[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 46, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2006]

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

[CITE: 46CFR119.440]



[Page 364-366]

 

                            TITLE 46_SHIPPING



                  (This book contains parts 90 to 139)

 

   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)

 

PART 119_MACHINERY INSTALLATION--Table of Contents

 

                Subpart D_Specific Machinery Requirements

 

Sec.  119.440  Independent fuel tanks.



    (a) Materials and construction. Independent fuel tanks must be 

designed and constructed of materials in compliance with the 

requirements of this paragraph.

    (1) The material used and the minimum thickness allowed must be as 

indicated in Table 119.440(a)(1), except that other materials which 

provide equivalent safety may be approved for use under paragraph (a)(3) 

of this section. Tanks having a capacity of more than 570 liters (150 

gallons) must be designed to withstand the maximum head to which they 

may be subjected in service, but in no case may the thickness be less 

than that specified in Table 119.440(a)(1).



                                               Table 119.440(a)(1)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                       Thickness in millimeters (inches) & [gage number] \1\ vs.

                                                                         tank capacities for:

                                  ASTM Specification -----------------------------------------------------------

                                   (latest edition)                          More than 300

            Material                [see also Sec.                        liter (80 gal) and    Over 570 liter

                                    114.600 of this    4 to 300 liter (1   not more than 570     (150 gal) \2\

                                       chapter]        to 80 gal) tanks     liter (150 gal)          tanks

                                                                                 tanks

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nickel-copper...................  B127, hot rolled    0.94 (0.037) [USSG  1.27 (0.050) [USSG  2.72 (0.107) [USSG

                                   sheet or plate.     20] \3\.            18].                12]

Copper-nickel \4\...............  B122, UNS alloy     1.14 (0.045) [AWG   1.45 (0.057) [AWG   3.25 (0.128) [AWG

                                   C71500.             17].                15].                8]

Copper \4\......................  B152, UNS alloy     1.45 (0.057) [AWG   2.06 (0.081) [AWG   4.62 (0.182) [AWG

                                   C11000.             15].                12].                5]

Copper-silicon \4\..............  B 96, alloys        1.29 (0.051) [AWG   1.63 (0.064) [AWG   3.66 (0.144) [AWG

                                   C65100 and C65500.  16].                14].                7]

Steel or iron5,6................  ..................  1.90 (0.0747) [MSG  2.66 (0.1046) [MSG  4.55 (0.1793) [MSG

                                                       14].                12].                7]

Aluminum \7\....................  B209, alloy 5052,   6.35 (0.250) [USSG  6.35 (0.250) [USSG  6.35 (0.250) [USSG

                                   5083, 5086.         3].                 3].                 3]

Fiber reinforced plastic........  ..................  as required \8\...  as required \8\...  as required \8\

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ The gage numbers used in this table may be found in many standard engineering reference books. The letters

  ``USSG'' stand for ``U.S. Standard Gage,'' which was established by the act of March 3, 1892 (15 U.S.C. 206),

  for sheet and plate iron and steel. The letters ``AWG'' stand for ``American Wire Gage'' (or Brown and Sharpe

  Gage) for nonferrous sheet thicknesses. The letters ``MSG'' stand for ``Manufacturers' Standard Gage'' for

  sheet steel thickness.

\2\ Tanks over 1514 liters (400 gallons) shall be designed with a factor of safety of four on the ultimate

  strength of the material used with a design held of not less than 1220 millimeters (4 feet) of liquid above

  the top of the tank.

\3\ Nickel-copper not less than 0.79 millimeter (0.031 inch) [USSG 22] may be used for tanks up to 114- liter

  (30-gallon) capacity.

\4\ Acceptable only for gasoline service.

\5\ Gasoline fuel tanks constructed of iron or steel, which are less than 5 millimeter (0.1875 inch) thick,

  shall be galvanized inside and outside by the hot dip process. Tanks intended for use with diesel oil shall

  not be internally galvanized.



[[Page 365]]





\6\ Stainless steel tanks are not included in this category.

\7\ Anodic to most common metals. Avoid dissimilar metal contact with tank body.

\8\ The requirements of Sec.   119.440(a)(2) apply.



    (2) Fiber reinforced plastic may be used for diesel fuel tanks under 

the following provisions:

    (i) The materials must be fire retardant. Flammability of the 

material must be determined by the standard test methods in American 

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D635, ``Rate of Burning and/or 

Extent and Time of Burning of Self-Supporting Plastics in a Horizontal 

Position,'' and ASTM D2863, ``Measuring the Minimum Oxygen Concentration 

to Support Candle-like Combustion of Plastics (Oxygen Index),'' or other 

standard specified by the Commandant. The results of these tests must 

show that the average extent of burning is less than 10 millimeters 

(0.394 inches), the average time of burning is less than 50 seconds, and 

the limiting oxygen index is greater than 21.

