Refrigerant storage tank...

[inkjunkie]

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• inkjunkie
• Mar 25, 2016

Neighbor had this 1000 pound refrigerant tank sitting in his yard for a while. Asked if he needed it, few days later it was outside my gate. Want to use it for a RF. Pulled 2 plugs out of it, other than some surface rust the inside looks to be in good shape. I didn't see any flaking, just lite surface rust. Any suggestions on how to clean it? Fellow on another site has warned me about the potential for a mustard gas like substance being released when first heated. Should I just rinse it with water and leave it filled when I take the angle grinder to it the first time? It will be going on a trailer so the CC will be a cabinet style...

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  To my knowledge refrigerant is not explosive.  But! let's take the fellows word on the gas thing.  I'd cut it out in the open air wearing jeans , a long sleeved shirt and a paint mask.  Cover as much skin as possible.  Once cut apart the danger should be minimum.  Do the burn on a windy evening.  Then build a BIG fire in it, light it and run like HELL!  

  Naw!  The health risk should be minimal.  Like burning poison ivy; don't stand in the smoke.  When thinking parts per million your neighbors should be fine.  Just don't do the burn when the wind is going to carry the smoke directly into your neighbors open window or wash hanging on the line.  Just my opinion.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[smokin monkey]

Hi inkjunkie, i am a HVAC engineer.

This is a description of Mustard Gas, Phosgene.

Phosgene may also be produced during testing for leaks of older-style refrigerant gases. Chloromethanes (R12, R22 and others) were formerly leak-tested in situ by employing a small gas torch (propane, butane or propylene gas) with a sniffer tube and a copper reaction plate in the flame nozzle of the torch. If any refrigerant gas was leaking from a pipe or joint, the gas would be sucked into the flame via the sniffer tube and would cause a colour change of the gas flame to a bright greenish blue. In the process, phosgene gas would be created due to the thermal reaction. No valid statistics are available, but anecdotal reports suggest that numerous refrigeration technicians suffered the effects of phosgene poisoning due to their ignorance of the toxicity of phosgene, produced during such leak testing.[citation needed] Electronic sensing of refrigerant gases phased out the use of flame testing for leaks in the 1980s. Similarly, phosgene poisoning is a consideration for people fighting fires that are occurring in the vicinity of freon refrigeration equipment, smoking in the vicinity of a freon leak, or fighting fires using halon or halotron.[citation needed]


It is only the older type refrigerants R12, R22, R502 Chloromethanes that will cause this. Not sure if you still use these in the US. What refrigerant was in the cylinder?

I have cut refrigerant cylinders with a grinder with no problems. But as a caution, I would fill it with water and some detergent like you would do with a Propane cylinder, and cut in the same manner.

 

[inkjunkie]

Hi inkjunkie, i am a HVAC engineer.

This is a description of Mustard Gas, Phosgene.

Phosgene may also be produced during testing for leaks of older-style refrigerant gases. Chloromethanes (R12, R22 and others) were formerly leak-tested in situ by employing a small gas torch (propane, butane or propylene gas) with a sniffer tube and a copper reaction plate in the flame nozzle of the torch. If any refrigerant gas was leaking from a pipe or joint, the gas would be sucked into the flame via the sniffer tube and would cause a colour change of the gas flame to a bright greenish blue. In the process, phosgene gas would be created due to the thermal reaction. No valid statistics are available, but anecdotal reports suggest that numerous refrigeration technicians suffered the effects of phosgene poisoning due to their ignorance of the toxicity of phosgene, produced during such leak testing.[citation needed] Electronic sensing of refrigerant gases phased out the use of flame testing for leaks in the 1980s. Similarly, phosgene poisoning is a consideration for people fighting fires that are occurring in the vicinity of freon refrigeration equipment, smoking in the vicinity of a freon leak, or fighting fires using halon or halotron.[citation needed]


It is only the older type refrigerants R12, R22, R502 Chloromethanes that will cause this. Not sure if you still use these in the US. What refrigerant was in the cylinder?

I have cut refrigerant cylinders with a grinder with no problems. But as a caution, I would fill it with water and some detergent like you would do with a Propane cylinder, and cut in the same manner.

I have no idea what was in it. Neighbor that gave it to me installs sheet metal ducting for a living. He picked it up from a job site...it was left behind by a previous tenant of the building...

 

[smokin monkey]

I would have no problem cutting it, but to be 100% fill with water and a detergent the same as a propane cylinder.