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When regulating gases other than compressed air, select equipment for the specific gas, pressure, temperature, flow, and installation. Material compatibility, leakage, gas purity, exhaust handling, and any hazardous-area requirements must all be checked before an air regulator, I/P transducer, or volume booster is used with another gas.
A device’s ability to reduce pressure does not establish its suitability for nitrogen, oxygen, natural gas, hydrogen, or another process gas. Confirm the complete model and configuration with the manufacturer.
Can an Air Pressure Regulator Be Used with Other Gases?
Some air pressure regulators can handle other gases when their construction and operating specifications support that service. Others require different seals, materials, cleaning, exhaust arrangements, or a dedicated gas-service configuration.
Start with the exact gas composition, including mixtures and contaminants. A regulator suitable for one gas is not automatically suitable for another, even when the operating pressures are similar.
What Should You Check for Different Gases?
| Gas or Gas Group | Selection Considerations |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen and Argon | Confirm material compatibility, purity requirements, gas-specific flow capacity, and discharge arrangements. |
| Oxygen | Require manufacturer-confirmed oxygen suitability, compatible materials and lubricants, and appropriate cleaning and handling. |
| Natural Gas | Verify gas composition, service approval, exhaust handling, and applicable hazardous-area requirements. |
| Hydrogen and Helium | Check gas-specific leakage and permeation performance, seal design, and material suitability. |
| Reactive or Corrosive Gases | Evaluate every wetted material at the intended concentration, pressure, and temperature. |
This table identifies questions to investigate; it does not establish approval of a particular regulator for a gas.
1. Check Every Wetted Material
Wetted materials are the components exposed to the regulated gas. They can include the body, diaphragm, valve seat, seals, internal metals, and lubricants.
Checking the body material alone is not enough. A compatible metal housing may contain an elastomer or lubricant that is unsuitable for the gas.
Chemical compatibility charts are useful for preliminary screening, but final selection should account for the actual gas mixture and operating conditions. Confirm suitability with the regulator manufacturer.
2. Specify Oxygen-Service Requirements Separately
Oxygen service requires more than choosing corrosion-resistant materials. Materials, lubricants, cleanliness, and handling must be appropriate for oxygen exposure at the intended pressure and temperature.
Do not assume that a standard compressed-air regulator is oxygen-ready, or that oxygen cleaning alone establishes suitability. Identify oxygen service when requesting equipment so the complete configuration can be reviewed.
3. Plan for Bleed, Exhaust, and Leakage
Gas can leave a regulator through intentional operating bleed, relieving exhaust, or unintended leakage. These are different conditions and should be evaluated separately.
A non-relieving regulator does not automatically exhaust excess downstream pressure, but that feature alone does not guarantee zero bleed or zero leakage.
Where supported by the product design, a tapped exhaust can route discharge to an appropriate location or handling system. Confirm the manufacturer’s routing requirements and account for any effect of exhaust backpressure.
Learn more in Relieving vs. Non-Relieving Regulators.
4. Match Electrical Protection to the Installation
When an I/P transducer or other electrical device is installed in a hazardous area, verify its certification for the location and installation method.
Explosion-proof and intrinsically safe are distinct protection methods. An explosion-proof enclosure and an intrinsically safe circuit address ignition risks differently. Follow the selected product’s certification documents, wiring requirements, and installation instructions.
Electrical hazardous-area approval also does not, by itself, establish that the device’s pneumatic passages are suitable for the process gas.
Example: A Natural-Gas Configuration of the Type 950XP
The ControlAir Type 950XP is available for sweet natural gas or methane service when ordered with the E option, which includes tapped exhaust and a factory-sealed conduit assembly.
This is an example of why the ordered configuration matters: a standard model designation alone does not confirm gas-service suitability.
5. Evaluate Hydrogen and Helium Leakage Performance
Hydrogen and helium can present demanding containment requirements. Leakage through connections or sealing interfaces and permeation through sealing materials are different mechanisms.
Do not select a regulator based on atomic number or a general assumption about molecule size. Ask for suitability and leakage performance for the actual gas, pressure, temperature, and acceptable loss rate.
6. Size the Regulator for the Actual Gas
Flow curves are commonly developed using air or nitrogen. A different gas can change the available flow and pressure-control performance.
Use manufacturer-approved sizing methods that account for gas properties, inlet pressure, outlet pressure, and temperature. Significant pressure reduction can also produce temperature changes that affect equipment operation.
An air-flow rating should not be applied unchanged to every gas. For more guidance, read Pressure Regulator Cv: Flow Curves and Proper Sizing.
What Information Should You Give the Manufacturer?
- Gas name, mixture composition, contaminants, and required purity.
- Maximum and minimum inlet pressure and required outlet pressure.
- Normal and peak flow, with the flow units and reference conditions.
- Operating temperature and acceptable leakage or gas consumption.
- Exhaust-handling needs and any hazardous-area requirements.
Explore ControlAir gas regulators or contact [email protected] to review your application and the appropriate product configuration.