CO2 Hauling....New Tanker driver here

I drove a class B propane truck for a while, and if there's only one thing to say about tank... SLOW DOWN!

The surge will effectively raise your center of gravity on turns, and the faster you turn the steering wheel, the worse it is. Go easy on the controls, and you'll do fine.

At least with running CO2, you don't have the post-accident fireball to worry about...

 

Your helium and hydrogen will be gas in a tube......be sure to use brass tools to unload the hydrogen please. Hydrogen fire cannot be seen. Carry a mini wisk broom and use that to check if you suspect a fire. Likely will be. Static in the air and friction from the escaping gas will set it off. You can't put it out either, don't try. Ask your trainer. I don't think leaky air messes with liquid H2. Only A/P for the shuttle contract. That's a whole different animal. If they do, don't mess with it unless they pay more, like $2.00 hr more. It's very dangerous and requires specialized training.

CO2 is easy...just remember to equalize.

LIN is easy stuff, just cold. Always maintain the customer pressure tho. You could do damage to their process if you don't. LOX and LAR are different. Purity matters here big time. Your trainer will fill you in.....new gasket every time on LOX and LAR. Remember the customers pressure here too. Drift off at a hospital and you'll set off an alarm.....people will come see you. Drift off with LAR and you could ruin a stainless weld in progress or a chip mfg. process.

Now this is important!!! Never force your hose to connect to a tank. The connection should spin on by hand. The connection is marked in raised letters too. LIN, LAR, LOX and they're all different, on purpose. Never carry an adapter with you. Carbide would have fired us for being in possesion of any adapter. Service guys have them, let them keep them.

And here, a field tip. All the tankers have safety rupture discs , they get old, and blow or you don't pay attention and blow one.....it happens. Problem is you can't unload without some pressure so....couple things you can do to keep from waking somebody up........

Get a soda can, cut off the top and bottom and split the side. Lay it out flat ( stomp on it , whatever ) and slide it in over the safety disc.

OR

Get a rag, some water. Wet the rag, stuff it in the vent pipe and wait a min. It will freeze and plug the stack. Blow it out with tank pressure when done or just leave it for the mechanic. ( better choice )

Good luck, do a clean year with leaky air and make Air Products your target if their around there. Better pay and bennies.

 

Welcome to the easiest job in trucking. When hauling CO2 be sure to use the equalizer valve between the vapor side to the liquid side of your discharge piping. This will ensure that you don't have a slug of dry ice in the liquid line after you have bled the product out of the line after unloading. Be sure to do this each and every time to ensure that you don't have a dry ice slug come out of your liquid hose like a bullet. Good luck and enjoy.

 

you are about to encounter the best of the best..I have been hauling cryogenics for 14 years usually only run argon but did a few weeks of Co2 and it was the best and easiest of all involved in cryogenics or compressed gases..you will love it ,as long as you follow the rules it is safe..beverage grade testing can be a bit overwelming at first but you will get..main thing to remember is make sure and blow all liquid out of hoses as not to create an ice plug ..this may be the last job you ever have...warning it will spoil you...you wont want to haul anything else ever again..

 

CO2 is easy cryo to haul - you just have to remember to equalize like the others have said, and follow your process. Safety chains on the hoses, face shield on, pay attention to wind direction and just follow your procedures and you will be fine.

I ran CO2, LOX, and He for 5 years... easy work if you just pay attention to what you are doing and get into a routine for procedure. Good luck!