Chlorine cylinders are equipped with what safety feature to prevent gas leaks at extreme temperatures?

Chlorine cylinders are equipped with a fusible plug as a safety feature to prevent gas leaks when exposed to extreme temperatures. A fusible plug is a critical component designed to melt and allow gas to escape in a controlled manner if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold. This prevents the cylinder from bursting due to excessive pressure build-up resulting from high temperatures, thereby reducing the risk of dangerous leaks and potential explosions.

This safety mechanism is particularly important for chlorine, a hazardous material, as it ensures that if a cylinder becomes too hot, the risk of catastrophic failure is minimized. The fusible plug effectively serves as a thermal relief valve, providing a safeguard against the dangers of high-stress scenarios that can arise from environmental factors or accidents.

In contrast, other features like pressure relief valves are primarily designed to release pressure under normal operational conditions, while automatic shut-off valves are more related to controlled flow management. Locking mechanisms help in the secure storage and handling of cylinders but do not address issues related to temperature-induced expansion. Thus, the fusible plug specifically targets the safety concerns associated with temperature extremes effectively.