What is a gas tank?
The simplest and most economical way to heat a country house is not with electricity, but with the most common gas. But connecting directly to a centralized supply system for this type of fuel is not possible everywhere, and sometimes costs a lot of money. The time required to connect to such networks can sometimes be quite long; they depend on the remoteness of the highways, as well as on the complexity of the terrain where the house itself is located. Also, do not forget about the preparation of a number of documents - bureaucracy is thriving here. Sometimes, just because of the need to fill out the necessary papers, you have to wait for years for gas to arrive in the house.
Gas holder for a private home
In this case, the easiest way is to think about the possibility of autonomous gasification. One of the elements of such a system is a gas tank , which will allow you to have gas on your site without connecting to centralized systems and without serious red tape, and will also make it possible to always have gas in your home.
Liquefied gas from a gas tank is used for heating the house, heating water
A gas holder is a fairly capacious metal container designed for storing gaseous substances, mainly (in domestic terms) to save a mixture of butane and propane, that is, the same gas that is used to operate kitchen stoves and the heating system in the house. You can call a gas holder a large gas cylinder, from which it differs only in its very large dimensions and is installed once, regularly performing its task for many years. This “cylinder” does not even need to be taken to a gas station - just call a special gas station attendant who will come and fill the container with gaseous fuel.
The principle of operation of a gas holder in a private house
On a note! Special structures for gas storage appeared in Europe in the 19th century. True, gas was stored in them only on an industrial scale. Now such containers can be placed right next to the house.
The gas holder is usually made of high-quality steel with a thickness of at least 5.5 mm (this indicator is taken from GOST), treated with special compounds that prevent corrosion. Thus, the tank will last a very long time, about 20 years. The gas holder also has special sensors that will show how much gas is in it at the moment, what is the pressure in the cylinder. The equipment has a filling valve, a tank filling sensor and valves for connecting gas distribution. Thanks to a well-designed system, the gas holder is completely safe for home use.
The gas holder is completely safe for home use
The gas tank is always located outside the residential building, at a certain distance from it. Gas is supplied through laid pipelines to the house, where it is used to operate a heating boiler, gas furnace, etc. Typically, the gas tank is buried underground and does not even take up space on the site. It is capable of containing several thousand liters of gas liquefied under pressure of 6 atmospheres.
On a note! For a private home, a gas holder with a volume of five cubic meters is most often purchased. This volume is enough to heat a 150 m2 house all year round.
Dimensions of VPS gas tanks
Mobile gas tanks: advantages
Advantages of mobile gas tanks on a trailer include:
- POSSIBILITY OF TRANSPORTATION. A gas tank on wheels , unlike stationary gas tanks, can be transported for refueling and operation by a passenger car, which saves money and time for the owner. The stability and reliability of the mobile gas tank during these processes is ensured by the existing supports (outriggers).
- SAFETY OF OPERATION AND REFUELING. The gas holder on wheels is equipped with the same safety valve as stationary models of gas storage tanks, a reducer for controlling the outlet pressure, an indicator and a pressure gauge for monitoring the gas level in the cylinder group. Electric heating, which ensures complete evaporation of gas in the cold season, is also equipped with automatic protection, which ensures that heating is turned off when the pressure in the cylinder increases to 0.5 MPa.
- EASY TO COMMISSION. In order to ensure gas supply to the facility, in the case of using a mobile gas tank, there is no need for labor-intensive excavation work or complex installation of a gas pipeline. A mobile gas tank on a trailer rolls directly to the house, taking up little space, and is connected to the internal system of gas consumers through a switching unit (gas pipeline with valve and 220V socket for power supply to the heater).
- COMPLETE LEGALITY OF PURCHASE AND OPERATION. the gas holder on wheels
offered by our company (
600 liters ), according to the current Russian legislation, allows it to be operated without obtaining special permits and approvals from government agencies. The installation and operation of the mobile gas tank offered by our company meets all the requirements of the regulatory documentation - “ADR” and “SP 62.13330.2011”. - AFFORDABLE PRICE FOR MOBILE GAS TOLDER
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Advantages and disadvantages
A gas holder is a convenient piece of equipment, the advantages of which have already been appreciated by many users. It boasts the following advantages of use:
- it is economically beneficial (gas heating costs are low);
- gas is an environmentally friendly type of fuel (does not leave behind combustion products);
- The home gas supply system operates silently;
- servicing a gas tank is relatively cheap;
- Often you won’t have to fill the tank with gas if the volume is correctly calculated;
- gas tank - safe equipment;
- it is usually located underground and does not take up free space on the site (you can even organize a garden on top of the gas holder).
