ZuidWester
Well-Known Member
I've just seen a fiberglass gas bottle for approx. 12 kg propane. Are they new? Obvious weight advantage, but what other issues for boats?
Lightweight fiberglass gas tanks
- Thread starter ZuidWester
- Start date
JKay
Well-Known Member
Gut feel only ....I do not want one
cheers Joe
cheers Joe
Joe_Cole
Well-Known Member
I suppose they wouldn't rust, so they would be less unsightly if they have to be kept up on deck.
The wall thickness would presumably have to be a good bit greater than metal bottles so they may not fit in some lockers?
Where did you see them?
The wall thickness would presumably have to be a good bit greater than metal bottles so they may not fit in some lockers?
Where did you see them?
Talbot
Well-Known Member
we all know how difficult it is to get fiberglass to stick to steel, so the concept of a fiberglass tank with a steel regulator fitting on the top of it sends shivers up my spine.
Joe_Cole
Well-Known Member
Maybe it's not steel? Though I would have thought that, properly engineered in a production setting, it would be possible.
Talbot
Well-Known Member
I seem to remember something about the big house instalations - (abt size of a 75 gallon drum) might be fiberglass as well due to corrosion resistance guess the technology must be there, but the tests they must have had to satisfy and the fire resistance!
fishermantwo
Well-Known Member
Watched a show on TV last night about air powered engines. The compressed air was held in cylinders made completely of carbon fibre/ Kevlar. Apparently it was for safety reasons. Because of the high pressures involved, steel cylinders in a car accident would possibly blow apart with plenty of scrapnel. The carbon fibre however would just fracture and leak.
2Tizwoz
Well-Known Member
Newfangled always raises concerns. I wonder how people felt when plastic petrol tanks were first introduced for cars. They are a big safety improvement over older metal ones with leaks due to corrosion problems.
Having witnessed many exploding gas bottles caught in a fire where cylinders travelled hundreds of feet over people's heads and severe corrosion problems with butane cylinders on boats the idea of non-corrosive plastic appears to be promising.
"A comparison between propane cylinders made of aluminium,
steel and composites showed that composites had the least burden on the environment. This was due mainly to their low weight in transports and the fact that composites have a long
working life in corrosive environments."
www.plastkemiforetagen.se/Publikationer/ PDF/Composite_materials_in_an_environmental_perspective.pdf -
Having witnessed many exploding gas bottles caught in a fire where cylinders travelled hundreds of feet over people's heads and severe corrosion problems with butane cylinders on boats the idea of non-corrosive plastic appears to be promising.
"A comparison between propane cylinders made of aluminium,
steel and composites showed that composites had the least burden on the environment. This was due mainly to their low weight in transports and the fact that composites have a long
working life in corrosive environments."
www.plastkemiforetagen.se/Publikationer/ PDF/Composite_materials_in_an_environmental_perspective.pdf -
ZuidWester
Well-Known Member
No bigger than steel
and half the weight!
and half the weight!
Superstrath
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
we all know how difficult it is to get fiberglass to stick to steel, so the concept of a fiberglass tank with a steel regulator fitting on the top of it sends shivers up my spine.
[/ QUOTE ]
The fire services now use composite breathing air cylinders almost universally for weight advantage. They work at 200-300 bar, in adverse conditions (heat, rough handling) so the low pressures involved in butane storage shouldn't be a problem. I've never seen one though.
Alistair
we all know how difficult it is to get fiberglass to stick to steel, so the concept of a fiberglass tank with a steel regulator fitting on the top of it sends shivers up my spine.
[/ QUOTE ]
The fire services now use composite breathing air cylinders almost universally for weight advantage. They work at 200-300 bar, in adverse conditions (heat, rough handling) so the low pressures involved in butane storage shouldn't be a problem. I've never seen one though.
Alistair
boatmike
Well-Known Member
In theory that's correct. I think also that a composite tank in a fire would obviously burn out the bonding resin and release the gas which would flare but this may be better than containing the gas until it meets an explosive temperature. Bonding a steel or brass thread in to the top of it should not be a problem either. Perhaps it isn't just bonded, perhaps its a compression fitting?
Anyone know where we can get more info on these? They sound interesting.
Anyone know where we can get more info on these? They sound interesting.
2Tizwoz
Well-Known Member
The original Swedish developer.
www.compositescandinavia.se
This is to be an American company supplying the bottles.
www.litecylinder.com
How attractive they will be to the gas companies remanis to be seen. When customers can see that there is still gas in the bottle they may not return so many part used ones. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
www.compositescandinavia.se
This is to be an American company supplying the bottles.
www.litecylinder.com
How attractive they will be to the gas companies remanis to be seen. When customers can see that there is still gas in the bottle they may not return so many part used ones. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Joe_Cole
Well-Known Member
Re: Where?
Where did you see the bottles?
Where did you see the bottles?
Vara
Well-Known Member
In France in garage forecourts I've seen what appears to be a plastic container for gas,cube-gaz or something similar,grey and cubic and about the same size as a normal container.Didn't pay much attention to them will have a closer look next time I'm over.From a boating point of view a plastic cube has a lot to reccomend it and I would presume if it's on sale in France it will have been extensively tested.A lot will depend on what fittings can be attached to it.
ZuidWester
Well-Known Member
Re: Where?
I saw them at a garden and leisure trade fair. They were aiming the product at the BBQ market. I suggested promting them in the boating industry and offered to help market it for them. Funnily enough they had never thought of doing this even though it seems ideal for a boat.
I saw them at a garden and leisure trade fair. They were aiming the product at the BBQ market. I suggested promting them in the boating industry and offered to help market it for them. Funnily enough they had never thought of doing this even though it seems ideal for a boat.
2Tizwoz
Well-Known Member
Re: properly engineered in a production setting, it would be possible
See through plastic gas containers with metal fittings have been in wide use in the UK for many years and are widely accepted. They are commonly carried about the person and excluded only from the most controlled environments.
The government has recently introduced legislation which may curtail their use in the future.
They're called cigarette lighters. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
See through plastic gas containers with metal fittings have been in wide use in the UK for many years and are widely accepted. They are commonly carried about the person and excluded only from the most controlled environments.
The government has recently introduced legislation which may curtail their use in the future.
They're called cigarette lighters. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
