Safety Manual Ekc - EVEREST KANTO CYLINDER LIMITED

EKC International FZE6.Cylinder M ountingProper care should be t aken w hen m ount ing cylinders The cylinder support mechanism should be st rong enough t o w it hst and forceequal t o 8 t imes t he cylinder w eight . Should allow liquids t o drain, accum ulat ion of liquids like w at er can lead t orust ing. M ount ing should be done in such a w ay t hat cylinder markings are easilyaccessible and can be read w it hout much effort . Prevent abrading, minimize and w it hst and vibrat ions.A Typical poor inst allat ion and m ount ing problem s are illust rat ed follow s:No shieldingFlimsy home madeBracket sNo rubberGasket sExample of a poor Cylinder Installation.

EKC International FZE7.Cylinder Shielding.Cylinder Shielding should be used t o prot ect t he cylinder. Damage from road DebrisDamage from Vehicle cargoWeat her element sExhaust HeatHarmful LiquidsExcessive sunlightFrom each ot her, if more t han one cylinder is inst alled.Shielding is primarily used for cylinders t hat cont ain composit e mat erials. But it is a goodpract ice t o use shielding for Type 1 cylinders especially in cases of underbodyinst allat ions.8.Cylinder handlingIt is not recommended / advised t o remove cylinders from t he vehicles except in t hefollow ing emergency scenarios If vehicle has been involved in an accident or fireVehicle maint enance requires cylinders t o be rem ovedCylinder inspect ion or re-t est ing is requiredIrreparable damage t o t he cylinder and t he affect ed cylinder is condemned.If t he cylinder is t o be rem oved, t he follow ing precaut ions have t o be t aken. Onlyaut horized t rained personnel should be allow ed t o handle t he cylinders Cylinders should not be droppedCylinders should not be draggedCylinders should not be lift ed by using t he at t ached valves / PRD as leverage orsupport .Cylinders should not be rolled off st orage.

EKC International FZE9. Cylinder DefuelingIn t w o cases cylinders must be defueled (Depressurized)a. Emergency defuelingb. Scheduled defuelingEmergency defueling must be performed w hen vehicle is involved in an accident/ collision or fire at t here is a need t o remove CNG from t he cylinder t o preventimmediat e hazard t o people or immediat e surrounding.A scheduled defueling is planned removal of CNG from t he cylinder w hich may berequired in t he follow ing event s. Test ing To ret urn t he cylinder t o t he manufact urer To carry cert ain maint enance w ork as per manufact ures’ guidelines. When cylinder is t o be condemned.Cylinder defueling is not required for rout ine visual inspect ion. In cases w here defuelingbecomes absolut e necessit y t he local aut horit ies should be consult ed for guidance andrecommendat ions. Vehicle manufact urer’s inst ruct ions should also be review ed forproper vent ing procedure. Use of proper t ools and st eps are of out most import ance.Special care should be given t o elect rical grounding t o prevent gas ignit ion because ofst at ic elect ricit y buildup.

EKC International FZE10. Atmospheric Venting Equipment.The use of at mospheric vent ing of nat ural gas t o depressurize a CNG cylinder must bedone w it h ext reme care. Improper equipment or procedure increases t he risk of gasignit ion from nearby ignit ion sources such nearby flames, st at ic discharge et c,.A st at ic elect rical discharge can build up w hen vent ing gas. This elect ric chargecan ignit e nat ural gas.General Atmospheric Venting EquipmentA schemat ic diagram of a t ypical vent ing syst em is show n above.The syst em w ill also include t he follow ing equipm ent . On-Board defueling connect ion inst alled on t he vehicle Vent pipe. The pipe t ypically should be 2-inch in diamet er and should be properlysupport ed by a fix st ruct ure such as a w all. The pipe should ext end a minimum of2 feet in height t han t he support st ruct ure. The pipe must be elect ricallygrounded and no ignit ion source should be near t he syst em. Elect rical ground connect ion consist ing of a minimum 2 gauge or heavier copperw ire at t ached at one end t o a rod or anot her suit able elect rical ground. Theot her end should be clamped t o t he vent ing pipe and t he cylinder valve. A high pressure flexible hose A manual valve t o cont rol t he gas flow .

