
Propane tanks are a necessary part of most commercial or residential establishments, to provide for fuel requirements. The sizes need to be selected, according to specific requirements. This article presents the manufacturing size specifications available for residential or commercial use.
Propane tanks are designed and manufactured in many different sizes and shapes for various uses. Propane is used as fuel in industrial, agricultural and residential applications, throughout the world. Selecting the right tank size, according to your establishment’s needs and requirements, saves money and fuel. Selecting the right shape and size can also save a lot of space.
Tips for Selecting Sizes
In residential areas, propane fuel is used for indoor heating systems, clothes drying, cooking and heating water. In commercial field, high volume propane supply is required to fuel many heating applications. To get the optimal tank sizing for your residential or commercial propane needs, you must supply the following parameters to your company:
- Total area or total square footage of your residential/commercial establishment.
- Propane volume requirement of various appliances at home or applications in industry.
- Geographical location of establishment.
- Specifications of pool heating requirements in residential locations, if any.
With these parameters, the gas company can get an idea of your daily usage of propane fuel and suggest a right size for your use. By regulation, only about 80% of tank volume is filled up. The pressure exerted by a this gas is very high and therefore, these cylinders need to be handled very carefully.
Size Chart
Let us discuss the various tank sizes available, which are tailor made for multifarious applications.
Residential
Due to the large variation of climate and weather patterns all over USA, the propane fuel requirements also change from place to place. Since propane is used for internal heating of homes using gas furnaces, the volume of use will vary with the kind of climate in the place of use. Propane heaters are available very commonly now. Colder climates will naturally require more volume of propane than temperate climates. The residential tank sizes will also change accordingly. See to it that the gas company provides you with right propane tank size, accordingly. Here is a table which provides you with the various available sizes for residential use. The tanks all come in form of a cylindrical capsule, mostly. The sizes and dimensions listed here, according to capacity, are intended to provide a general idea about sizing. Actual specifications for sizes will vary according to manufacturer.
Specifications | 150 Gallons | 250 Gallons | 500 Gallons | 1000 Gallons |
Weight | 320 lbs | 485 lbs | 950 lbs | 1750 lbs |
Diameter | 25 Inches | 30 Inches | 37 Inches | 41 Inches |
Length | 85 Inches | 92 Inches | 120 Inches | 190 Inches |
Portable
Portable tank sizes for gas grills or other such applications are specified in the table below. These portable propane tanks or cylinders are usually called bottles. They are used with portable propane heaters and grills. You may use them for cooking, grilling or weed burning. Here are the different sizes of portable tanks according to capacity.
Specifications | 4.7 Gallons | 7.1 Gallons | 9.4 Gallons | 23.6 Gallons |
Weight (full) | 38 lbs | 54 lbs | 70 lbs | 170 lbs |
Diameter | 12.5 Inches | 12.5 Inches | 12.5 Inches | 14.5 Inches |
Height | 18 Inches | 24 Inches | 29 Inches | 48 Inches |
Propane tanks are widely in demand throughout USA, as they have applications in residential, industrial and commercial applications. Underground tanks are also used by some establishments. They are protected with cathodic protection and coated with special paint and back filling. There is obviously a lot of risk associated with burying an tank underground. Ergo, opt for underground tanks only as a last alternative.