    (ii) Tanks must meet UL 1102, ``Non-integral Marine Fuel Tanks,'' or 

other standard specified by the Commandant. Testing may be accomplished 

by an independent laboratory or by the fabricator to the satisfaction of 

the cognizant OCMI.

    (iii) Tanks must be designed to withstand the maximum head to which 

they may be subjected to in service.

    (iv) Installation of nozzles, flanges or other fittings for pipe 

connections to the tanks must be acceptable to the cognizant OCMI.

    (v) Baffle plates, if installed, must be of the same material and 

not less than the minimum thickness of the tank walls. Limber holes at 

the bottom and air holes at the top of all baffles must be provided. 

Baffle plates must be installed at the time the tests required by UL 

1102, or other standard specified by the Commandant, are conducted.

    (3) Materials other than those listed in Table 119.440(a)(1) must be 

approved by the Commandant. An independent tank using material approved 

by the Commandant under this paragraph must meet the testing 

requirements of UL 1102, or other standard specified by the Commandant. 

Testing may be accomplished by an independent laboratory or by the 

fabricator to the satisfaction of the OCMI.

    (4) Tanks with flanged-up top edges that may trap and hold moisture 

are prohibited.

    (5) Openings for fill pipes, vent pipes, and machinery fuel supply 

pipes, and openings for fuel level gauges, where used, must be on the 

topmost surfaces of tanks. Tanks may not have any openings in bottoms, 

sides, or ends, except for:

    (i) An opening fitted with a threaded plug or cap installed for tank 

cleaning purposes; and

    (ii) In a diesel fuel tank, openings for supply piping and tubular 

gauge glasses.

    (6) All tank joints must be welded or brazed. Lap joints may not be 

used.

    (7) Nozzles, flanges, or other fittings for pipe connections to a 

metal tank must be welded or brazed to the tank. Tank openings in way of 

pipe connections must be properly reinforced where necessary. Where fuel 

level gauges are used on a metal tank, the flanges to which gauge 

fittings are attached must be welded or brazed to the tank. Tubular 

gauge glasses, if fitted to diesel fuel tanks, must be of heat resistant 

materials, adequately protected from mechanical damage, and provided at 

the tank connections with devices that will automatically close in the 

event of rupture of the gauge or gauge lines.

    (8) A metal tank exceeding 760 millimeters (30 inches) in any 

horizontal dimension must:

    (i) Be fitted with vertical baffle plates, which meet paragraph 

(a)(9) of this section, at intervals not exceeding 760 millimeters (30 

inches) to provide strength and to control the excessive surge of fuel; 

or

    (ii) The owner shall submit calculations to the Commanding Officer, 

Marine Safety Center demonstrating the structural adequacy of the tank 

in a fully loaded static condition and in a worst case dynamic 

(sloshing) condition.



[[Page 366]]



    (9) Baffle plates, where required in metal tanks, must be of the 

same material and not less than the minimum thickness required in the 

tank walls and must be connected to the tank walls by welding or 

brazing. Limber holes at the bottom and air holes at the top of all 

baffles must be provided.

    (10) Iron or steel diesel fuel tanks must not be galvanized on the 

interior. Galvanizing, paint, or other suitable coating must be used to 

protect the outside of iron and steel diesel fuel tanks.

    (b) Location and installation. Independent fuel tanks must be 

located and installed in compliance with the requirements of this 

paragraph.

    (1) Fuel tanks must be located in, or as close as practicable to, 

machinery spaces.

    (2) Fuel tanks and fittings must be so installed as to permit 

examination, testing, or removal for cleaning with minimum disturbance 

to the hull structure.

    (3) Fuel tanks must be adequately supported and braced to prevent 

movement. The supports and braces must be insulated from contact with 

the tank surfaces with a nonabrasive and nonabsorbent material.

    (4) All fuel tanks must be electrically bonded to a common ground.

    (c) Tests. Independent fuel tanks must be tested in compliance with 

the requirements of this part prior to being used to carry fuel.

    (1) Prior to installation, tanks vented to the atmosphere must be 

hydrostatically tested to, and must withstand, a pressure of 35 kPa (5 

psig) or 1.5 times the maximum pressure head to which they may be 

subjected in service, whichever is greater. A standpipe of 3.5 meters 

(11.5 feet) in height attached to the tank may be filled with water to 

accomplish the 35 kPa (5 psig) test. Permanent deformation of the tank 

will not be cause for rejection unless accompanied by leakage.

    (2) After installation of the fuel tank on a vessel, the complete 

installation must be tested in the presence of a marine inspector, or an 

individual specified by the cognizant OCMI, to a head not less than that 

to which the tank may be subjected in service. Fuel may be used as the 

testing medium.

    (3) All tanks not vented to the atmosphere must be constructed and 

tested in accordance with Sec.  119.330 of this part.



[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 922, Jan. 10, 1996, as amended by USCG 1999-5151, 64 

FR 67183, Dec. 1, 1999]