# Raytheon -SAS — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 05-0002
- **title:** Raytheon -SAS — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2005-03-15
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 05-0002 response to Raytheon -SAS concerning 173.27.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0002.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0002.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0002
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2005/050002.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

I.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 2>>>

01/84/2005
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 3>>>

01/04/2005
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 4>>>

01/04/2005
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
- **truncated:** false
- **body characters:** 6238
