New, refurbished or installed: what do you need?
Most enquiries fall into one of three routes, and many customers use all three over the life of a vessel: new vessels from stock, refurbishment of used vessels, and installation and site work.
New vessels
Standard sizes of 1,410, 2,200 and 4,600 litres, above ground or underground, held in stock and certified to BS EN 12542. Bespoke vessels are built to specification up to 200 tonnes. New vessels
Refurbished vessels
Used vessels from 450 to 9,000 litres are stripped, blasted, examined, upgraded and recoated, then returned to service. PVS has refurbished more than 6,000. Refurbishment
Installation and site work
Installation above or below ground, vessel exchanges, uplifts, metered estates, electrofusion jointing and specialist haulage, by our own engineers and fleet. Installation & haulage
Should you choose a new or a refurbished vessel?
Both routes put a sound, documented vessel on site. New vessels suit new installations and specified projects; refurbishment is the cost-effective way to return used or fleet vessels to service.
| Feature | New vessel | Refurbished vessel |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes | 1,410, 2,200 and 4,600 L from stock; bespoke up to 200 t | 450 to 9,000 L |
| Standard and inspection | Manufactured and certified to BS EN 12542 | Examined to TM73 by qualified engineers, with every stage recorded on our digital quality platform |
| Preparation | Supplied from stock in Halifax | Pyrolysis stripping, automated shot blasting to Sa 2.5, then zinc primer and top coat with a combined thickness of at least 200 microns in enclosed spray booths |
| Fittings | Universal stud pattern, colour-coded durable galvanised steel lid | Upgraded to the universal stud pattern, with colour-coded durable galvanised steel lids |
| Typical use | New installations and specified projects | Returning used and fleet vessels to service |
Refurbishing also keeps sound steel in use rather than scrapping it, which matters to operators with sustainability targets.
Which size of LPG vessel do you need?
The right size depends on how much gas the site uses and how often you want deliveries: a larger vessel means fewer refills. PVS stocks 1,410, 2,200 and 4,600 litre vessels, and supplies bespoke vessels up to 200 tonnes for larger demands.
Sizes are quoted as water capacity, the vessel’s total internal volume. LPG vessels are never filled to their full water capacity, to leave room for the liquid to expand. Your LPG supplier will usually specify the size; if you are unsure, tell us about the site and we will advise. Larger sites can also use several vessels installed together, as on metered estates.
Should an LPG vessel go above ground or underground?
Above-ground vessels are quicker to install and easy to inspect; underground vessels are out of sight, with only the turret and lid at ground level. Every standard size PVS stocks comes in both versions, and our engineers install both.
Above ground
Sits on a prepared base, with the valves accessible under a steel lid. Quicker to install and easy to inspect. Suits sites with room to position the vessel.
Underground
Buried with only the turret and lid at ground level, so the vessel is out of sight. Needs excavation and backfill, and suits sites where space or appearance matters.
Which standards apply to LPG vessels?
New standard-size vessels from PVS are manufactured and certified to BS EN 12542. Refurbished vessels are examined to TM73, installation is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers, and the industry’s codes of practice for bulk LPG storage are published by Liquid Gas UK.
- BS EN 12542 is the European standard for the design and manufacture of serially produced, static welded steel LPG vessels up to 13 m³.
- Refurbished vessels are examined to TM73 by qualified engineers, with every stage recorded on our digital platform for asset management, quality control and recertification.
- Installation is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers.
- Liquid Gas UK publishes the codes of practice for bulk LPG storage in the UK, developed with the Health and Safety Executive.
Gas Safe registeredInstallation engineers
Liquid Gas UKMember
How do you order LPG vessels, and how are they delivered?
List the sizes and quantities you need in the order builder, or call 01422 201331. PVS confirms availability, a delivery date and a clear price before you commit, and delivers on its own specialist haulage fleet across the UK and worldwide.
Crane-mounted lorries set vessels down on site, including where access is restricted. Build an order
What happens to old or returned LPG vessels?
PVS uplifts redundant and returned vessels, including from sites with restricted access, and can refurbish them in batches for return to service. A vessel exchange removes the old vessel and installs its replacement in one job.
Glossary
- Bulk LPG vessel
- A fixed pressure vessel that stores liquefied petroleum gas on site and is refilled by road tanker.
- Mini bulk
- Industry term for smaller bulk vessels, typically used for domestic and light commercial supply.
- Water capacity
- A vessel’s total internal volume, measured in litres of water. LPG vessels are filled to less than this to leave room for expansion.
- BS EN 12542
- The European standard for the design and manufacture of serially produced, static welded steel LPG vessels up to 13 m³.
- Above-ground vessel
- A vessel installed on a prepared base, with its valves under a lid on top.
- Underground vessel
- A buried vessel with only its turret and lid at ground level.
- Liquid withdrawal valve
- A valve that lets liquid LPG be drawn from the vessel, for example to empty it before it is moved.
- Universal stud pattern
- A standard bolt pattern on the valve plate, so common valves and fittings fit across the range.
- Offset lifting eyes
- Lifting points positioned to allow straight-line vapour installations.
- Pyrolysis
- Heat treatment that breaks down powder coatings and contaminants on a vessel before blasting.
- Shot blasting
- Cleaning steel by firing abrasive shot at the surface, leaving bare metal with a profile that coatings grip.
- Zinc primer
- A zinc-rich first coat that protects steel against corrosion.
- Micron (µm)
- One thousandth of a millimetre. Coating thickness is measured in microns; PVS primer and top coat are at least 200 µm combined.
- Recertification
- Examining and documenting a vessel so that it can return to service.
- Metered estate
- A development where several properties are supplied from shared bulk vessels, each with its own meter.
- Electrofusion jointing
- Joining polyethylene (PE) gas pipe with fittings that contain heating coils, fusing pipe and fitting together.
- Uplift
- Removing a vessel from site, for example at the end of a contract or for refurbishment.
- Vessel exchange
- Replacing an installed vessel with a new or refurbished one in a single job.
About Pressure Vessel Services
Pressure Vessel Services Ltd (PVS) is a UK specialist in bulk LPG vessels, founded in 2002 and based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. It supplies new vessels from stock (1,410, 2,200 and 4,600 litres, certified to BS EN 12542, plus bespoke vessels up to 200 tonnes), refurbishes LPG vessels from 450 to 9,000 litres (more than 6,000 to date), and installs, exchanges, uplifts and transports vessels with its own engineers and haulage fleet, across the UK and worldwide.