Gas Installation

Question 1

Types of Gas

Answer 1

1. Natural Gas
2. LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas)
3. Biogas

Question 2

Gas Installation Services

Answer 2

1. Source
2. Service pipe
3. Meter
4. Internal Components
5. Flues

Question 3

Things to Consider When Designing a Gas System

Answer 3

• Design Requirements for fire saftey ofiicer
• Saftey and ventillation
• Certified gas practitioner
• Costs and Installation times

Question 4

LPGSASA

Answer 4

Liquefied Petroleum
Gas Safety Association of
South Africa

Question 5

Composition of LPG

Answer 5

• Made of liquefiable
  hydrocarbon gases, commercial propane and
  commercial butane
• The average mix is 60%
  propane (-42Deg) to 40% butane (0Deg)
• 80% Liquid, 20% Expnsion space

Question 6

LP Gas Properties

Answer 6

• At 0 Deg. gas pressure = 200 kPa.
• At 30 Deg. gas pressure =
  approximately 550 kPa
• 1 litre of LP Gas Liquid Weighs 0,54 kg
• 1,86 litre of LP Gas Liquid Weighs 1 kg
• Flammable limits of an LP Gas
  Vapour mixture in air = 2% ~ 10%
• Ethyl Mercaptan/Ethanethiol added for odour

Question 7

Advantages of LP Gas

Answer 7

• Easy to condense the vapour into liquid
• Easy to store and transport
• Lightweight, even when condensed

Question 8

Storage Methods of LP Gas

Answer 8

• Cylinders – From 3 kg up to 48 kg
• Dumpies – Approx 200 kgs
• Bulk Tanks – 500 kgs up to 25 tons (25.4kg)

Question 9

+ Procedure

When Deciding on the best Storage method for LP Gas

Answer 9

• Gas Demand
• National Standards
• Local By-Laws
• Site Restrictions

Question 10

Gas Demand and Usage

Answer 10

• Determined by the appliances to be
  installed
• Attempting to draw more gas than the
  evaporative capacity of the cylinder may result
  in the cylinder freezing up
• It further reduces the evaporative
  output of the cylinder
• Can result in a flame out
• Cylinders have a finite evaporative capacity
• A 48 kg cylinder will deliver approx 0,92 kgs
  per hour

Question 12

Regulators

Answer 12

• high pressure vs low pressure regulators
• To move a lot of gas over a long distance a
  High Pressure regulator would be used, where the pipe diameter would be reduced
• If a High Pressure Regulator is used then use a Low Pressure regulator to the end of the High Pressure line and then run a Low
  Pressure line to the Appliance
• If the pressure at the appliance ≠ 2,8 kPa then the result will be poor
  combustion, leading to inefficient
  burner performance and possible danger as a result of high
  Carbon Monoxide emissions

Question 13

Service Pipe Components

Answer 13

• Materials
• Placing
• Joining

Question 14

Service Pipe Materials

Answer 14

• Copper
• Steel
• Stainless Steel
• Corrugated Stainless Steel (CSST)
• Composite Pipe (Pex-Al-Pex)
• HDPE

Question 15

Restrictions on Pipe Materials

Answer 15

• Use of pipes in Critical locations
• Use of pipes embedded into concrete
• Use of pipe when buried

SANS 10087-1

Question 16

Domestic Cylinders

Answer 16

• Flats (H3) – 9kg
• Houses - 19kg
• Commercial Premises – 19 kg
• Industrial Premises (D1 -D4) a maximum of 19kg per 600 m³ of building space with a total maximum of 100 kg
• Cylinders may never be stored or used below ground

SANS 10087-1

Question 17

Domestic Flexible Hose

Answer 17

• Flexible hose is used only to make the final connection between a fixed pipe system and the gas inlet of the appliance
• It may not pass through any wall or partition
• Not be longer than 2m
• When used to connect an appliance which needs to be moved from its operating position
  a chain or similar restraint shall be fitted to prevent the appliance being moved such that it may place any strain
  on the flexible hose

Question 17

Flues

Answer 17

• Where an appliance is designed to be used with a flue to take the products of combustion to the outside then it is illegal to install the appliance without a flue
• Flued space heaters don’t pose too much of a problem as these appliances are normally installed in a fireplace fitted with a chimney
• Flue sensor in some appliances that if not interfered with will shut down the appliance if an attempt is made to use it without the flue
• No flue can result in the products of combustion (flue
  gases) spilling into the room with no fresh air coming in and the available oxygen being used up by the appliance and by the
  breathing of room occupants
• Consider also, permanent ventillation

Flued Appliances Eg: instantaneous water heater, space heater

Question 18

Regulations

Answer 18

1. Pressure Equipment Regulations (PER)
2. Local Authority by-laws
3. National Standards

Question 19

National Standard Number

Answer 19

SANS 1774

Question 20

Pressure Equipment Regulations

Answer 20

• Falls under the Occupational Health & Safety Act (Act 85 of
  1993)
• Covers the purchase,
  importation, sale, inspection, testing and installation of all gas equipment with a pressure of 50 kPa or greater
• Cannot install or remove a gas appliance, gas system or gas reticulation system, unless
  such person is an authorised person
• Do not use pressure equipment or systems for gas in
  any manner other than in accordance with the
  relevant safety standard incorporated into these
  Regulations under section 44 of the Act.

Question 21

National Gas Standard Clauses

Answer 21

• SANS 1539 appliances
• SANS 1237 regulators
• SANS 1156-2 hoses
• SANS 10019 cylinders
• SANS 10087-1 installation

Question 22

Typical Gas Installation Issues

Answer 22

• Insufficient gas or too much gas on site
• Cylinders in the wrong place
• Incorrect piping
• Buried or embedded pipe with mechanical joints
• Unsleeved copper or composite pipes in the ceiling
• Insufficient planning

Question 23

Odor Compound for LPG

Answer 23

Ethyl Mercaptan/Ethanethiol

C2H6S

Question 24

Bio-gas Source Materials

Answer 24

• Grass
• Maize
• Microalgae & Seaweed
• Organic waste
• Industrial residue

Question 25

Anaerobic digestion

Answer 25

1. Methane Producing Digesters 2. Storage