduced size may be suitable for our needs. Scuba tanks are great for scuba diving. Cylinders made of fiberglass, reinforced with steel wire winding, made of composite materials are produced. They are very light and strong and perfect for our needs, but scarce.
You can also use high-pressure aviation or tank cylinders. In extreme cases, a cylinder of the required size can be made from ordinary oxygen by cutting out the middle part. After that, the cylinder is welded by argon-arc welding, translucent with a gamma flaw detector, and subjected to a hydraulic test in a specialized organization. In artisanal conditions, it is strictly forbidden to do this.
After installing the valve cylinders, adapters, filling fitting are placed in a box (4) (fig. 9) made of soft tin, into which the fitting (3) and the service window (2) are soldered, which is installed on the seal. The design can be taken from cylinders for liquefied gas. A piece of rubber tube is put on the fitting and is led out of the body through the window for refueling the gas tank or another place.

On average, filling gas cylinders takes 1-1.5 hours. To reduce refueling time, two compressors can be paired. Truck owners can use 4 compressors. On fig. 10 shows a circuit diagram for connecting a 3-phase electric motor to a single-phase network.

Voltage is supplied to the IM motor through the circuit breaker Q1, magnetic starter MP. When the "start" button is pressed, the relay P1 is activated, which, with its contacts P1.2, supplies voltage to the MP starter coil and connects the starting capacitors Sp with contacts P1.1. In this case, the starter is activated and connects the motor and working capacitors Ср to the network. At the same time, the auxiliary contacts of the MP 1.1 starter are closed and the starter becomes self-locking. When the Start button is released, Sp is turned off. When the “Stop” button is pressed or when the motor thermal protection relay RT is activated, the circuit opens, the starter turns off, the engine turns off and the circuit returns to its original position. When connecting the motor windings with a triangle Ср=4800 (IHOM/U), where IHOM is the rated current of the motor, U is the mains voltage. Sp \u003d (2-3) Wed.

When storing the car in a garage, a tube is put on the fitting, which is brought out above the roof of the garage. With this design, you will be fully guaranteed against any gas leaks. Before using cylinders, it is necessary to check their working pressure, volume, technical condition. The outer surface must be free of dents, cracks, deep scratches and corrosion. Near the neck of the VD is indicated:
- the date of the test and the date of the next test;
- type of heat treatment (N - normalization, W - hardening with tempering);
- operating pressure;
- trial hydraulic pressure (p225);
- actual weight, factory stamp,

To connect gas pipelines, special adapters are used (Fig. 8), which are screwed into the cylinder instead of a valve, lubricating the thread with red lead. Adapter tightening torque -45-50 kg/m (450-500) NM. This can be checked with a special torque wrench, which can be borrowed from a car service station. When the valve or adapter is fully screwed in, 2-5 threads should remain on its threaded part. The size of the taper thread (fig. 8) depends on the types of cylinders.

High-pressure pipes have a gasketless nipple connection, which, when the union nut is tightened, abuts against the conical surface of the fitting and, when deformed, seals the junction. If you purchased old tubes, you need to cut off the end of the tube with the nipple and put on a new nipple, smearing it with red lead, and tighten the union nut. After carefully tightening all threaded connections, the filling valve opens, the filling device is connected and air is pumped in to half the working pressure, the connections are checked, and if there are no gaps, they are pumped up to full working pressure.

Air leaks must be eliminated after the pressure has been completely bled off. If there are no gaps, then the filling valve is opened and the air is completely released from the system and gas is pumped into the cylinder. After that, the flow valve is opened and gas is released to the HP reducer, its operation is checked.
To do this, using the fitting (13) (Fig. 1), set the gas pressure at the outlet to 10 kg / cm2, then purge the low-pressure system with gas until the air is completely removed, start the engine on gas and check the pressure at the outlet of the HP reducer. may fall a little. All work must be carried out outside the premises. After that, the operation of the safety valve of the gearbox is checked. To do this, smoothly tighten the fitting (13) (Fig. 1) and gradually increase the pressure at the outlet of the reducer until the valve operates. It should work at a pressure of 15-17 kg / cm2.

If the valve operates at a different pressure, loosen the locknut on the valve and adjust the response. After that, the tightness of the main valve is checked. To do this, the fitting (13) is completely unscrewed, while the gas must not enter the low pressure line. If the pressure slowly increases, then the valve seat is changed in the gearbox or handed over to the workshop. If everything is in order, make a test drive and check the low pressure reducer.
How to do this is well described in the instruction manual for liquefied gas equipment and there is no need to describe it. It should be borne in mind that when using a low pressure reducer from an liquefied gas jet, your car may slightly lose dynamism. To prevent this from happening, you can drill the jets in the gearbox by 1-2 tens, but then the mileage and efficiency will decrease. So the decision is yours.

Safety regulations for the operation of the vehicle and filling device.

You need to know that natural gas is lighter than air and rises, unlike liquefied gas, which spreads along the ground, fills all the cracks and cellars. Therefore, during operation, this feature must be taken into account.

Before each departure and return to the garage, after maintenance and repairs, it is necessary to check the tightness of the gas system. The most accessible methods for detecting gas leaks are odor control and washing with soapy water. If you smell gas while driving, you need to fix the problem. If you cannot eliminate the malfunction, it is necessary to release the gas from the cylinders into the atmosphere (in the absence of people nearby, open flames, other vehicles).

When the gearbox freezes and the engine is started in winter, it is necessary to use hot water for warming up, it is strictly forbidden to use open fire! If the gas-balloon equipment catches fire, it is necessary to close the valves, turn off the filling system. To put out a fire, you need to have a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher on hand. In this case, it is necessary to water the cylinders with water in order to prevent an increase in pressure in them.

Once every three years it is necessary to check the high-pressure cylinders with a hydraulic test, once a year - they must be submitted for inspection. It is strictly forbidden to attach structural elements to the surface of the cylinders by welding. When refueling a car, it is necessary to control the gas pressure at the inlet and outlet of the compressor, the temperature of the cylinders, and the pressure in the lubrication system. There must be no people in the car during refueling.

If gas leaks are detected, refueling must be carried out under the following conditions: refueling should be done only with the flow valve closed, when refueling, do not stand near the refueling hose, do not tighten the nuts during refueling under pressure, do not knock metal objects on the parts of the refueling system. Disconnect the filling hose only after closing the filling valve. When the working pressure in the cylinders is reached, it is necessary to turn off the compressor engine, close the filling valve, close the valve at the compressor inlet.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the task was to give you a simplified, affordable and at the same time safe and efficient design of the filling device, which can be assembled in a fairly short time and receive moral and material pleasure from your work. At the same time, the article is educational in nature and the site is not responsible for the possible consequences of using the materials.