Portable LPG Stations: Skid and Containerized Solutions

An LPG station is not always built from scratch on site. There are also solutions in which the equipment is brought together at the factory and sent to the site ready installed. In this article we summarise portable station solutions and the difference between them.

What Is a Skid System?

In a skid system the equipment required for the station to operate is gathered on a single steel skid. The tank, pump, dispenser and connection equipment are assembled at the factory, and the system reaches the site ready for use.

This structure has two practical consequences. First, installation time is shortened, because the work to be done on site turns into positioning and commissioning rather than assembly. Second, the system can be dismantled and moved elsewhere; as long as the legal permissions are obtained at the destination, the same station can be used on a different site.

Containerized Stations

In containerized solutions the equipment is placed inside a shipping container. The container is used both as a transport case and as the enclosure for the equipment.

This is the basic difference between a skid system and a containerized LPG filling station: on a skid the equipment sits on an open chassis and options such as a canopy or sunroof can be added on top of it, whereas in the containerized type the equipment is inside a closed body.

Which one is suitable varies with the conditions of the site, the climate and the legislation of the country.

Why Does Shipping Cost Matter?

One of the points a portable station design takes into account is the shipping cost. The tank size and the layout of the system directly affect the volume occupied in transport.

For example, in systems produced with a special sized 10 m³ tank it can be possible to fit two units into one container. This reduces the shipping cost per unit and makes a difference particularly in export projects.

When Are They Preferred?

Portable stations come to the fore where building a permanent station is not possible or not sensible. Construction sites, mining areas, fleet depots, temporary projects and regions where a station network is newly being established are typical areas of use.

The systems can be produced for vehicle filling or for cylinder filling; the dispenser can have one or two nozzles.

Certificates

The equipment on a portable station needs to be certified as well. The tanks should be CE certified and produced in accordance with European standards, and the dispenser should hold ATEX and MID certificates. The pump and the ex-proof motor are also expected to hold ATEX certificates.

For detailed information about the 2A LPG Skid System and skid solutions you can look at our Skid Systems page.

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