# Pelchem — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation **Citation:** 12-0086 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2012-06-21 12-0086 response to Pelchem concerning 172.101, 173.211, 173.212, 173.213, 173.301. ## Document text <<>> U.S. Deoartment ,:;t Transportation ~:lipeline and Hazardous ~·.naterials Safety Administration :..200 New Jersey Avenue. SE .Wtshington, D.C. 20590 ;UN 2 1 2012 EG Valkenburgh Pelchem PO Box 582 Pretoria, South Africa 0001 Reference No.: 12-0086 Dear Mr. Valkenburgh: This responds to your March 15, 2012letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to pressure relief devices for cylinders. Specifically, you ask if a pressure relief device is required on a pressure cylinder filled with Xenon Difluoride using the proper shipping name, ·'UN3085, Oxidizing Solid Corrosive, n.o.s.?" The answer is no. The Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) in§ 172.101 designates approved non-bulk packagings for "UN3085, Oxidizing Solid Corrosive, n.o.s.," in§§ 173.211, 173.212, and 173.213 depending on the packing group. These sections allow for the use of cylinders as an approved non-bulk packaging for ''UN3085, Oxidizing Solid Corrosive, n.o.s." In addition, § 173.301 (f)(l) states that "a cylinder tilled with a gas and offered for transportation must be equipped with one or more pressure relief devices." Therefore, because your cylinder only contains a solid material, and is thus not a gas, it would not be required to have a pressure relief device. I hope this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance. Sincerely, T. Glenn Foster Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch Standards and Rulemaking Division <<>> A subsidiary of Necsa Ltd PO Box 582 Pretoria 0001 South Africa • 0 +27 12 305 3415 G +27 12 305 4445 G +27 83 628 0831 0 eddyv@pelchem.necsa.co.za G www.pelchem.com pelchem ~ We""re fit your world ~ 15 March 2012 Office of Hazardous Materials Standards Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration PHH10 U.S. Department of Transportation East Building 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590-0001 Dear Madam or Sir Request for Guidance and Interpretation In accordance with 49 CFR 105.20 Guidance and Interpretations, Pelchem (Pty) Ltd is requesting an interpretation of the requirements for packing and shipping Xenon difluoride: XeF2 (UN 3085 Oxidizing Solid Corrosive N.O.S) in high pressure DOT 3AL cylinders, by Airfreight, to and within the USA. I have reviewed the 49 CFR sections 171, 173 and 178 against other International Regulations UN, IMDG and lATA Regulations for Transport of Dangerous Goods and could not locate anything that directly answers my questions. For your convenience I attach the known properties of Xenon difluoride (XeF2 ), classification and packaging details to this letter. Question: Is a Pressure Relief Device required on a pressure cylinder filled with XeF2 :UN 3085 Oxidizing Solid Corrosive NOS (not classified as a Gas)? Pelchem Interpretation: 49 CFR 171.22 (a)- (d) Authorization and Conditions for the use of international standards and regulations, allows a hazardous material to be offered for transport in the USA on the basis that it is in full compliance with accepted international regulations. Pelchem interprets that XeF2 packaged in a cylinder that complies with UN, IMDG or lATA Regulations can be offered for on carriage transport in the USA, without a Pressure Relief Device. The UN Regulations Rev 17 of 2011 (and IMDG) allows Pressure receptacles for liquids and solids (not classified as gases) in Packaging Instruction P002, subject to conditions in 4.1.3.6. The conditions in 4.1.3.6 refer to a pressure relief device as optional to prevent a receptacle from bursting in case of overfill or fire conditions. Directors: Dr RM Adam (Chairperson) Ms N Dayaram Ms N Galeni Ms MN Mathibe Dr APS Terblanche (Managing Director) Prof D Ramjugernath Mr F Hendricks Company Secretary: Mr AC Mabunda MrV Naidoo Prof DR Arnold REG. NO. 1984/008671/07 • SABS .,t~.