MIL-STD-1411B
(4) When ready to rinse, empty out the solution. While the cylinder is on its side or slightly inclined with the neck down, rinse the inside with fresh, clean running tap water, making sure that the rinse water reaches all interior surfaces. Continue rinsing until all traces of the cleaning solution are removed. This will require a rinsing period of at least 10 minutes.
5.3.2.4.1.2 Alternate procedure. There are several alternates to this procedure as listed below. Contractor's proven systems that have been approved by the contracting officer for equivalent cleaning will also be acceptable.
a. In one modification, a steam lance is inserted to the bottom of the cylinder, which has been filled with an alkali cleaning solution similar to the one given in the primary procedure. Clean oil-free steam is injected into the solution through the lance to keep it boiling from 15 to
30 minutes. During the boiling process, enough excess boiling water or steam is injected
through the lance so that the solution overflows the cylinder carrying away the contaminants that have floated to the surface. When cleaning is completed, rinse the cylinder as specified in
5.3.2.4.1.1 (b) (4).
b. In another procedure, the cylinder is positioned with its valve opening down. A mixture of high-pressure steam and a cleaning solution such as the one given in the primary procedure is injected into the cylinder through a steam lance. The lance should be moved up and down and sideways so that the cleaning fluid will contact the entire inside surface of the cylinder. Rotating the cylinder is helpful.
c. Some contaminants can be removed with steam alone without the cleaning compound.
5.3.2.4.2 Organic solvent washing. Organic solvent washing involves pouring a liquid organic solvent into the cylinder and rotating it so that all surfaces are contacted by the solvent. Experience has indicated more than 90 percent of all cylinders that are oil or hydrocarbon contaminated can be cleaned adequately with organic solvents to render the cylinder suitable for use in oxygen or any other service. Cleaning depends upon the ability of the solvent to dissolve organic materials in a short period of time, the ability of the solvent to leave only a small amount of nonvolatile residue on the walls of a cylinder, and upon the solvent not reacting chemically with the cylinder material. Many commercial solvents meet these requirements and do a good job of cleaning. CGA G-4.1 provides considerable information about solvents and their characteristics. Almost all solvents are harmful if breathed to excess. Cylinder cleaning with these solvents should be done only in an area with positive ventilation and only by persons wearing adequate equipment to protect the eyes and skin. Care should be taken not to subject
any cylinder with water soluble contamination to solvent cleaning, as such treatment may change the contamination into insoluble gums. Identification of the contamination in a cylinder can usually be made by examination with a droplight or by filling a cylinder with water and then, after the water has been in the cylinder for 24 hours, examining the surface of the water in the neck opening of the cylinder for the presence of oil or other light hydrocarbons. When both
water soluble and water insoluble compounds are found, the cylinder shall first be washed with an alkaline solvent in accordance with 5.3.2.4.1 and then washed with organic solvents in accordance with this procedure. Pour clean solvent into the neck of the cylinder until the cylinder is from 1/10 to 1/4 full. Plug the neck opening with a flanged, gasketed plug, lay the
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