Need extra energy, some power to make life a little bit more comfortable? Simplicity gives a great advantage to propane and butane, gases which can be filled and distributed in appropriate sized cylinders to almost any place on earth. No pipelines or wires are needed. The system is based on transport by ordinary trucks and recycling/refilling of containers that need very little maintenance.
The use of gas for all kinds of household purposes is widespread in industrialized countries. We use gas for cooking at home and in restaurants, for the barbeque grill in the garden, in the patio heater that prolongs the season so we can enjoy the sunset longer, to mention a few examples. Gas is also essential for people who enjoy camping and other outdoor activities. In campers and mobile homes gas provides warmth in the winter, energy for the kitchen, and at the same time it keeps the groceries cool in the fridge. “And this is the benefit of gas for people living as we do,” says Tiago Oliveira, Vice President of Business Development at the Portuguese company Amtrol - Alfa. “If you add industrial use and the advantage of making clean energy available to households in developing countries, camping gas beats almost every energy source we know of.”
Amtrol - Alfa is thethird largest exporter of gas cylinders in the world and the biggest manufacturer in Europe. From the company headquarters not far from Porto, the famous Portuguese city which became a world heritage site a few years ago, 800 different models of gas cylinders are distributed all over the world.
Looking from the outside it is easy to get the impression that a gas cylinder is quite a simple product. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Tiago Oliveira. “We have very high ambitions when it comes to improving our products.”
He brings us an updated plan showing all the development projects running at this very minute. The printout is close to three meters long! “In the beginning of this century we introduced the principles of continuous improvements and Kaizem here,” Tiago Oliveira explains. “Today this has had obvious results in many of our products, but even more if you measure in terms of increased productivity and efficiency.”
Though Amtrol - Alfa makes more than 800 different cylinders, all of them are made from steel. Some covered with a thin carbon fibre reinforcement and a decorative outer shell of softer plastic, but the heart of the cylinders always consists of steel.
Maintenance free steel
“The average life-span of a gas-cylinder is approximately 20 years,” says Tiago Oliveira. “It is extremely important that the material can take some tough handling during this time. And gas cylinders from steel are more or less maintenance free.”
But would it not be a good idea to manufacture lighter tubes using composites or aluminium as, particularly in vehicle applications, everybody is willing to pay for decreased weight?
“We can manufacture cylinders from steel which are lighter than aluminium and with far better cost effectiveness,” states Tiago Oliveira without hesitation. “Last year we developed a new six kilo gas cylinder for caravans and camping-vans which is sold in the UK. In this case we managed to decrease the weight to half that of the previous cylinder design.” The most sensitive part in a gas cylinder is the threads to which the valve is fastened. This is, again, a great advantage for steel.
“When you compare steel with aluminium there is always a greater advantage with steel,” according to Tiago Oliveira. “In my opinion aluminium cannot compete with steel in applications such as gas cylinders.” New steel grades, with improved technical properties, are an important part of the product development at Amtrol – Alfa in Portugal.
The secret behind lighter cylinders can often be found in using thinner but stronger steel. “Two years ago we established collaboration with SSAB who supply some of the high strength steel grades which we use for our more advanced products,” says Tiago Oliveira. “Amtrol – Alfa has demanding customers, as you can understand. There is no tolerance for mistakes in our products. If anything should happen with a gas cylinder being used by the customer it could literally be a catastrophe.”
High safety demands
Legislations and regulations for gas cylinders vary from country to country, as do the types of connections and other standards. The safety demands are high and lots of negotiations are held before any changes can be made. “We take a very active part in this work,” Tiago Oliveira explains. “When our continuous improvement efforts create a new, lighter gas cylinder it is important that the authorities are prepared and willing to give the final permits for each market.”
In the warehouse at Amtrol – Alfa thousands of shiny red, light gas cylinders are waiting to be loaded for shipping to the UK. They will go together with certificates showing that everything fulfils the demands on the product. Gas is appreciated as a smart and clean energy. Steel cylinders make it safe and financially sound as well.
Text: HÅKAN JOHANSSON