Rent or buy a cryogenic tank: what the two models really cost
A rented tank looks free until you read the gas price attached to it. A comparison of the three ownership models, the numbers that decide between them, and what «turnkey» has to include.
When consumption outgrows cylinders, the next question is not «which tank» but «whose tank». Three models are common in Ukraine, and the one that looks cheapest at the start is rarely the one that is cheapest over five years.
Three models
| Model | Up-front cost | Gas price | Supplier choice | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier's tank on loan | none or minimal | highest, fixed by contract | locked to one supplier | pilot projects, seasonal demand |
| Long-term rental | installation only | above market, plus monthly rent | usually locked | 1–3 years horizon, uncertain volumes |
| Own tank | full purchase and installation | market, open tender each time | free | stable consumption, long horizon |
The mechanism behind the loan model is simple: the tank is paid for through the gas price. That is not a trick — it is financing, and for a plant testing a new process it is often the right call. It becomes expensive when the process turns out to be permanent and nobody revisits the contract.
The number that decides
Compare the premium per kilogram against the cost of ownership. If a supplier's tank comes with gas priced, say, 15% above the open market, and you use 3 tonnes a month, the premium is the equivalent of 450 kg of CO₂ every month. Multiply that by the price per kilogram and you get the annual cost of «free» equipment — then compare it with the purchase price of a tank.
In practice the crossover sits around two to four years of stable consumption. Below that, renting is usually cheaper and definitely more flexible. Above it, a 30 m³ tank of your own starts winning — and you regain the right to run a tender on gas.
What ownership actually obliges you to
- Registration and periodic technical examination of the pressure vessel.
- Maintaining the safety fittings: relief valves, gauges, level indication.
- Keeping the vacuum insulation intact — a vessel that loses vacuum starts venting product and has to be reworked.
- Trained personnel and a written procedure for receiving deliveries from a tanker.
None of this is heavy, but it is not nothing. A service contract usually covers it for a fixed annual fee, and that fee belongs in the comparison alongside the rent it replaces.
What «turnkey» has to include
Whichever model you choose, the scope of works on site is the same. When you compare proposals, check that all of it is priced — a turnkey installation that quietly excludes the foundation or the commissioning is not comparable with one that includes them.
- Foundation and site preparation, including tanker access.
- Delivery, lifting and setting of the vessel.
- The vaporizer sized for peak demand, not average.
- Piping to the point of use, with pressure regulation and safety fittings.
- Purging, leak testing, commissioning and personnel training.
- Documentation: passport, certificates, registration file.
Three questions before signing anything
- What exactly is the gas price if the tank is supplied free — and how is it indexed?
- Who owns the foundation and the piping when the contract ends?
- How long is the exit notice, and is there a penalty for early termination?
Frequently asked questions
Is a supplier's tank really free?
The equipment is free; the gas is not. The cost of the tank is built into the price per kilogram over the term of the contract. That is a legitimate financing model — the mistake is to treat it as free and never compare the resulting gas price with the open market.
Can we buy a tank and keep our current gas supplier?
Yes, and it usually improves the terms: once the equipment is no longer part of the deal, the supplier competes on gas price alone. Check that the fill connection and the delivery procedure match what their tankers use — this is a detail worth agreeing before the tank is ordered, not after.
You may also need
Cryogenic tanks for liquid CO₂ (carbon dioxide) 10–100 m³
Cryogenic tank for liquid CO₂ 30 m³
Model: CT-CO2-30
Stationary vacuum-insulated cryogenic tank for storing liquid CO₂ (carbon dioxide), geometric volume 30 m³. Supplied with valves, pressure control, vaporizers and a pressure-reducing unit; turnkey installation available.
Price on request
Made to order
Turnkey installation of cryogenic and gas supply systems
Turnkey installation and commissioning of a cryogenic gas supply system
Model: SRV-INSTALL
Complete installation package for CO₂, N₂, O₂ and Ar systems: tanks, vaporizers, gasifiers, pipelines, reducers, regulators and valves — from foundations tie-in to start-up and operator training.
Price on request
On request
Vaporizers (gasifiers) for liquid CO₂ — 100–1000 kg/h
CO₂ vaporizer 300 kg/h
Model: CV-CO2-300
Vaporizer for gasifying liquid carbon dioxide with a capacity of 300 kg/h, with outlet temperature control and a pressure-reducing unit. Supplied, installed and integrated into the CO₂ supply system.
Price on request
On request
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