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Design for Storage Rack Anchorage for Gas Cylinders

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smokiibear

Structural
Sep 19, 2006
150
Does anyone have some direction for designing anchorage for storage racks for gas cylinders. I don't see anything specific in the code, but would think the little bit of movement around the cylinder would cause an impact load. If nothing else, I'd think to use lateral live impact loads requirements for crane design.

Thanks,
 
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When you say little bit of movement what do you mean. Are you saying when they load and unload them they pound on the storage rack frame?

In my neighborhood the seismic requirements for something like this give me plenty of lateral loading and anchorage.
 
No....i was thinking since the chains holding the cylinders in place and the space between the cylinder and the racks is slightly oversized, that cylinders in a seismic event would move first, creating impacting on top of the seismic load, much like a trolly or crane.
 
Smokiibear:
Look at the EQ requirements for hot water tanks in homes, the process and storage tanks in industry bldgs. Are these for a fairly static storage situation in a building, multiple storage and handling loads of many tanks, or storage for transport, where that movement imparts significant dynamic loads?
 
Gas cylinders? Do you know how many types of gas cylinders there are?
If you don't know the name or spec, post a picture.

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."
 
In seismic conditions cylinders are racked individually and with dual restraints.
I don't where this rule comes from but is similar to flammable gas transport conditions.
Those of us without such limits often rack 4-8 cylinders together and usually only with one chain.

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed
 
Sorry, EdStainless. I'm not clear how your response helps with my question. Can you please clarify?
 
Try looking in transportation codes.


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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed
 


I would go with CHAPTER 13 ( Table 13.6-1,Engines, turbines, pumps, compressors, and pressure vessels not supported on skirts and not within the scope of Chapter 15 1 2½ 2 Skirt-supported pressure vessels not within the scope of Chapter 15) and look for other safety measures at OHSA etc.

Use it up, wear it out;
Make it do, or do without.

NEW ENGLAND MAXIM


 
Anchoring, storage racks, gas cylinders gave me this picture,
lpg-tank-farm-500x500_l3h0vt.jpg

But apparently you are talking gas bottles, medical, welding, scuba tank stuff.

I would not use the term anchoring for those types of cylinders, since they really are never anchored (like with anchor bolts), but generally only set in place.

Nor should they ever be in a place where cranes or anything else could possibly impact them.
You definitely want to protect them with 6" diameter cement filled pipe equipment guard rails, should that be the case.

See smokibear's Post. You're good with that as long as you can guarantee no impact loads.


--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."
 
So, curious as a follow up. For the current design, we decided to use impact load similar to a crane and just incorporate it into seismic load (conservative). We also added several compression only springs to model the compression support from the floor. The resultant loads seems larger than anticipated, and also larger than the related OSHPD certification. Any chance someone might take a look and offer suggestion. I'm not sure I'm modeling the Risa 3D models correctly, but included relevant files.

Thanks,
 
 https://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=b3a14313-c802-4332-9093-c104b984a5cf&file=Racks.zip
Real seismic loads are not generated by crane impacts.

Do you know the origin of seismic loads and how to calculate them?

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."
 
Seismic loads were computed using ASCE 7-16, Sec 15.4.1 from DL of rack and each cylinder.

As a conservative measure, we added 20% impact load as a live load in addition to the seismic load, which is only 28# extra per cylinder. (sec 4.9.4 and 4.9.5)
 
Curious if anyone might have some feedback on the Risa model (attached above) or method of analyzing these cylinder storage racks using the compression spring only boundaries.

Thanks,
 
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