Low Pressure Gas Delivery: A Risk Reduction Strategy For Gases

OLANDER*, KARL; GRIFFING, STEVE
(Steve Griffing is Product Marketing Manager at ATMI, Inc. Karl Olander functions in a new business capacity for ATMI.)

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LOW PRESSUE GAS DELIVERY: A RISK REDUCTION STRATEGY FOR GASES. Karl Olander and Steve Griffing ATMI, Inc. 7 Commerce Drive Danbury, CT 06810 The consequence of a release from a pressurized cylinder and, to some extent, the probability of the event itself, is largely a function of pressure. All things being equal, reducing pressure greatly mitigates the magnitude and potential seriousness of an operational release. Similarly, the lifetimes of the components in gas delivery systems are positively affected by reducing pressure. A fruitful strategy to make compressed gases safer becomes a function of reducing cylinder delivery pressure and cylinder change out frequency. This paper examines the benefit of incorporating set pressure regulators upstream of the cylinder valve and effectively de-coupling inventory pressure from discharge pressure. It is common today to limit fill densities [pressure] to reduce risk. With pre-regulation, discharge pressure is constant and opens the door to higher delivery capacities. Fault Tree Analysis supports operating at higher fill densities. A silane case study will be presented. Innovative gas packaging has the potential to significantly lower risk, reduce operating costs and improve gas distribution reliability. De-coupling cylinder inventory pressure from delivery pressure leads to higher fill densities, fewer change outs and larger packaging — all critical steps in reducing risk and improving productivity.

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