A gas holder for a private home allows you to supply gas to any room
The gas holder also has disadvantages of use. So, installing the tank itself is still quite expensive, but you will have to spend more money on supplying gas to the house. A gas tank is expensive, but the costs pay off very quickly. It is also important to understand that the equipment must be installed correctly, otherwise it will not be safe for the user. So it is better to entrust all the work to specialists. It is also important to understand that it is not easy to find high-quality certified fuel to fill your tank in all regions.
Horizontal underground gas tanks
Important! You should not buy a used gas tank. This is due to the fact that used equipment does not exclude the possibility of gas leakage.
Selecting a gas tank: types of equipment
Gas tanks can be divided into several types depending on how and where they are installed. So, the equipment can be both underground and aboveground , and the first option is much more popular than the second, since it will not interfere with the site and freeze. The underground tank is installed underground so that the layer of soil above it is at least 60 cm. Otherwise, there is a risk of freezing of the equipment or the possibility of causing mechanical damage to the cylinder. You can easily install a tank with a volume of 1.5-10 thousand liters underground, which will not even be noticeable. Only the neck remains on the surface, and this is the main advantage of such models.
Underground gas tank
Aboveground gas tanks can also be large, but they will definitely spoil the appearance of the site, and therefore are usually small. However, in some cases the installation of such equipment is justified - for example, when for some reason the tank cannot be installed underground, but you want to have an autonomous gas supply system. An above-ground tank must be able to withstand high temperatures because it may be exposed to direct sunlight. But it is still recommended to keep the equipment out of harm’s way.
On a note! If you plan to install an above-ground gas tank, but large volumes of gas are needed, then the easiest way is to install several cylinders of modest size and connect them together into a single system.
Aboveground gas tank
Gas tanks are not only stationary, but also mobile. True, their volumes are small (only 500-700 liters). But such a tank can be transported by a regular car and even taken to a gas station yourself. Usually used in dachas or where people live temporarily. Gas holders can also be vertical or horizontal.
Table. Types of gas tanks by design.
| Type of equipment | Description |
| Vertical | This type of model allows you to save space on the site. But the pit for such equipment will have to be dug very deep (it is important to remember that there may be groundwater underground). But the gas in such containers, due to their large depth, is well cooled in the summer, and, on the contrary, does not freeze in the winter. It is important to remember that for normal gas supply, its temperature must be above zero. |
| Horizontal | Such tanks take up more space, but are easier to install, since you don’t have to dig a deep pit for them. Not the best option for a modest-sized area, although a lot depends directly on the volume of the tank itself. |
Scheme of using a gas holder
You can also divide gas tanks into two types depending on the type of neck:
- high neck (Russian standard);
- without neck (euro).
Equipment without a neck is cheaper, but abandoning it is not always justified. The presence of a neck will allow you to install the platform with the reinforcement as high as possible, which will protect it from moisture. If water gets into the reducer, the gas supply will be stopped. There are also gas tanks without a neck, but their fittings are located on high tubes, and you don’t have to worry about water getting into them.
Cylindrical gas tanks
What is a gas tank, why is it needed?
Most of us have no idea about gas holders, although we have probably seen them. We are talking about a container in which large volumes of liquefied gas . Installation of these tanks can be carried out on the surface of the earth and under it. However, if this container is purchased for a country house, it is usually placed underground, which allows for a more rational use of the available space and money. It is important that the gas tank is located no lower than the freezing level of the soil.
Depending on the shape, these tanks can be divided into two types:
- Vertical;
- Horizontal.
The advantage of the former is their small size , however, when installing these structures underground, it is necessary to provide them with electrical heating, since the heat of the earth is not enough to maintain the optimal temperature regime for them. All this leads to an increase in monetary costs, which is why these designs have not become widespread. Much more often, owners install horizontal gas tanks.
The main disadvantage of these tanks is their large size, and they have the greatest extent in length. But if the underground option of their installation was chosen, then this drawback is easily eliminated.
In recent years, many owners of country houses and cottages are increasingly installing gas tanks. Thanks to such tanks, they are able to ensure a stable supply of gas to their home.
Select the volume and calculate the costs
To choose the right gas tank, it is important to decide what volume it should be. This figure can be calculated taking into account gas consumption per 1 m2 of living space. In warm regions, consumption per 1 m2 averages 25-30 m3, and where it is cold - at least 35 m3. The need for gas can be calculated as accurately as possible by focusing on the power of the heating boiler - about 100 liters of fuel are consumed per 1 kW per year. You can also calculate the volume of the container in another way: if cylinders were used, then you need to estimate how many of them were spent per month and multiply the resulting number by 12.
How to position the gas tank correctly
Important! It is worth understanding that the cylinder is not 100% filled with gas. Approximately 15% of the volume must be free to allow gas to expand when heated.
