Natural Gas storage?

[LBrown59]

Here is the situation. My dad has a natural gas well on his farm and heats his house with it. We are trying to devise a way of bottling the gas in say a 100lb propane cylinder. The plan is for me to install a vent free natural gas heater in my basement - one of those 30,000 BTU wall mount units and heat my basement out of a few of those 100lb propane tanks with the natural gas. Anyone know if this is possible?


Dad says one of his buddies can T into the gas line in the house and use some sort of compressor to fill the tanks. One 100lb tank may only last a week or two, but it would save me alot in heating bills. I figured I would get 2-3 tanks, that way when one runs out, I could just go get it filled and have one in reserve. Probably not the most legal thing, possible.

Why not talk to this guy and find out all about it?

 

[LBrown59]

I just check my air compressor and it goes up to 200psi, but I have the relief set at 160psi. If this guy has devised a method to use an air compressor motor, we might be able to go up to 150 or so, depending on what the compressor is rated for. I usually go up to the farm every couple of weeks, so I would think 2 100 lb. tanks would be plenty.

How far is it from the farm to your place?
Are you going to be paying more for gasoline than you're saving with the Nat Gas?

 

[MDM]

15 miles one way. I go up atleast once every two weeks, or dad starts going through grandaughter withdraw.

 

[Richard]

I don't know any of the answers to above questions BUT... here's what I did on my propane tanks.

First off, I bought larger tanks than the 'gas grill' size. I don't know their specific size but I'd say they're about 50% larger than the standard gas grill size. Larger, hold more, yet MUCh easier to handle than the 100 pounder tanks I also have.

In addition to that, I've got a dual tank manifold. I've got NO memory as to where I found it but I can connect two tanks to it and it has a flip switch.

If one tank runs out, I simply switch over to tank "B" and keep going. I never remove tank "A" while running tank "B". What I have done is, I've got two 100 pound tanks and one of them is connected to one input. I then have three of the larger grill tanks and I set them on a log so they're equal height to the 100 pounder.

When one of the small tanks runs out, I swap out for another small tank, leaving the large tank intact in case I have some snow issues and can't get out for a couple days (has happened before).

Anyways, the thing that tickles me most is the dual tank manifold. It allows me to effectively double my reserve available before having to swap tanks.

 

[MDM]

We have to find an air compressor with a threaded inlet and outlet. That is what the guy uses. He stopped by and dropped off 2 100lb propane tanks for dad that he had filled up at his farm. He said he filled them to 100psi. The guy is going to set us up, we just have to find a compressor with the threaded inlet/outlet and preferable one that can go up to 150 psi or so.

Anyone know what psi the 100lb propane cylinders are rated for?

 

[shaley]

Surplus Center
1/2" NPT outlet and it has a inlet flange that can be tapped to 1/2" NPT

 

[Egon]

Perhaps you should consider some professional advice from a center that deals in CNG.

CNG tanks are usually filled to three or four thousand psi. The pumps used are properly designed and do come in different pumping rates. Chances are that one for your type of service would take more than a few hours to fill a proper tank.

 

[orezok]

A cubic foot of natural gas (manifold pressure) has about 1000 BTU +/-. Your heater is at least 50,000 BTU/Hr. The amount of gas you could get into a propane cylinder at 150 psi would only last minutes. CNG at 2400 psi has about 150,000 BTU/cf. Thats why only high pressure CNG is viable and even then you're probably looking at daily refills with small tanks.

 

[MDM]

The heater is rated at 30,000 BTUs. My dad is trying out the 100lb tanks filled to 100psi at his cabin as we speak. He is going to be dissapointed if one tank only lasts a few minutes. I have a feeling you may be right though.

 

[MDM]

You are right. One tank only lasted about an hour. So much for that idea. Looks like I need to get a chimney laid up. I have a 150,000 BTU Bunco woodburner that is just sitting up at dad's and I have about 10 acres of woods.