The One Ton Liquefied Chlorine Gas Container

Abstract

Commercially, liquefied chlorine gas became available in 1888 in Germany. Shortly thereafter the Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik introduced it into the United States. It was shipped in seamless steel cylinders containing about 100 pounds each. These cylinders were fitted with special valves, but were without safety devices. Such packages obviously carried on the tradition of shipping compressed gases in steel cylinders of small capacity, and, moreover, dry liquid chlorine is an inert substance with no appreciable action on iron or steel. However, the imports of German liquid chlorine did not grow for several reasons, viz.: (1) the loaded cylinders were carried as deck loads and were subject to instant jettison in the event of cylinder leaks; (2) there was a heavy American tariff on the steel cylinders, and endless customs red tape in securing drawback of the duty or earmarking of the cylinders; (3) industries requiring chlorine were using bleaching powder and were loath to try a new substance which might not arrive in time for their needs. In 1909 the American liquid chlorine industry started, and the first shipments were made in hundred pound seamless steel cylinders imported from Germany. In the same year the first American Class V tank car holding 30,000 pounds made its appearance. Later seamless steel cylinders of American make holding 150 pounds came into common use. In 1910 a few steel containers, approximately 30 inches in diameter and 6 feet in length, were devised to hold 2000 pounds of liquid chlorine. This container was a longitudinally welded steel cylinder with welded convex heads and was tested at 500 pounds hydrostatic pressure per square inch. One head had a manhole making internal inspections very easy; and the manhote cover was equipped with two valves, and internal piping of suitable lengths for the eduction of either liquid or gaseous chlorine. These containers had no safety devices and were accepted by the common carriers as box car freight. They were satisfactory both from a safety and technical standpoint.