Gas cylinders are integral to a diverse range of industries and used in a wide variety of applications – from healthcare and emergency services through to the aerospace industry and beyond.
Find out more about some of the different ways they are used and the industries they support with our A to Z guide to gas cylinder applications.
A
Aerospace
Gas cylinders play an integral role in supporting innovation within the aerospace industry. Applications include emergency oxygen, and storing hydrogen fuel for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) drones, as well as providing gas for propulsion in satellite ion engines!
Ambulatory Oxygen
Ambulatory oxygen therapy refers to providing oxygen to a patient (often suffering from COPD) during exercise and everyday activities. Ambulatory oxygen systems need to be small and light enough to carry, while providing the capacity a patient needs when on the go.
The best gas cylinders for ambulatory oxygen applications tend to be lightweight Type 3 carbon composite, with a high pressure (300 Bar).
Avalanche Packs
An avalanche pack – also known as an avalanche backpack, is a backpack with an integrated avalanche airbag system.
The avalanche airbag is basically a large balloon that inflates if you pull a cord or handle, making it less likely to be covered or buried by an avalanche and increasing the chances of a successful rescue. The inflation mechanism includes a gas cylinder.
Aviation Cabin Safety
Emergency oxygen cylinders are crucial in the aviation industry and are installed in every aircraft, designed to be used in case of emergency situations.
B
Beer
Gas cylinders are essential for serving pints. Beer Gas is a mixture of C02 and Nitrogen gases used to propel beer to the taps, and is typically stored in cellars or basements. When a tap/faucet is opened, beer flows out of the keg and into the glass due to a push from the CO2. The gas then fills the space where the beer was formerly housed, and that’s the “head space.”
Boats
The most commonly used fuel on boats is Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), usually bottled propane or butane.
Liquefied petroleum gas is a fuel gas made of petrol that contains a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases, most commonly propane, butane, and propylene.
Bikes
See G – G7
C
Cargo Delivery
With low weights and high capacity (300 Bar), AMS Type 3 carbon composite hydrogen cylinders for UAVs are the natural choice for drone manufacturers looking to develop larger, longer range drones for a full range of existing and potential applications.
Chronic Lung Conditions
Gas cylinders are a crucial medical tool for many people living with chronic lung conditions, as it allows them a greater quality of life. For example – portable oxygen cylinders are a great tool for anyone who wants to travel outside the home without worrying about running out of oxygen.
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. COPD is now the world’s third biggest killer after heart disease and cancer. There is no cure, and the number of people dying from COPD is rising steadily – in 2016, the condition took the lives of more than 3 million people worldwide. COPD patients typically require oxygen therapy to manage their condition.
D
DOT
DOT refers to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) safety standards for portable cylinders used to transport non-flammable, flammable, and poisonous materials. AMS Composite Cylinders produce cylinders to a range of global standards, including DOT – so they are approved for medical use in the USA.
Diving
A diving cylinder or diving gas cylinder is a gas cylinder that is used to either store or transport high pressure gas used in SCUBA diving operations. Deep sea divers tend to use a mixture of helium and oxygen.
Drones
See U – UAVs
E
Emergency Escape
In emergency and rescue situations, equipment weight can be the difference between life and death. Light gas cylinders are an ideal solution here by supporting emergency teams go further and respond more quickly when it matters most.
Emergency Oxygen
Emergency oxygen therapy is administered to stabilise patients who are critically ill. The goal of emergency oxygen therapy is usually to reduce hypoxaemia and improve tissue perfusion to prevent or limit organ damage. Patients are usually given high concentration oxygen to maintain sats (oxygen saturation) of 90% or above until they reach hospital. Ambulances and paramedics carry lightweight, high pressure emergency oxygen cylinders as part of their standard loadouts.
F
Firefighting
Oxygen cylinders are carried by firefighters as part of their SCBA systems – enabling them to breathe safely when entering hazardous areas. They are specially designed and built to withstand field use and are crucial piece of equipment in keeping workers safe.
G
(Medical) Gases
In addition to medical oxygen, there are a number of pure gases and blends in widespread use across healthcare and homecare applications. These include nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and medical air.
G7
Gas cylinders can be used to power hydrogen fuel cell bikes, as can be seen when a fleet of its fuel cell Alpha bikes headed to the G7 World Summit, to provide sustainable transport for journalists covering the event.
H
Hospitals
From medical gas cylinders for oxygen therapy, anaesthesia and surgical use, to speciality gas cylinders for medical equipment calibration – gas cylinders are fundamental to the day-to-day activities of a hospital.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
From hydrogen powered vehicles to the next generation of hydrogen fuel cell UAVs (drones), we work closely with clients across the UK and Europe to provide advanced cylinder solutions that perform in the real world.
I
ICU
Medical gases are essential in hospitals and are used in anaesthesia and intensive care are oxygen, nitrous oxide, medical air, entonox, carbon dioxide and heliox. Oxygen is one of the most widely used gases for life-support and respiratory therapy besides anaesthetic procedures.
ION Engine
Gas Cylinders are also utilised in aerospace applications, and have been used in systems that keep satellites in orbit.
For example, there is an ion thruster which uses a combination of a propellant gas and electric fields to create thrust. AMS Composite cylinders were used to safely hold this propellant gas inside the unit until it is required.
J
Journeys
Gas Cylinders wield immense potential when it comes to the transportation sector and helping specialised vehicles make more sustainable journeys.
In the hydrogen for mobility transportation sector for example, fuel cell vehicles utilise hydrogen to power and electrical motor. Hydrogen fuel cells has several benefits. In addition to having zero emissions, it’s a sustainable fuel when compared to fossil fuel alternatives.
