Changes in gas cylinder technology often look to improve on external aspects: RFID tracking, automated filling, ultrasonic testing, and so forth. It’s more unusual to see major changes to the actual cylinders themselves. After all, what kinds of improvements can we make to something so durable and effective? When I came across this see-through cylinder, it struck me as really innovative. The idea behind it is that customers will always know how much gas is left, and they’ll never run out at an inopportune moment.
While this technology is currently limited to propane cylinders, maybe the potential is there for high pressure gas cylinders as well. The Lite Cylinder Co. says the composite fiberglass tank is as strong as steel, except 30 percent lighter, and its casing is non-corrosive. It certainly would be practical to have lighter-weight medical oxygen tanks, and I’m sure others could benefit from lighter cylinders too.
The see-through capability might not be useful for every gas, but it could be helpful for liquid gases to indicate when a tank is low. For a distributor, it could also help you identify if there are any foreign substances in the tank when a customer returns it (as mysteriously happens from time to time). I can think of a number of benefits, not the least of which is the fact that lighter, see-through tanks are a great selling point for choosing your gases over a competitor.
Although the thought of replacing tens of thousands of cylinders is enough to give anyone an aneurism, there’s no reason to worry just yet. So far, I haven’t seen any see-through high pressure cylinders. While the technology may not be developed to that point yet, we may be looking at the future of the industry.
What do you think? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of a composite cylinder?
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