[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR178.245-1]



[Page 879-880]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY 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 a 

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 Section VIII of the ASME Code (IBR, see Sec. 

171.7 of this subchapter).

    (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. Each internal self-closing stop-valve



[[Page 880]]



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. 173.115 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, as amended at 68 FR 75749, 

Dec. 31, 2003; 70 FR 56099, Sept. 23, 2005]