For serious storage of gas it is essential it is not only stored so that the gas cannot spark or be exposed to sparks- but that it is also properly shield from any possible fire generated by other causes unrelated to the gas .
I cannot believe you are thinking about storage in plastic barrels which would melt/burst and release their contents in even quite a gentle domestic fire!
Also I have been home brewing for countless years - and know what I'm doing in keeping airtight seal - but from time to time leaks happen! With plastic and steel barrels! it's a FACT OF LIFE! I don't know where you get the confidence they will not happen to you!
There are quite strict regulations on the storage of fuel especially when it is not stored in underground tanks which are desirable.
If you live in leasehold or rented property it is probable that you are in breach of your lease or tenanted property.
If its your own property you still need to check building and planning regulations for fuel storage.
You will probably also invalidate your house insurance in case of a fire related or unrelated to the project if anything did happen unless you get it specifically covered!
If you have near neighbours just don't go there full stop! - else you will be the neighbour from hell!
This sort of project is best for those living out alone in the desert!
But if you do get tempted please put on a live feed so we don't miss the actions cos the camera has been destroyed if it all goes BANG!
I have nothing to add except that I have seen the results of a fireball type explosion; a kid in our class was experimenting making home made rocket fuel and blew up his mum's garage and suffered burns so severe that when he eventually was allowed back to school (after 22 odd skin grafts) he had to wear what looked like an elastoplast mask over what remained of his face, he had no functioning fingers and his nose, ears, eyelids and lips no longer existed.
I hope he did OK after school, always wondered about him.
a direct feed from the gas production to an engine with maybe a small res to balance the flow conducted outside ,up a mountain away from your house ,away from my house , should perhaps be a possible way to produce work from wood in a safe manner.
or
big engineering ,folk like shane to keep you clean and safe and compete with the frackers is the other option .
domestic production and compression seems a recipe for horror probably sooner rather than the other option.
Hairyloon
Joined: 20 Nov 2008 Posts: 15425 Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
conducted outside ,up a mountain away from your house ,away from my house , should perhaps be a possible way to produce work from wood in a safe manner.
That is part of the need for compression: there is not many useful things I can do with gas up a mountain. If I can bottle it and bring it home, then there are a lot more possibilities.
I'm with dpack on this if you go this route it is better
- separate and store liquid fuel fractions - use the gas to immediately to generate electricity to store , or heat water, make steam , power machines etc ..
but really just make sure you educate yourself more on safety matters ..
the pioneers of energy production like most pioneers learnt the safety lessons the hard way ..no need to repeat the bad bits!
Shane
Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 3467 Location: Doha. Is hot.
Posted: Thu Jan 22, 15 4:00 am Post subject:
Mark's 4:55pm post from yesterday sums it up nicely. Don't do it. Compressed gases are dangerous enough as it is, even when they're not flammable.
The only way to store a decent amount of energy in a reasonable volume with gas is to liquefy it or compress it to very high pressure, neither of which should be attempted by amateurs, and certainly not anywhere near a residential area (Google "vapour cloud explosion").
With regards to leaks, if you're pressurising, gas will escape rather than oxygen entering the process. Unless you're investing in the latest fire & gas systems, you will not detect a leak until it's found an ignition source (which it will). Even a small leak will continue to accumulate on a cold, still day until you have significant inventory ready to ignite as soon as somebody drives past.