EKC International FZEIn addit ion t o t he above it ems, it is recommended t o keep t he follow ing safet yequipment lose by A port able fire ext inguisher Past e NO-Smoking and “ Flammable Gas” signs near t he designat ed area.If t he cylinder is not mount ed on a vehicle it should be properly rest rained as it maymove if t he gas is released at a fast rat e.11.Emergency Defueling Procedure t o At mosphereEmergency vent ing procedures should be used in sit uat ions w here t here is an absolut eneed t o remove CNG form t he cylinder immediat ely and it is not possible t o follow t henormal recommend defueling procedureThe general procedure for emergency defueling is as follow s: Ensure t hat an emergency elect rical connect ion has been est ablished bet w eent he cylinder, t he vent syst em and eart h ground. Connect t he on-board defueling connect ion t o t he vent syst em suing a highpressure flexible hose. Open t he hand valve t o release t he gas. Adjust t he manual vale t o have a st eadyflow of gas. Transfer t he gas at a slow rat e t o prevent freezing. If elect ronicsolenoid valves are used t hen consult vehicle manufact urer for informat ion. Allow t he on-board st orage syst em t o vent complet ely. Disconnect all t he connect ions once t he vent ing is complet e.12.Scheduled Defueling Procedure.Scheduled defueling is t he preferred met hod of depressurizing cylinders. In t his processt w o st eps are involved.St ep1.Run t he vehicle t o reduce pressure. M ove t he vehicle t o an out doorLocat ion and run t he vehicle t o use as much CNG as possible.St ep2.Residual gas removal. This can be done by safely vent ing t he gas t o t heAt mosphere.St ep 1 w ill not vent t he gas complet ely. The residual gas must be vent ed t o at mosphereusing t he at mospheric vent ing procedure.

EKC International FZE13. Cylinder Inspect ion.All cylinders are designed w it h high safet y fact ors and undergo st ringent qualit y t est s inall st ages of t he manufact uring process. The cylinders need t o be periodically examined/ ret est ed every few years* t o ensure safety all t hrough out t heir service life. Inspect iondet ermines t heir general condit ion and fit ness for cont inued usage.There are t hree t ypes of inspect ions (See t able below ) w hich can per carried out t oassess t he cylinder’s overall condit ion and fit ness levels.Inspect ionTypeDescript ionRemoval of CylinderFrom VehicleFrequencyVisualPrimary Inspect ionM et hod,recommendedbyall manufact urersNo3 years or 36000K.M (w hich ever isearlier)Hydrost at icRequired by vehicleorcylindermanufact urers.Should be done asper t he guidelinesof local regulat oryaut horit y.Yes5 years for Type 1M et al cylinders.Acoust ic Em issionNonDest ruct ivet est t hat may bedone in conjunct iontosupplementvisual inspect ion.NoM ay be performedalong w it h visualinspect ion* The Durat ion of Periodical Inspect ion/ Re-t est ing is defined by t he regulat ory aut horit yof each count ry.NGV St andards and ISO 11439 define t he periodic inspect ion of CNG cylinder every 3years unt il t he specified service like of t he cylinder.M any count ries w here t he service life of t he CNG Cylinder is undefined insist hydrost at icre-t est ing of cylinders every 5 years.

EKC International FZE14. Guidelines for Visual inspect ion.Visual inspect ion can be carried in t w o w ays. Periodic General Inspect ion Periodic Det ailed Visual inspect ionElement s of Visual Inspect ionInspect ion TypeGeneral VisualInspect ionDescript ionInspect ion performed byvehicleow ners,fleetmanagers and t echnicianst o check for any signs ofdamage t o t he cylinder.FrequencyDuringrout inemaint enance or as specifiedby t he safet y planDet ailed VisualInspect ionDet ailed inspect ion shouldbe performed by t rainedt echnicalst affasrecommendedbyt hemanufact uringst andard,local regulat ory aut horit yorfromcylindermanufact urer.3 years or 36000 K.M(w hich ever comes first )Det ailed visual inspect ion is must for NGV cylinders and should be carried out atrecommended frequency.Visual inspect ion should become an int egral part of any fleet ’s operat ional manual andshould be done by t he t echnicians w henever t he vehicle is brought in for regularprevent ive maint enance.