K
Kitchen
Steel gas cylinders can be filled with nitrous oxide, which is used as a whipping agent in whipped cream dispensers. This makes them a useful tool for those working in the food industry, or for amateur bakers at home. They are also used in home sparkling water makers.
L
Lung Cancer
Gas Cylinders can be used to transport and store medical oxygen which is integral in the treatment and management of individuals who have lung cancer. As this disease impacts the ability to breathe, oxygen is frequently prescribed – and gas cylinders are an important part of this process.
M
Medical Equipment Calibration
Gas mixtures are used to calibrate a range of medical equipment and monitors, including anaesthesia monitors, blood gas instruments, pulmonary testing equipment, lab environmental monitors, and diagnosis equipment.
At AMS we provide a full range of carbon composite speciality gas cylinders and disposable aluminium canisters for calibration gases.
N
Nitrogen Gas Applications
Nitrogen gas cylinders have a diverse range of applications and are used in areas like hospitals, the food industry, fire suppression systems, stainless steel manufacturing, aircraft fuel systems, pressurised beer kegs and much more.
O
Oxygen
Gas cylinders are used in medical supply – particularly for portable oxygen tanks. This gives people with chronic lung conditions or breathing difficulties a better quality of life and are the difference between life and death for millions of people worldwide.
P
Portable Oxygen
Medical oxygen cylinders are available in a wide range of sizes, from larger cylinders relied on in hospital setting through to smaller, portable units which are suitable for home oxygen therapy use. Portable oxygen cylinders are especially ideal for out-of-home use.
Q
Quality of Life
Gas cylinders are widely used in the medical industry to treat a range of chronic lung conditions. Many of those suffering from COPD, cancer, asthma and other conditions rely on portable oxygen as a result – and this can hugely improve their quality of life.
From being able to travel farther afield without worrying about running out of oxygen to simply being able to leave the hospital – gas cylinders are instrumental in improving the quality of life for many people and an essential part of their treatment plan.
R
Rescue Operations
Gas cylinders are incredibly useful for people who are injured and requiring emergency assistance in extreme environments, such as mountains. These locations are inherently difficult to travel to and from, so having lightweight oxygen cylinders is essential for emergency services or search and rescue teams.
S
SCUBA
AMS produces high quality lightweight SCUBA cylinders for a comprehensive range of recreational, commercial and specialist diving use. Cylinders can be produced in a range of sizes and capacities to suit SCUBA system requirements.
Speciality Gases
Specialty gases include calibration gases, zero gases, carrier gases, span gases, instrumentation gases and bump test gases. These are either pure gases, or gas mixtures which contain components at varying concentrations.
T
Testing
Gas cylinders are used to test and calibrate medical equipment or instruments. This is a process where a known concentration of a specific gas is applied to the detector whilst it is in calibration mode. This enables the instruments to analyse the gas and adjust the instruments response to match the gas value – helping to ensure and maintain the accuracy of the gas detector.
Thermal Lance
At AMS Composite Cylinders, we specialise in the production of durable carbon composite cylinders designed for applications where light weights are essential.
We have supplied a range of 1L and 2L canisters to Clucas MoE, a global leader in rapid entry systems. The cylinders are used to power the Kerie thermal lance, an advanced thermal arc cutting systems designed to cut through steel in the fastest time possible when forcing entry.
U
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Durable, lightweight hydrogen cylinders are frequently used in advanced UAVs and drones.
For example, at AMS Composite Cylinders we work closely with pioneering companies from across the UK and Europe to supply cylinders for advanced hydrogen fuel cell systems, designed to enhance range and improve performance in the next generation of cutting edge commercial UAVs.
The result is a step-change in power to-weight ratio, enabling the production of drones that can fly significantly further and carry heavier loads than today’s electric drones. In practice, using hydrogen can increase maximum flying times from 20-30 minutes to 3.5 hours.
V
Vehicles
Gas cylinders can be used to effectively power hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. For example we supplied ultra-lightweight carbon composite cylinders to a team of engineers from Delft University of Technology when they set the distance record for a hydrogen-powered vehicle on a single filling of hydrogen.
W
Welding
Gas cylinders are an essential part of welding kit.
Acetylene gas is commonly used for gas welding because of its ability to achieve high temperatures in combustion (e.g. around 5,000o F).
However, it is worth noting that Acetylene is highly unstable and flammable and would explode in elevated pressure when reacting with oxygen in air. This means that they should be stored and handled with care.
X
X-rays
Chest X-rays can be used in the diagnosis of several respiratory conditions that may require oxygen therapy, including COPD, pneumonia and lung cancer.
Y
Yacht
Please see B for Boat.
Z
Zeppelin
Like many gas cylinders, zeppelins are filled with helium – making them a large flying gas cylinder!
About AMS Composite Cylinders
At AMS Composite Cylinders, we specialise in supplying high quality gas cylinders and oxygen cylinders to a wide variety of industries around the world – with Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 cylinders available in standard and custom sizes for a full range of healthcare and homecare applications.
Supplying clients across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, we produce cylinders to a wide range of recognised global standards, holding accreditations in all major markets worldwide.
AMS Composite Cylinders Manufactures to ISO and EN Standards (including ISO-11119-2, ISO 11119-1, EN 12245, EN 12257, ISO 7666, and ISO 11118) and to the requirements of UN PED/TPED, DOT (USA) and TC (Canada).
For additional information about AMS Composite Cylinders or to order, please contact us today.