The market for such equipment offers tanks of various volumes - from 2 to 10 thousand liters. It is important to choose a container that will need to be refilled no more than twice a year. For example, for a building with an area of 100 m2, a gas holder with a capacity of 2700 liters is sufficient . A tank with a volume of 10 thousand liters is suitable for a house of 300 m2.
Table of the ratio of the heated area and the optimal volume of the gas holder
The cost of gas is low, but it is important to understand that when refueling equipment you will have to immediately pay for a large volume. So, in the spring, gas costs less (about 15 rubles per liter), in the winter it gets a little more expensive - up to 20 rubles, because the demand for it grows at this time of year. That is, to refill a 4800 liter gas tank you will have to spend at least 58,000 rubles. in spring, and in winter - all 80,000 rubles.
Advice! If possible, it is better to choose a gas tank in such a way that you do not need to fill it often and fill it during the period when gas is the cheapest.
How else can you choose the volume of a gas tank?
The operating temperature range for the equipment is -40 - +40 degrees. But for a reservoir that will be located underground, these data are not critical - such indicators are not found in the ground. But if the system is installed incorrectly in winter, the gas supply may stop (this is due to freezing of the communications supplying gas to the house).
Prices for gearboxes for gas tanks
Reducer for gas tank
Installation of equipment: rules and regulations
It is necessary to install a gas tank in accordance with certain norms and rules. Thus, an underground type container must be located at a distance from a residential building (at least 10-12 m, according to SNiP - at least 10 m) and must be in stable soil. It is also prohibited to allow any utility lines to be located near the gas tank.
Do not use used, homemade or other containers that do not meet the standards.
Ground gas tanks should be installed in the shade at a distance of about 2-3 m from the border of the territory and at least 20 m from the house itself (according to SNiP). Trees should be no closer than 10 m. There should also be a well with water located not far from the equipment (no more than 15 m). It is important to understand that in winter, an above-ground gas tank in Russia will not work due to harsh climatic conditions, and you need to buy and install a special evaporator.
Gasification at home
If all installation rules are followed, gas tanks do not pose any danger to residents of the house and users of the equipment. The gas inside is stored without air access, and if the cylinder depressurizes, no explosion will still occur - the gas will simply escape into the atmosphere and dissipate. By the way, one of the safety measures is the location of the tank outdoors and not indoors. This is necessary in case a fuel leak does occur. Gas accumulation may occur in the room. And to avoid excess pressure, the gas tank is equipped with a special safety valve, which, if necessary, will simply release excess pressure (for example, in the case of gas heating).
Alternative options
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Video report on the operation of an installed gas tank for servicing a private home. The review discusses the equipment that ensures safe use and the permissible distances to objects on the site:
One of the main requirements for the safe operation of a gas tank is compliance with the standardized distances from a residential building and other objects to the gas storage. If the conditions of the site itself are unsatisfactory, some leniency regarding the boundary distances is permissible. It is better to entrust the assessment of the installation site and installation to a specialized company.
Tell us about how you selected a place on your personal property to install a gas tank. It is possible that you have useful information that will be useful to site visitors. Please write comments in the block below, post photos related to the topic of the article, and ask questions.
Gas tank installation
The installation of a gas tank itself is not difficult; its connection itself will cause more complications. That is why it is important to entrust the work to professionals. But in general, you can try to understand the system on your own. However, you can definitely do the installation of the tank yourself.
Step 1. First of all, you need to dig a pit suitable for the size of the gas holder. Before installing the gas pipeline, it is important to lay a warning tape that has an indelible inscription indicating the presence of gas.
First you need to dig a pit
Step 2. Next, you need to arrange a gravel bed by pouring gravel onto the bottom of the pit. It is also important to take care of creating a concrete base - it can be poured, or you can simply lay a concrete slab on the bottom of the pit.
Preparing the pit bottom
Laying a concrete slab
Step 3. After this, it is enough to lower the gas tank itself to the bottom of the pit and be sure to secure it with metal pins and cables.
The gas tank itself is lowered
It is important to secure the tank well
Step 4. Next you need to make a trench from the gas tank to the house. Pipes will be laid in it to supply fuel to the residential building.
Digging a trench
Step 5. You need to lay a gas pipe in the trench and bring it to the house.
Pipe laying
Prices for multilayer pipes for gas
Multilayer gas pipe
Step 6. One of the important stages is the installation of the gas supply system. Here it is better not to act on your own, but to call a specialist.
It is better to entrust the installation of the gas supply system to a specialist
Gas supply system being installed
Step 7. After installing all elements of the system, you need the technician to check its tightness using a special solution.
Checking the tightness of connections
Step 8. Then you need to connect all the devices and test the system for functionality.
System testing
Step 9. Only after this can the pit with the gas holder be filled with soil. It is recommended to fill it with sand.
A pit with a gas holder is filled in
