[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 1]
[Revised as of Octobery 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR38.15-1]

[Page 496]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
         CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
 
PART 38_LIQUEFIED FLAMMABLE GASES--Table of Contents
 
                   Subpart 38.15_Special Requirements
 
Sec. 38.15-1  Filling of tanks--TB/ALL.


    (a) Refrigerated and semirefrigerated tanks shall be filled so that 
there is an outage of at least 2 percent of the volume of the tank at 
the temperature corresponding to the vapor pressure of the cargo at the 
safety relief valve setting. A reduction in the required outage may be 
permitted by the Commandant when warranted by special design 
considerations. Normally then, the maximum volume to which a tank may be 
loaded is:

VL=0.98dr V/dL

where:

VL=maximum volume to which tank may be loaded.
V=volume of tank.
dr=density of cargo at the temperature required for a cargo 
vapor pressure equal to the relief valve setting.
dL=density of cargo at the loading temperature and pressure.

    (b) Nonrefrigerated tanks shall be filled so that their filling 
densities shall not exceed the ratios indicated in Table 38.15-1(b).
    (c) The ``filling density'' is defined as the percent ratio of the 
weight of the gas in a tank to the weight of water the tank will hold at 
60[deg] F.

    Table 38.15-1(b)--Maximum Permissible Filling Densities for Tanks
                Operating At or Near Ambient Temperature
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Maximum permitted filling
                                                      density
                                         -------------------------------
                                           Unlagged tanks--
                                            water capacity
     Specific gravity at 60 [deg]F.                             Lagged
                                         -------------------- tanks--all
                                            1,200     Over    capacities
                                          gal. and    1,200
                                            under     gal.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.473-0.480.............................        38        41         42
0.481-0.488.............................        39        42         43
0.489-0.495.............................        40        43         44
0.496-0.503.............................        41        44         45
0.504-0.510.............................        42        45         46
0.511-0.519.............................        43        46         47
0.520-0.527.............................        44        47         48
0.528-0.536.............................        45        48         49
0.537-0.544.............................        46        49         50
0.545-0.552.............................        47        50         51
0.553-0.560.............................        48        51         52
0.561-0.568.............................        49        52         53
0.569-0.576.............................        50        53         54
0.577-0.584.............................        51        54         55
0.585-0.592.............................        52        55         56
0.593-0.600.............................        53        56         57
0.601-0.608.............................        54        57         58
0.609-0.617.............................        55        58         59
0.618-0.626.............................        56        59         60
0.627-0.634.............................        57        60        61
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Increase in filling densities to provide for seasonal changes may
  be considered by the Commandant upon presentation of factual evidence
  that safe operation can be effected.