What Is an Oxygen Cylinder?
An oxygen cylinder is a metal, cylindrically shaped metal container used to store oxygen that has been compressed. The oxygen is compressed under several hundreds of pounds of pressure. An oxygen cylinder, made of aluminum, is usually silver colored with a green top; in some cases, it may be a small cylinder that is entirely green. The green color helps to differentiate it from other substances that are stored in similar containers. Characteristics An oxygen cylinder is a long cylindrical tube with a dome-shaped top. This dome-shaped top houses a valve onto which an oxygen regulator is attached. The oxygen regulator controls the amount of oxygen released for use. Oxygen is measured in liters per minute (lpm). Oxygen is usually stored compressed at about 2,000 pounds per square inch (psi), although there are oxygen cylinders called “composite” cylinders that can store oxygen compressed at 3,000 psi. Uses One of the most common uses of compressed oxygen is to provide supplemental oxygen
