GAS-HOLDER READY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30093, 29 March 1963, Page 13

GAS-HOLDER READY

Air Pumped Out A delicate operation of clearing inert gas from New Zealand’s biggest gas-holder, the 2Jm cubic feet structure of the Christchurch Gas Company, .IM, was carried out yesterday when the company took over toe holder from the British company which supplied it and supervised its installation. Christchurch * people had their first view of toe addi-. tion to toe rtyline during the cricket tert when toe holder was filled with air and rose to itk full height of 184 ft. With a similar diameter, toe holder dwarfs its nearby holders, and becomes a dominant feature of Christchurch for the visitor arriving by air. About ,1200 tana of steel went into the construction of the holder, which consists of a centre crown and three other . components, called lifts, which rise on spiral rails and wheels as gas enters toe unit The crown and lifts are housed in an outer cylinder containing 4.75 m gallons of water weighing 21,200 tons. The water provides a seal for the gas at the base. Some months ago the holder was tested for leakage when air was pumped into it. The holder was raised by sir as painters worked round it, coating it with aluminium paint and then was lowered and toe air expelled by inert gas. The inert gas was an intermediate stage in the operations. If air and coal gas are mixed they create an explosion. Yesterday coal gas was introduced to expel the inert gas. Now the holder is ready for its normal coal gas to supply Christchurch consumers, but it will be a week or two before gas from it goes through the mains. Initially it will be used to hold the gas from one of the other three holders in the company’s yards which is due for maintenance and overhaul.