White lithium grease in tank

[chillyinCanada]

Acts like paint but the odor wasn't identified. Such a mystery. Don't we all want to know what it is? And what of the valve?

 

[BoltSnap]

Don't we all want to know what it is? And what of the valve?

The suspense is unbearable

 

[coldwaterglutton]

Or you could listen to a metallurgist or heaven forbid a toxicologist instead of making up stuff up

You also need a chemist too, to both identify the mystery substance and also figure out the effects of the various cleaning chemicals that have been applied to the mystery substance.

I wouldn't touch that tank with a 10 foot barge pole.

ETA: and I would be sure that you have followed the manufacturer's limitations for cleaning. The Luxfer guide does not permit the use of solvents, only tumbling or soap and water. https://www.luxfercylinders.com/img/rm_img/blog_img/455/attachments/1/scubaguide.pdf

 

[dberry]

Quite the mystery... given the quantity, one thought that occurred to me is something like lye (sodium hydroxide) that would react with the aluminum to make hydrated aluminum hydroxides which can be very gelatinous. But not "greasy" like the OP said, so that doesn't seem likely. I'm betting the tank was used to store something like paint or was intentionally contaminated by an angry employee.

FYI, there was some discussion about which solvents to use to dissolve grease. That's really dependent on the type of grease. Hexanes (or mineral spirits) do fine with hydrocarbon based greases like lube from a grease gun, but don't do squat for silicone based greases. In my lab we remove silicone grease in a bath of isopropanol / potassium hydroxide, but that may not be appropriate for tanks and regs! Teflon greases like Christolube are a real PITA in lab, and if you can't physically wipe if it off the best solution is a higher-boiling liquid freon to dissolve it, IF you can find a source these days. Next best thing would be methylene chloride or something similar, but read the labels about toxicity first.

 

[rjack321]

Quite the mystery... given the quantity, one thought that occurred to me is something like lye (sodium hydroxide) that would react with the aluminum to make hydrated aluminum hydroxides which can be very gelatinous. But not "greasy" like the OP said, so that doesn't seem likely. I'm betting the tank was used to store something like paint or was intentionally contaminated by an angry employee.

FYI, there was some discussion about which solvents to use to dissolve grease. That's really dependent on the type of grease. Hexanes (or mineral spirits) do fine with hydrocarbon based greases like lube from a grease gun, but don't do squat for silicone based greases. In my lab we remove silicone grease in a bath of isopropanol / potassium hydroxide, but that may not be appropriate for tanks and regs! Teflon greases like Christolube are a real PITA in lab, and if you can't physically wipe if it off the best solution is a higher-boiling liquid freon to dissolve it, IF you can find a source these days. Next best thing would be methylene chloride or something similar, but read the labels about toxicity first.

Lye would pit the aluminum like crazy. So if that's the case this tank is toast.
I'm guessing that it is actually lithium grease and the tank was being used as a sort of high pressure grease gun.

 

[Tommymac]

I brought the tank back to the dive shop today and talked to the instructor that worked there. It was his tank. I showed him tumbling media I used and he saw how it had a grease like white substance on the media. His best guess was that someone rented the tank and had try to fill it from some other type of compressor. That is his best guess but nobody really knows at this point. The tank will be due for hydro in a couple months, I believe the owner will get it hydro'd right away and put it back in service if all goes well. I would love to know what the substance was as maybe it would offer an explanation of how it got there. I have not cleaned the media so if someone who has the ability to determine what it is, I can send some samples of media with trace substance on it.

The valve will be serviced now, and I suspect it will be clean inside since the owner of thank believes he has filled it once or twice since it came back from rental.

If that shop should ever ask me to tumble another grease coated tank, they need to get to the bottom of what is happening. And I really don't want anything to do with another greasy tank.

Might be fun to see what a 30-06 round would do to make it unusable.

 

[rjack321]

Might be fun to see what a 30-06 round would do to make it unusable.

It makes a hole and the tank flies off in the opposite direction.

Seems like a waste but it's your tank

 

[Jcp2]

The steel tank was surprisingly tough.

 

[Tommymac]

Would never wreck a useable tank. I am talking about target practice on an empty tank AFTER it fails hydro.

Actually it seems some hydro facilities try to. Not fully drying out steel tanks, or putting the valves in so tight.

 

[rjack321]

The steel tank was surprisingly tough.

he missed twice lol