[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR178.245-1]

[Page 844-845]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
 CHAPTER I--RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 178_SPECIFICATIONS FOR PACKAGINGS--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart H_Specifications for Portable Tanks
 
Sec.  178.245-1  Requirements for design and construction.

    (a) Tanks must be seamless or welded steel construction or 
combination of both and have a water capacity in excess of 454 kg (1,000 
pounds). Tanks must be designed, constructed, certified and stamped in 
accordance with the ASME Code.
    (b) Tanks must be postweld heat treated and radiographed as 
prescribed in the ASME Code except that each tank constructed in 
accordance with part UHT of the ASME Code must be postweld heat treated. 
Where postweld heat treatment is required, the tank must be treated as a 
unit after completion of all the welds in and/or to the shell and heads. 
The method must be as prescribed in the ASME Code. Welded attachments to 
pads may be made after postweld heat treatment is made. A tank used for 
anhydrous ammonia must be postweld heat treated. The postweld heat 
treatment must be as prescribed in the ASME Code, but in no event at 
less than 1050 [deg]F tank metal temperature. Additionally, tanks 
constructed in accordance with part UHT of the ASME Code must conform to 
the following requirements:
    (1) Welding procedure and welder performance tests must be made 
annually in accordance with section IX of the ASME Code. In addition to 
the essential variables named therein, the following must be considered 
to be essential variables: number of passes, thickness of plate, heat 
input per pass, and manufacturer's identification of rod and flux. The 
number of passes, thickness of plate and heat input per pass may not 
vary more than 25 percent from the procedure qualification. Records of 
the qualification must be retained for at least 5 years by the tank 
manufacturer and made available to duly identified representatives of 
the Department of Transportation or the owner of the tank.
    (2) Impact tests must be made on a lot basis. A lot is defined as 
100 tons or less of the same heat and having a thickness variation no 
greater than plus or minus 25 percent. The minimum impact required for 
full-sized specimens shall be 20 foot-pounds (or 10 foot-pounds for 
half-sized specimens) at 0 [deg]F Charpy V-Notch in both the 
longitudinal and transverse direction. If the lot test does not pass 
this requirement, individual plates may be accepted if they individually 
meet this impact requirement.
    (c) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, all 
openings in the tank shall be grouped in one location, either at the top 
of the tank or at one end of the tank.
    (d) The following openings may be installed at locations other than 
on the top or end of the tank:
    (1) The openings for liquid level gauging devices, pressure gauges, 
or for safety devices, may be installed separately at the other location 
or in the side of the shell;
    (2) One plugged opening of 2-inch National Pipe Thread or less 
provided for maintenance purposes may be located elsewhere;
    (3) An opening of 3-inch National Pipe Size or less may be provided 
at another location, when necessary, to facilitate installation of 
condensing coils; or
    (4) Filling and discharge connections may be installed below the 
normal liquid level of the tank if the tank design conforms to the 
following requirements:
    (i) The tank must be permanently mounted in a full framework for 
containerized transport. For each tank design, a prototype tank, must 
fulfill the requirements of parts 450 through 453 of this title for 
compliance with the requirements of Annex II of the International 
Convention for Safe Containers.
    (ii) Each filling and discharge connection must be equipped with an 
internal self-closing stop-valve capable of closing within 30 seconds of 
actuation.

[[Page 845]]

Each internal self-closing stop-valve must be protected by a shear 
section or sacrificial device located outboard of the valve. The shear 
section or sacrificial device must break at no more than 70 percent of 
the load that would cause failure of the internal self-closing stop- 
valve.
    (iii) Each internal self-closing stop-valve must be provided with 
remote means of automatic closure, both thermal and mechanical. The 
thermal means of automatic closure must actuate at a temperature of not 
over 250 [deg]F.
    (e) Each uninsulated tank used for the transportation of compressed 
gas, as defined in Sec.  173.300 of this subchapter, must have an 
exterior surface finish that is significantly reflective, such as a 
light reflecting color if painted, or a bright reflective metal or other 
material if unpainted.

[Amdt. 178-117, 61 FR 50627, Sept. 26, 1996]