Demystify: 

I usual don't respond to these inquiries since so many individuals comment. The cylinders are designed with a relieving plug at the top. The plug is designed to blow and relief the build up of gas pressure typically resulting from external heat, like a fire. If you store them on there side the plug will be in the liquid phase of the compressed gas. Few things happen if the cylinder is over heated. The pressure build up in the vapor space may become greater then the liquid phase (easier to compress vapor then liquid) this results in the plug bursting later then it was design for thus creating a risk of the cylinder wall bursting. Also the top is designed thicker then the side also creating a cylinder wall failure risk. Next the relief orifice will now be relieving liquid not gas. It was sized and designed for gas. Now you have introduced a liquid pooling fire under and around the cylinder. If you stack them then complicate the concern by one heating or creating an impingement flame on another. I can get into a huge discussion on the lateral and horizontal forces on a cylinder when the burst plug opens. They are designed to stand on there own and relieve pressure straight up in the air thus putting pressure on the base. If the are laying on there side the force result in spinning and possible torpedoing of the cylinder if the valve fails during the event. In the end don't store them on there side.

 

Steven Meszaros
Pfizer
Corporate Risk Management
Director EHS
Collegeville, PA
484-865-9982
484-356-5185 (cell)
meszars**At_Symbol_Here**wyeth.com


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