CGA’s 2022 Cylinder Requalification Operations Safety Seminar was held November 1 – 3, 2022, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The seminar attracted over 100 participants from at least 9 different countries!

This year’s 3-day seminar focused on cylinder requalification, cylinder valves, and regulatory issues.  Presentation topics included:

• Your role in a successful learning program;
• An overview of multiple requalification methods;
• Everything you wanted to know about 49 CFR;
• Challenges and commonalities of visual inspection;
• Overview of visual inspection
• Ultrasonic examination & CGA C-20;
• Advance nondestructive testing and composite cylinder requalification;
• Cylinder requalification inspection from the regulatory perspective;
• Hydraulic proof pressure testing;
• History and impact of modal acoustic emission (MAE) for requalification and life extensions of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs);
• Rho marked cylinders;
• Advanced cylinder remediation (diborane cylinders management and disposal);
• MAE applications;
• UN cylinders;
• Cylinders markings: tare and mass weights and water capacity
• Valves and safety devices;
• Valve failures; and
• Cylinder threads.

This seminar also included a live demonstration of a visual inspection of an aluminum forklift cylinder as well as an interactive panel discussion with both regulatory and industry personnel discussing the opportunities for and challenges facing the compressed gas industry.

As part of this seminar, attendees also toured Roberts Oxygen Company Compressed and Cryogenic Production, Distribution, and Cylinder Maintenance Facility.  The tour included a review and demonstrations of ultrasonic examination (UE) and acoustic emission (AE) qualification, cylinder valve processes, compressed and cryogenic cylinder filling, and dry ice production. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet some of the in-use equipment manufacturers, who participated in the tour event and tour presentations of the equipment.

CGA would like to especially thank Robin Jussila, John Gurcsik, Rob Garner, Ron Kirby, David Absher, Dave Forgash, Esme Jackson and all Roberts Oxygen Company employees for hosting this excellent tour.