EKC International FZE15. General Visual Inspect ion.Summary:General visual inspect ion of cylinder is done for signs ofext ernal damage Or abuse. These inspect ions should bedone as a part of normal prevent ive maint enance or ot herregularly scheduled act ivit y.Performed by:Ow ner / Operat orRemoval of Cylinder:NoRemoval of shielding:No (Opt ional)Frequency:The follow ing recommendat ions should be follow ed Performed during any vehicle maint enance Performed at mont hly int ervals by refueling or service personnel.M et hodology: The general visual inspect ion cont ains t w o st eps as follow s:General Visual InspectionStep 1 (Inspection)Step 2 (Disposition)

EKC International FZEStep 1. InspectionIf t he vehicle is not on a lift and cylinders are m ount ed underneat h, use a creeper orjack t o access cylindersIf cylinders are roof mount ed open roof mount ed shieldsExamine each cylinder t o ensure t hat each cylinder is securely at t ached t o t he vehicleExamine each cylinder for signs of gross damage.Not e: If cylinders are shielded check shields for signs of damage. If shields are damaged,perform a det ail visual inspect ion by rem oving t he shield. If cylinder is damaged go in forre-qualificat ion procedure.

EKC International FZEStep 2. DispositionIf rubber gasket s / mount ing st raps are loose or not in place or t here is rot at ion ofcylinder st raining t he piping t hen loosen t he mount ing bracket s, reposit ion t he gasket sand re-t orque bolt s.Check for damage t o mount ing bracket s. If damaged, check if cylinder is damaged by[performing det ailed visual inspect ion. If cylinder is not damaged, obt ain new bracket sand remount t he cylinders.If cylinder gas heat damage, t hen perform det ailed visual inspect ion and classify damageas per sect ion * * * * * * * * * * * *If t here is apparent impact damage t o t he cylinder, perform a det ailed visual inspect ionand classify damage as per sect ion * * * * * * * * * * * * * *If t here is abrasion damage perform a det ailed visual inspect ion and classify damageaccording t o * * * * * * * * * * *If t here is damage t o t he PRD, perform a det ailed visual inspect ion and classify damageaccording t o * * * * * * * *If t here is damage t o t he valve, perform a det ailed visual inspect ion and classify damageaccording t o sect ion * * * * * * * * * *

EKC International FZE16. Det ailed Visual Inspect ionSummary:The det ailed visual inspect ion is a t hrough visualinspect ion of t he cylinder and bracket assembly by aqualified and t rained t echnician.Performed by:Trained and experienced t hird part y or t rained in-houseindividual.Removal if Cylinder:No.Removal of Shield:YesFrequency:Every 3 years or 36000 K.M (Which ever comes earlier)Tools:High int ensit y light , angled inspect ion mirrors, hand t ools,t orque w rench, dept h gauge, ruler, leak t est fluid,M et hodology:The det ailed visual inspect ion cont ains t he follow ing st eps:Step 1PreparationGeneral InstallationInspectionMounting BracketInspectionStep 2InspectionPRD InspectionPiping InspectionStep 3DispositionCylinder Inspection

EKC International FZESt ep 1: Preparat ionIf cylinders are mount ed underneat h vehicle, lift t he vehicle using a hydraulic liftIf cylinders are roof mount ed, open roof mount ed shieldsIf cylinders are mount ed in t he t ruck bed and are shielded, remove shields.Clean cylinders w it h soap and w at er solut ion w it h a clot hNot e cylinder / vehicle det ails like serial number, dat e of manufact uring, vehicle numberEt cSt ep 2. Inspect ion: General Inst allat ion GuidelinesVerify t hat an appropriat e label is on t he cylinder and t hat t he cylinder is being properlyUsed t o st ore CNG only at t he rat ed pressureVerify t hat t he cylinder service as defined by t he manufact ure life has not expired. Ifexpired condemn cylinderEnsure cylinders are prot ect ed from road debris and ot her forms of pot ent ial damage.St ep 2. Inspect ion: M ount ing Bracket Inspect ionInspect each cylinder bracket for proper mount ing t o vehicle body. Check t hat fast enersor locknut s are t ight and look for signs of cylinder movementVerify t hat rubber gasket s are in place and are in good condit ion. Verify t hat t hebracket s are in good condit ion. Check bracket t o vehicle mount ing for signs of damageor st ress (bent sheet met al or fract ures)

