Raytheon -SAS — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

Page 1I.S. Departmen f Transportation Washington, D.C. 20590 400 Seventh Street, S.W. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety MAR 15 2005 Administration Mr. Donald E. Burke, Jr. Reference No.: 05-0002 Packaging Engineer Raytheon - SAS P.O. Box 902 El Segundo, CA 90245 Dear Mr. Burke: This responds to your letter to Mr. Frits Wybenga requesting clarification of the pressure requirements for air shipments under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Your questions are based on a letter of interpretation to Haas TCM (Ref. No. 04-0023) which addressed means to obtain the vapor pressure for the tests in § 173.27. Specifically, you ask if the vapor pressure of the material to be packaged must be determined at either 50 or 55 ° C to calculate the pressure retention capability of a packaging in accordance with § 173.27(c)(2)(ii). The answer is yes. When calculating the required vapor pressure capability as specified in § 173.27(c)(2)(ii), the vapor pressure of the packaged material must first be determined in order to utilize the formulas to calculate the pressure retention capability of the packaging. As provided by § 173.27, each packaging must be capable of withstanding certain pressure requirements for transportation by air. This section does not require testing of each packaging; rather, it requires that packaging must be "capable" of meeting the pressure requirement without leakage. If past testing or transportation experience indicates that a packaging can withstand the pressure requirement without leakage, testing need not be determination that the packaging meets the pressure requirements. performed. The test report or packaging certification should note the rationale behind the I trust this satisfies you request. Sincerely, Hattie L. Mitchell Chief, Regulator Review and Reinvention Office of Hazardous Materials Standards 173.27 050002#

Page 201/84/2005 09:12 310-647-8301 RAYTHEON SHIPPING PAGE 02/04 Corbin August 5, 2004 Fritz Wybenga § 173.27 Deputy Associate Administrator DHM-1 U.S. Department of Transportation Air 400 7th St. S.W. 05-0002 Washington, DC 20590-0001 Dear Deputy Wybenga: Holcombe of Haas TCM (Attached).. My question is in regards to Hattie L. Mitchell's answer of May 5, 2004 Ref. No. 04-0023 to Mr. Larry I do not I am in violation of the regulations and subject to fines? meet the requirements other than those stated in 173.27 or advise me that if the container minimum If the answer to (21 is no, then please define the acceptable documented requirements necessary to pressure requirement is not documented under the prescribed three methods in 173,27 then this is not a violation of the regulations subject to fines. Thank you, Sincerely, Donald E. Burke, Jr. 310-647-4431 Packaging Engineer Donald_E_Burke@raytheon.com Raytheon SAS 2000 El Segundo Blvd P.O. Box 902 Bldg. E4, M/S P190 El Segundo, Ca 90245#

Page 301/04/2005 09:12 310-647-8301 RAYTHEON SHIPPING PAGE 03/04 S. Departmer 1 Transportatio Special Programs Research and MAY 5 2004 Administration Mr. Larry Holcombe Ref. No.: 04-0023 Haas TCM Account Manager 1646 West Chester Pike West Chester, PA 19382 Dear Mr. Holcorabe: This responds to your letter concerning determination of the vapor pressure to calculate the test egulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Your questions are paraphrased and answere ressure for packages intended for air transportation in § 173.27 of the Hazardous Material below: single chemical component? Q1. Is it correct to obtaia the vapor prossure from eriginecring tables if the liquid consists of a A1. Yes, obtaining the vapor pressute for a liquid that consists of a single ohemical component from engineering tables is acceptable. Q2 For liquids with multiple oberical componoats, you propose to use vapor pressure from pressure threshold limit equal to 50% of minimura test pressure for the package. If the vapor engineering tables for the most volatile component at the specified tumperature and set a vapor pressure by laboratory testing. You ask if this approach is suitable. pressure of the mixture exceeds the threshold limit, you further propose to measure the vapor A2. We are unable to determine the suitability of your approach. The Hazardous Materials pressure may be determined by testing or empirically. Any test methind that leads to the Regulations do not prescribe specific methods for detenuining the vapor pressure. The vapor without leakage may be used. determination that the package is capable of withstanding the pressurs requirements in § 173.27 I hope this determinatior is helpful. Sincerely, Hithe a mitthel Hattie I. Mitchell Office of Hazardous Materials Standards Chief, Rogulatory Review and Reivention 173.27 040023#

Page 401/04/2005 09:12 310-647-8301 RAYTHEON SHIPPING PAGE 04/04 vi.. onsetes Haas TCM West Chester, PA 19382 1648 West Chester Pike Phone: (610) 438-9840 Fax: (610) 438-9076 (800) 220-4227 www.haascorp.com Corbin Jaotary 23, 2004 §173,27 Frits Wybenga Air Deputy Associate Administrator U.S. Department of Transportation 04-0023 400 7th St, S.W. DHM1 Washington, DC 20590-0001 202-366-0656 RE: 49 CPR 173.27 General roquirerneats for traispoitation by aircraft Dear Deputy Wybenga: Part 173.27 of 49 Code of Federal Regulations requires that shippers ensure that containers of regulations includo using the vapor pressure of the liquid at specitied temperatares (50 or 55 regulated liquids do not leak under conditions of air shipment. The wethods stated in the degrees Celsius) to determine container pressure capácities. We request your Department's advice ou the suitability of our proposad approact, below, for obtaining the neodod vapor prossure data. 1 Mo the liquid riper sit do headil on a te propose to es engaring. 2. We nipod nade mainple chemical corponents propose to soot the maste component at the specified temperatures. ›. Any engineoring estimate of a mixture that exceeds the throshold limit vapo packagiog requirements. vapor pressure. ressure will autornatically be set aside for Inboratory testing to measure th test, will he used to calculate the required packaging The vapor pressute determined by the too methods, i.c., engineeriag estimate and lab#