Final answer:
Care must be taken to avoid overfilling refrigerant storage cylinders to prevent them from bursting due to the resistance of liquids and gases to compression. Maintaining proper filling and storage temperature is critical to prevent safety hazards and environmental concerns, as well as averting financial losses from leaked refrigerant.
Step-by-step explanation:
Care should be used to avoid overfilling refrigerant storage cylinders for multiple safety reasons. The potential of cylinders to burst is a primary reason, as liquids and gases resist compression and can exert large forces against the rigid container walls, leading to rupture. The overfilled refrigerant can cause the storage cylinders to expand, creating stress if there is no room for expansion due to lack of air gaps. This can not only cause leakage around the cap but also result in a dangerous bursting of the tank. Additionally, leakage of refrigerant represents both a safety hazard and environmental concern, while loss of refrigerant can also incur additional costs.
Another aspect to consider is the effect of temperature on the pressure inside a cylinder. As shown in a solution where isobutane gas, at a constant volume, increases in pressure when heated. This stems from the understanding that gases expand when heated and if a cylinder is subjected to high temperatures, as would happen in the event of a fire, the pressure would rise dramatically, potentially leading to a cylinder burst before its safety rating is exceeded. An example of safety guidelines is provided on gas cylinders, warning to store them below specific temperatures to prevent dangerous pressure buildups.