Can I weld to a compressor tank

[Wheatland KB]

Welding to a pressure vessel doesn't require stress relieve or whatever else was said. Unless it is a certain type of metal and a certain thickness,this tank would be neither one.

Granted, my experience is on aircraft gas turbine pressure vessels.Thin wall, stainless alloy etc... Different animal.

The weld zone still may be supsceptible to fatigue cracking and subsequent failure.
I wouldnt do it. I've seen too many component failures on parts that were manufactured or repaired to proper standards.

My 2 cents.

KB

 

[greenmule]

Ken,After reading your stuff,[other than just where my handle is],bet your talking about an air test in a water tank,water tank being for safety ?,well,good idea,but think asme,[would have to study it a little,very little],reguires you to do a hydro test if at all possible, which this would be very possible[when done in the factory]1 1/2 times,[being both proof and leak test.].
You might not get the proof test,but you could certainly pressure it up with compressor,10-20 psi or less with soap bubbles will tell you if you got a leak,than pressure it up as much as compressor will,around a corner or something and leave it there for a while.

But if he don't burn through it,and can weld,he ain't going to be hurting that plain ole carbon steel,p1 type,so it won't blow up to begin with.

 

[srjones]

IMO, I'd say there's a difference between welding 'on' a tank than welding a tank together.

But to remove all doubts and fears, just sand off the paint on both surfaces and use a 2 part epoxy to "JB Weld" it together.

 

[greenmule]

Well just for the record[since were typeing about it],I don't plan on welding on my cheapo thin air compressor tank,BUT,if for some strange reason I decided to,pretty sure I could and could do it so's it would be just as safe as it was.But most beginners couldn't,and didn't recommend it for various reasons,etc.

But,if your going to answer the guys question,which was should he,you gotta pretty much say that,not that you'd have to stress relieve it,[wrong],not that you'd hurt the metal,[wrong],not that you'd have hydro/air test it in a 200 gal water tank,[or whatever that was],wrong again, That you have to be certified welder,wrong;just tell him the facts,you don't go welding on a thin cheap air compressor tank,unless there is a better reason than attaching his hose reel to it,[he said he wasn't much of a welder],just not a good idea.

Could you,and do it safely,sure you could.

 

[kenstrac]

Ken,After reading your stuff,[other than just where my handle is],bet your talking about an air test in a water tank,water tank being for safety ?,well,good idea,but think asme,[would have to study it a little,very little],reguires you to do a hydro test if at all possible, which this would be very possible[when done in the factory]1 1/2 times,[being both proof and leak test.].
You might not get the proof test,but you could certainly pressure it up with compressor,10-20 psi or less with soap bubbles will tell you if you got a leak,than pressure it up as much as compressor will,around a corner or something and leave it there for a while.

But if he don't burn through it,and can weld,he ain't going to be hurting that plain ole carbon steel,p1 type,so it won't blow up to begin with.

Why take cover around corner?:confused.

 

[greenmule]

Im just a extra carefull kinda guy

 

[Egon]

You need a water tank to put the tank your testing in .

Maybe explain this a little further! You may have a lot of people a little confused.

 

[mbohuntr]

My 2 cents... Been a welder for some time, saw a fella's head after a pipe he was welding on burst. not pretty... he's lucky to survive. He's not photogenic anymore... I've seen a tank burst and shredded. I've also hydro tested a few things. There's a reason compressed air cylinders are beefy, water will not readily compress so when a weld fails, there is no rapid expansion. I would never weld on a pressure tank unless It was hydro-tested and warranted to be safe. Just not worth the risk...

 

[tommu56]

Egon
You place the tank to be tested in a tank of water
The outer tank is used to check the expansion of the test vessel at a pressure.
there are limits on how much it can expand.


here is a link to simple testing Hydrostatic test - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

All this said some air tanks are not certified some states only require it for commercial and industrial not for personal use.

tom

 

[Egon]

Now what would the pressure classification be of a tank that had to be tested in that fashion?

For the type of tank in question do you think it would be able to be tested to around 3360 PSI ???

Actually do you think the compressor would be able to produce that type of pressure?? Heck, how would the compressor be tested?