Revival | Medical and Industrial Gases

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Large Cylinder

The large cylinder is the common packaging size for medical gases for large consumption or increased reserves. They are cylindrical metal containers in which the gas is packaged at high pressures. They are distinguished by their color-coding, as shown in the photo below, indicating a specific color code.

The most common size for an oxygen cylinder is 50 liters. This volume refers to the content of the cylinder at atmospheric pressure (approximately 1 bar). These cylinders have a capacity of up to 200 bar (or 150 bar for older types of cylinders). They are filled at this pressure with medical gases. The only exceptions are nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide, as these gases are in a liquid phase inside the cylinders. For this reason, the pressures of these gases are significantly lower (approximately 45-55 bar depending on the external temperature), and they are measured in weight units (kilograms). All other gases are measured in volume units (cubic meters), which certify their content.

Based on the above, a gas cylinder (excluding nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide) when filled to 200 bar pressure contains approximately 10 cubic meters. This deviation is due to the fact that the latest measurement techniques take into account the so-called compressibility factor of each gas, a constant for each gas which, multiplied by the ideal volume of 10 cubic meters, gives the final content of the cylinder. For the most common gases, these constants are:

  • Oxygen Cylinder: 1.07
  • Nitrogen Cylinder: 0.96
  • Helium Cylinder: 0.91

All large cylinders feature French-type (NF) valves with specifications as listed in the table below. The outlet connections of the cylinders vary depending on the type.