·~· <<>> Similarly the lATA Regulations 53 rd Edition of 2012 allows the use of cylinder for liquids and solids under Packaging Instruction PI 562, subject to conditions in 5.0.6.6. The conditions in 5.0.6.6 refer to a pressure relief device as optional to prevent a receptacle from bursting in case of overfill or fire conditions. From CFR Vol 20 of 31 Jan 2007- Transportation of Oxygen and other Oxidizing gases and Oxygen generators on Aircraft, and reference to 49 CFR 178 Appendix D & E Thermal resistance and Flame penetration tests - I take the fire condition in a Cargo plane fitted with fire suppression, as 205°C (400°F). At this temperature the vapour pressure of XeF2 is calculated at 25 Bar (170 psi) which is far below the 122 Bar (1800 psi) Working pressure of the cylinders and does not pose a risk of rupture. Does DOT confirm the interpretation of Pelchem? Thank you for your assistance in this matter. If I can be of any further assistance, please contact me on +27-83-628 0831 ore mail at Eddy.Valkenburgh@pelchem.necsa.co.za Respectfully submitted EG Valkenburgh Chief Advisor: Special Projects Pelchem (Pty) Ltd South Africa Office ph +27-12-305 2415 Mobile ph +27-83-628 0831 <<>> The Properties, Classification and Packaging of Xenon difluoride 1. XeF2 Properties Boiling point: 114°C Melting point: 129°C Non flammable Combustible with cellulose materials Vapour pressure: Reference: Gutman, Halogen Chemistry Vol 1, 1976 (Temp range 0 °C- 115 °C) XeF2 vapour pressure (kPa) 100 90 80 70 ns 60 ~50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 Temperature (C) 2. XeF~Ciassification for Transport UN Transport of Dangerous Goods: Model Regulations Rev 17 of 2011 Volume 1 Par 2.2.1 Gases -definition and general provisions XeF2 is does not meet the criteria to be classified as a compressed gas. XeF2 is classified as (Supported by tests conducted at an accredited laboratory) UN 3085 Oxidizing Solid, Corrosive NOS: Xenon difluoride <<>> 3. XeF~ packaging in DOT 3AL cylinders 0.3 liter Catalina cylinder 9001-P Diameter 51 mm; Height 238 mm Working pressure: 1800 psi; 124 Bar Test pressure DOT: 3000 psi; 207 Bar 600 gram max per cylinder in a UN certified outer pack (transport case) 1.0 liter Catalina cylinder 9077 -P Diameter 81 mm; Height 298 mm Working pressure: 2216 psi; 153 Bar Test pressure DOT 3693 psi; 255 Bar 2000 gram max per cylinder in a UN certified outer pack (transport case) 3.0 liter Catalina cylinder 9021-P Diameter 111 mm; Height 422 mm Working pressure: 2015 psi; 139 Bar Test pressure DOT: 3358 psi; 232 Bar 5000 gram max per cylinder in a UN certified outer pack (transport case) 15 liter Luxfer cylinder N088 Diameter 184 mm; Height 835 mm Working pressure: 2216 psi; 153 Bar Test pressure DOT: 3693 psi; 255 Bar 25 000 gram max in an uncertified over pack (transport case) ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa` - SHA-256: `d11ce4e5886ad5cd49c87303e72f0b06001530fdbcd0d44452383b28994c1e54` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z - Exported: 2026-08-23T01:02:10.859Z - Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-12-0086` ### Source metadata ```json { "materialSubtype": "interpretation", "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials", "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf", "companies": [ "Pelchem" ], "individuals": [ "Mr. EG Valkenburgh" ], "refIds": [ "12-0086" ], "catalogDates": [ "2012-06-21" ], "catalogParts": [ 172, 173 ], "catalogRowCount": 5, "sourceRecordUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/52241" ], "linkedAttachmentUrls": [], "unavailableResponseUrls": [], "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [], "citedSections": [ "172.101", "173.211", "173.212", "173.213", "173.301", "171.22" ], "catalogPageUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/172101", "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173211", "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173212", "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173213", "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173301" ], "pdfUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120086.pdf" ], "representations": [ { "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120086.pdf", "detailUrl": null, "detailHtmlPath": null, "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120086.pdf", "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/12-0086-25655b7b43.pdf", "pdfArtifactSha256": "555dcb14563d1695d9ca2b1e2b649844ceea42f6458965bc41f68a1cba531240", "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/12-0086-25655b7b43.v2.txt", "extractedTextSha256": "954849386e7b56d965d731b7aaa0eef9894172e49407f6cee4b184ea4218610f", "pageCount": 5, "extractionVersion": 2 } ], "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.", "jurisdiction": "US" } ```