Hello,

I am considering using gas (CO2) to transfer wine from a open-head
(locking top) 55 gal poly drum. There are 2 small screw-plugged holes
on the lid that should handle the gas-in and wine-out flows. Has
anyone tried this before? What type of pressure can the drums handle?
What type of fixtures/stoppers are best for this?

Thanks in advance,
David
Denver, CO USA

"David D." > wrote in message
om...
> Hello,
>
> I am considering using gas (CO2) to transfer wine from a open-head
> (locking top) 55 gal poly drum. There are 2 small screw-plugged holes
> on the lid that should handle the gas-in and wine-out flows. Has
> anyone tried this before? What type of pressure can the drums handle?

I've done that before, but I recommend using nitrogen instead of CO2 -
unless you like fizzy wine. 3-5 psi is sufficient.

> What type of fixtures/stoppers are best for this?

Threaded PVC and plastic tubing.

Tom S

(David D.) wrote in message . com>...
> Hello,
>
> I am considering using gas (CO2) to transfer wine from a open-head
> (locking top) 55 gal poly drum. There are 2 small screw-plugged holes
> on the lid that should handle the gas-in and wine-out flows. Has
> anyone tried this before? What type of pressure can the drums handle?
> What type of fixtures/stoppers are best for this?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> David
> Denver, CO USA

Be very carefull when you do this. I would not go over a few PSI.

Others will probably say that they do it all the time with no ill
effects, but my company had an accident doing this transfering gear
oil. The worker used a homemade bung to pressurize the vessel and the
seam burst almost taking the arm off another worker. Though this was
against the stated rules an policy of the plant, he had been doing
this procedure for years with no ill effects until the accident
occured.

Standard plastic and metal drums are not "pressure vessels" and should
not be treated as such!

Alex.

"Alex Brewer" > wrote in message
om...
> (David D.) wrote in message
. com>...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I am considering using gas (CO2) to transfer wine from a open-head
> > (locking top) 55 gal poly drum. There are 2 small screw-plugged holes
> > on the lid that should handle the gas-in and wine-out flows. Has
> > anyone tried this before? What type of pressure can the drums handle?
> > What type of fixtures/stoppers are best for this?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > David
> > Denver, CO USA
>
> Be very carefull when you do this. I would not go over a few PSI.
>
> Others will probably say that they do it all the time with no ill
> effects, but my company had an accident doing this transfering gear
> oil. The worker used a homemade bung to pressurize the vessel and the
> seam burst almost taking the arm off another worker. Though this was
> against the stated rules an policy of the plant, he had been doing
> this procedure for years with no ill effects until the accident
> occured.
>
> Standard plastic and metal drums are not "pressure vessels" and should
> not be treated as such!

Good advice, Alex.

I pressure rack from oak barrels too, and have for many years with no
problem - BUT I never go above a few psi, and even that scares me a little.
I know that the head of the barrel is 22 inches in diameter, and that makes
the area about 380 square inches. Multiply that by the pressure and you
have over a half ton of force trying to pop that head out of the barrel at a
mere 3 psi!

Tom S

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely closely watch the PSI. I
assume that the gas should enter through the top and the liquid should
exit through the bottom. I'm going to try this with drilled rubber
stoppers. Do you think these will handle the pressure?

Thanks,
David

"Tom S" > wrote in message m>...
> "Alex Brewer" > wrote in message
> om...
> > (David D.) wrote in message
> . com>...
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I am considering using gas (CO2) to transfer wine from a open-head
> > > (locking top) 55 gal poly drum. There are 2 small screw-plugged holes
> > > on the lid that should handle the gas-in and wine-out flows. Has
> > > anyone tried this before? What type of pressure can the drums handle?
> > > What type of fixtures/stoppers are best for this?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > > David
> > > Denver, CO USA
> >
> > Be very carefull when you do this. I would not go over a few PSI.
> >
> > Others will probably say that they do it all the time with no ill
> > effects, but my company had an accident doing this transfering gear
> > oil. The worker used a homemade bung to pressurize the vessel and the
> > seam burst almost taking the arm off another worker. Though this was
> > against the stated rules an policy of the plant, he had been doing
> > this procedure for years with no ill effects until the accident
> > occured.
> >
> > Standard plastic and metal drums are not "pressure vessels" and should
> > not be treated as such!
>
> Good advice, Alex.
>
> I pressure rack from oak barrels too, and have for many years with no
> problem - BUT I never go above a few psi, and even that scares me a little.
> I know that the head of the barrel is 22 inches in diameter, and that makes
> the area about 380 square inches. Multiply that by the pressure and you
> have over a half ton of force trying to pop that head out of the barrel at a
> mere 3 psi!
>
> Tom S

"David D." > wrote in message
om...
> Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely closely watch the PSI. I
> assume that the gas should enter through the top and the liquid should
> exit through the bottom.