EKC International FZESt ep 2: Inspect ion: PRD inspect ionVerify t hat PRD is properly at t ached t o t he cylinder valve. If no PRD is present , cont actvalve manufact urer or t heir local sales agent .Examine t he valve and PRD assembly for damage. Damaged valve and PRD assembliesmust be replaced out right . Inspect t he PRD device for signs of bulging of t he t hermallyact ive mat erial. This can be performed by rubbing fingers over PRD at t he t hermalt rigger.Follow ing are t he general guidelines for PRD inspect ion. The inspect or shall review t hePRD manufact urer’s recommendat ions t o det ermine t he act ions for accept ance /replacement of t he PRDType of DamageCreeping of fusible mat erialRecommendat ionsPRD Should be replacedFat igue cracking of pressure burst DiskPRD Should be replacedSt ress corrosion cracking of Brass BodyPRD Should be replacedFreezing w at erline damagePRD Should be replacedNot e. 1. At t he t ime of periodic visual inspect ion replace t he PRD w it h a new one.2. Component s of PRD shall be reassembled, reinst alled in accordance w it h t heRecommendat ions of t he valve manufact urerSt ep 2: Inspect ion: Piping and Hose inspect ionInspect t ubing for leaks (w it h soap and w at er solut ion), damage, w ear and signs ofdet eriorat ion or corrosion.Inspect hoses for leaks, damage, w ear, and signs of det eriorat ion and corrosion. Ensureloses are rat ed for CNG use, marked w it h manufact urer’s name or t rademark andmarked w it h rat ed pressure.

EKC International FZESt ep 2: Inspect ion: General Cylinder Inspect ionPerform det ailed visual inspect ion st art ing at fill end and going t o t he opposit e end. Usea flashlight , high int ensit y light and mirror t o aid inspect ion.If cut s, scrat ches or abrasions are visible measure t he dept h and lengt h of t he cut s andscrat ches using a dept h gauge or calipers and rulers or ult rasonic t hickness t est er. Not et he dept h and lengt h on t he visual inspect ion dat a sheet .

EKC International FZESt ep 3: Disposit ionAft er t he visual inspect ion and damage areas should be classified. The follow ing st epsshould be used t o classify t he damage:St artClassifyDamage asper Table *Level 1InstructionsLevel 2InstructionsLevel 3InstructionsThe follow ing guidelines should be follow ed for disposit ion of cylindersLevel Of DamageLevel 1Disposit ionCylinder approved for cont inued useLevel 2The cylinder should be handled accordingt o cylinder manufact ures guidelinesLevel 3Cylinder mustdest royed.becondemnedandAt t he complet ion of inspect ion, cylinders t hat are approved for cont inued use shouldhave a st icker or not ificat ion placed on t he cylinder or vehicle indicat ing t he dat e andt he ident ificat ion of t he inspect or. Condem ned cylinders should be marked anddest royed.

EKC International FZELevels Of DamageThe follow ing Guidelines should be follow ed for disposit ion of cylinders. Refer t he t ablebelow :Level Of DamageDisposit ionLevel 1Damage is minor and less t han 0.25 mm indept h. Such damage should have noadverse effect s on t he safety of t hecylinder and it s cont inued use. Damagessuch as scrat ched paint , nicks or dings t hathave no appreciable dept h are consideredt o be in t his cat egory.Level 2Damage great er t han or equal t o 0.25mmin dept h. Suck kind of damage is moreserious t han level 1 and should be givenmore at t ent ion. Such kind of damage canbe repaired and t he cylinder ret urned t oservice based on t he recommendat ionsgiven in t able 3. All such cylinders shouldbe properly repaint ed aft er carrying outt he repair w ork before put t ing int o reservice.Level 3All cylinders w hich are beyond repair asrecommended in t able 3 shall be reject edand condemned. Under any circumst ancescylinders w hose minim um w all t hickness isless t han t he specified minimum designw all t hickness shall be ret urned t o service.

EKC International FZE17. Classificat ion of Visual Damage.Type of DamageCut / Scrat ches / gougesRepair – Recommendat ions / Solut ionsA cut or scrat ch may occur on a met alcylinder w hen it is hit by a shard edgedobject .It is a sharp impression on t he cylinder w allw here t he mat erial is removed.If cut , scrat ches, gouges are in t he range of0.25 mm t o 0.5 mm, repair it by roundingoff t he sharp edges by using handoperat ed pow er t ool. Great care should bet aken t o avoid int roducing new defect s t ot he affect ed area. Aft er such a repair jobt he cylinder should be re-examined t oensure t hat t he w all t hickness has notreduced below minimum specified w allt hickness. The affect ed area should berepaint ed.Abrasion.Abrasion may be due t o some met allicobject cont inuously rubbing against t hecylinder. It may be due t o poor inst allat ionor bad road condit ions.M et al cylinder show ing evidence ofabrasion shall be closely examined t overify t he amount of met al rem oved. If t hedept h is great er t han 0.5

Cut Section of Type 1 CNG Cylinder Neck Cut section of type 1 CNG Cylinder bottom 70 to 80 % of all the cylinders used in NGV service today are made of Seamless steel (Type 1). Type 1 CNG cylinders are re-known for their established safety performance, material and design charac