Xenon Cylinder
Xenon is an inert, odorless, tasteless and colorless monatomic gas (the chemical formula is Xe), which is four times heavier than air. Xenon is an extremely rare gas, its content in the atmospheric air is about 0.086 cm3 in 1 m3 of air. At normal pressure, xenon liquefies at a temperature of -107.05°C and freezes at a temperature of -111.85°C. Xenon is obtained from atmospheric air as a by-product in the form of a krypton-xenon mixture during its separation by low-temperature rectification. The resulting krypton-xenon mixture is further purified from impurities and moisture, after which it is separated into the pure components xenon (Xe) and krypton (Kr).
< strong>APPLICATION:< / strong>< / strong>< / p>< / p> • for filling incandescent lamps, powerful gas-discharge and pulsed light sources; • as a highly efficient working fluid for electrojet (mainly ion and plasma) spacecraft engines; • as a working medium for lasers; • for the detection of leaks in vacuum systems; • in medicine as an anesthetic and analgesic, as a source of radiation in radiography and for diagnostics; • fluorides and xenon oxides can be used as the most powerful oxidizing agents of rocket fuel. Requirements for transportation, storage and use of xenon cylinders are established by the Federal standards and regulations in the field of industrial safety "Regulations of industrial safety for hazardous facilities using equipment operating under excessive pressure", GOST 26460-85 "Products of air separation. Gases. Cryoproducts. Packaging, labeling, transportation and storage", GOST 10219-77 "Xenon. Technical specifications (with Amendments N 1, 2, 3)", fire safety standards, as well as other laws and regulations and international agreements in force on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Cylinders are not hazardous cargo until they are taken into use, but in any case they should be transported in conditions that exclude mechanical damage. Cylinders filled with xenon shall be transported by all modes of transport in accordance with cargo carriage regulations applicable to this mode of transport, as well as safety rules for transportation of dangerous goods by rail. Cylinders filled with xenon shall be transported by rail in wagon-load shipments in boxcars or containers. Small and medium capacity cylinders are transported in unit-load devices. Cylinders may be transported without containers in an upright position and must be fitted with spacers between them and secured against possible falling. Small and medium capacity cylinders shall be transported by river in enclosed cargo spaces of ships and in general-purpose containers on decks. When transported by rail, road and river transport small capacity cylinders should be packed in board boxes. Cylinders must be stacked horizontally in boxes, facing the same direction, with mandatory gaskets between the cylinders, protecting them from hitting each other. The weight of the load in each box must not exceed 65 kg. The cylinders must be transported with caps screwed on.
Cylinders designed for storage and transportation of xenon must not be used for storage and transportation of other gases, and it is prohibited to perform any operations that may contaminate their internal surface and degrade the physical and chemical properties of the gas. It is forbidden to make any modifications to the cylinder bodies using welding or mechanical tools, which can lead to damage to the integrity or appearance of defects that degrade the technical characteristics of the cylinders. When using xenon cylinders it is not allowed to install them in the places of people passage, movement of goods and passage of vehicles. Cylinders must be located at least 1 m away from radiators and other heating devices and at least 5 m from heat sources with open flame. Xenon is non-toxic and non-explosive, but its accumulation in poorly ventilated premises near the floor and in the pits can cause oxygen deficiency. In places of possible accumulation of xenon it is necessary to control the oxygen volume fraction, which should not be lower than 19%. When filling the cylinders with xenon, the mass of gas in the filled cylinder should not exceed 0.7; 1.45 and 1.7 kg per 1 dm3 of the cylinder capacity for operating pressures of 9.8; 14.7 and 19.6 MPa respectively. The amount of xenon in a cylinder is determined by weighing the cylinder before and after filling it with an error not exceeding ±0.05% for cylinders with a small capacity and ±0.1% for cylinders with a medium capacity, followed by recalculation of the mass amount of gas in liters according to the formula: V=(M1-M)/5.49 g/dm3, where V is gas volume in a cylinder (dm3), M1 is the mass of the cylinder after filling (g), M is the mass of the cylinder before filling (g), 5.49 g/dm3 is xenon density at 20 °C. The gas in the cylinders must not be completely consumed when in use. The residual gas pressure in the cylinder must be at least 0.05 MPa (0.5 kgf/cm2).
Cylinders with xenon can be stored both in special warehouses and outdoors, in the latter case they must be protected from atmospheric precipitation and sunlight. Cylinders filled with xenon may be stored in open areas together with other air separation products, provided that the storage areas are separated from each other by non-combustible barriers with a height of 1.5 m, joint storage with cylinders filled with combustible gases is also allowed, provided that the storage areas are separated from each other by non-combustible protective walls not less than 2.5 m high. Storage of cylinders should be carried out with the caps screwed on.