The siphon tube should suck from near the bottom, but you don't want to put
a hole in the container near the bottom.

I'm going to try this with drilled rubber
> stoppers. Do you think these will handle the pressure?

Not very well. They'll tend to pop out. You need threaded fittings you can
screw into the barrel to do it right.

Tom S

"David D." > wrote in message
om...
> Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely closely watch the PSI. I
> assume that the gas should enter through the top and the liquid should
> exit through the bottom.

The siphon tube should suck from near the bottom, but you don't want to put
a hole in the container near the bottom.

I'm going to try this with drilled rubber
> stoppers. Do you think these will handle the pressure?

Not very well. They'll tend to pop out. You need threaded fittings you can
screw into the barrel to do it right.

Tom S

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely closely watch the PSI. I
assume that the gas should enter through the top and the liquid should
exit through the bottom. I'm going to try this with drilled rubber
stoppers. Do you think these will handle the pressure?

Thanks,
David

"Tom S" > wrote in message m>...
> "Alex Brewer" > wrote in message
> om...
> > (David D.) wrote in message
> . com>...
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I am considering using gas (CO2) to transfer wine from a open-head
> > > (locking top) 55 gal poly drum. There are 2 small screw-plugged holes
> > > on the lid that should handle the gas-in and wine-out flows. Has
> > > anyone tried this before? What type of pressure can the drums handle?
> > > What type of fixtures/stoppers are best for this?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > > David
> > > Denver, CO USA
> >
> > Be very carefull when you do this. I would not go over a few PSI.
> >
> > Others will probably say that they do it all the time with no ill
> > effects, but my company had an accident doing this transfering gear
> > oil. The worker used a homemade bung to pressurize the vessel and the
> > seam burst almost taking the arm off another worker. Though this was
> > against the stated rules an policy of the plant, he had been doing
> > this procedure for years with no ill effects until the accident
> > occured.
> >
> > Standard plastic and metal drums are not "pressure vessels" and should
> > not be treated as such!
>
> Good advice, Alex.
>
> I pressure rack from oak barrels too, and have for many years with no
> problem - BUT I never go above a few psi, and even that scares me a little.
> I know that the head of the barrel is 22 inches in diameter, and that makes
> the area about 380 square inches. Multiply that by the pressure and you
> have over a half ton of force trying to pop that head out of the barrel at a
> mere 3 psi!
>
> Tom S

"Alex Brewer" > wrote in message
om...
> (David D.) wrote in message
. com>...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I am considering using gas (CO2) to transfer wine from a open-head
> > (locking top) 55 gal poly drum. There are 2 small screw-plugged holes
> > on the lid that should handle the gas-in and wine-out flows. Has
> > anyone tried this before? What type of pressure can the drums handle?
> > What type of fixtures/stoppers are best for this?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > David
> > Denver, CO USA
>
> Be very carefull when you do this. I would not go over a few PSI.
>
> Others will probably say that they do it all the time with no ill
> effects, but my company had an accident doing this transfering gear
> oil. The worker used a homemade bung to pressurize the vessel and the
> seam burst almost taking the arm off another worker. Though this was
> against the stated rules an policy of the plant, he had been doing
> this procedure for years with no ill effects until the accident
> occured.
>
> Standard plastic and metal drums are not "pressure vessels" and should
> not be treated as such!

Good advice, Alex.

I pressure rack from oak barrels too, and have for many years with no
problem - BUT I never go above a few psi, and even that scares me a little.
I know that the head of the barrel is 22 inches in diameter, and that makes
the area about 380 square inches. Multiply that by the pressure and you
have over a half ton of force trying to pop that head out of the barrel at a
mere 3 psi!

Tom S