LPG plays a significant role in the manufacturing industry today. Several companies are now switching to LPG as it is clean-burning fuel and is sustainable for the planet. But while many businesses are moving to LPG, there’s confusion about which manifold to choose – VOT or LOT. The factors involved in deciding the manifold installation include the fuel consumption, land size of the installation and the distance from the plant.
What is VOT Installation?
Vapour Off-Take (VOT) is a conventional cylinder installation for industries that have a minimum fuel requirement. It is a standard installation used for single LPG cylinders with the maximum LPG off-take of less than 60 kg per hour. In these cylinders, the vapour is naturally converted inside the cylinder and discharged through a VOT cylinder valve for applications.
Due to the design restrictions and the working principle of VOT, this installation is recommended only for consumers who have low LPG usage. Small commercial establishments, household kitchens, canteens and restaurants may use this installation.
What is LOT Installation?
Liquid Off-Take (LOT) cylinders were introduced in India after the shortage of space and VOT multi-cylinder bank availability became a constraint. LOT cylinders save space and are useful in high consumption places like star hotels, small, medium and large-scale industries where a bulk LPG tank installation is not possible.
In LOT installations, liquid LPG is drawn instead of the conventional vapour and a LOT valve is used to transfer it to a specially designed vaporizer. It then converts it into gas form for applications. The LPG cylinder’s temperature is maintained at all times and one can get uninterrupted gas flow and pressure when the gas bank is suitably designed.
Limitations of VOT Installations
In the VOT system, limited cylinder banks may result in pressure drops, especially in peak hours or winter season. In the case of scalability, the initial VOT cylinder bank remains the same, even if more burners and equipment fired on LPG are added. As a result, the efficiency drops considerably. If cylinders get frozen with ice on the exterior, hot water buckets are used to boost the evaporation rate of LPG. But this is a dangerous practice and can result in hazardous events at your site. It also needs more energy and money to recover the residual LPG and increase pressure output. VOT cylinder banks also consume a lot of space and the installation costs are considerably high.
Benefits of LOT Installations
Using a LOT cylinder bank can substantially reduce the space required to store cylinders at your plant. There’s a significantly less chance of residue gas loss that occurs in VOT cylinders. In cases where installing bulk tanks are not recommended, LOT installations are extremely safe and cost-effective. The LOT installations’ maintenance cost is also low and there’s zero loss of LPG, assuring more savings for consumers. LOT cylinders also help in maintaining constant pressure.
One LOT cylinder can discharge 4 kg/hour LPG, but VOT cylinder can discharge only 0.5 kg/hour, making LOT cylinders more beneficial.
LOT systems are an advanced concept in multi-cylinder installation ideal for high consumption of LPG. If you’re looking for LOT or VOT installations for your plant, contact Anil Engineering for the concept to completion!
