{"operation":"document","citation":"08-0164","title":"Labconco Corporation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2009-01-23","effective_on":null,"summary":"08-0164 response to Labconco Corporation concerning 173.307.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0164.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0164.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0164","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080164.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\n1200 New Jersey Ave., SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nMr. Daniel Taylor\nProduct Engineer\nLabconco Corporation\n88 1 1 Prospect Avenue\nKansas City, MO 64132-2696\nRef. No. 08-0 164\nDear Mr. Taylor:\nThis responds to your letter regarding the proper classification and exceptions for hazardous\nmaterials under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 17 1 - 180).\nSpecifically, you ask whether a refrigerating machine that contains a small amount of non-\nflammable, non-toxic refrigerants (Division 2.2 gases R507 and R508B) and pentane (a Class\n3 flammable liquid) under pressure is subject to the HMR. You state that the largest\nrefrigerating machine you intend to offer for transportation contains 195 g of R508B, 18.7 g\nof pentane and 580 mL of non-hazardous refrigeration oil in one of its two stages.\nUnder 5 173.307(a)(4)(i), a refrigerating machine is not subject to the HMR if it contains 12\nkg (25 pounds) or less of a Division 2.2 gas. The gas mixture you describe appears to meet\nthe definition of a Division 2.2 gas as defined in 5 173.11 5(b) and, thus, the refrigerating\nmachine is not subject to the HMR provided it contained less than 12 kg (25 pounds) of the\ngas.\nI trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of fbrther assistance.\nSincerely, -\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nProtecting your\nlaboratory environment\nLABCONCO CORPORATION\n8811 Prospect Avenue\nKansas City, MO 64132-2696\n(816)333-8811 *(800)821-5525\nFAX: (816) 363-0130\n~ ~ ~ . l a b ~ o n ~ ~ . ~ o m\nJune 4,2008\nMr. Ed Mazzullo\nDirector- Office of Standards Development\nPHH- 10\n1201 New Jersey Ave.\nDepartment of Transportation\nWashington DC 20590\nDear Mr. Mazzullo,\nI am asking for a clarification of the proper shipping procedure of a laboratory Freeze\nDryer which is a Refrigerating Machine. Labconco wants to ship several different size\nFreeze Dryers by truck, rail, vessel and by aircraft. These will have cascade refrigeration\nsystems with the high stage charged with a non-flammable non-toxic refrigerant R507.\nThe low stage will be charged with a non-flammable non-toxic refrigerant R508B and a\nsmall quantity of Pentane which keeps the oil flowing through the refngeration system at\nlow operating temperatures. Both stages have refngeration oil which is a non-regulated\nliquid that is supplied with the compressors. The Pentane additive is the reason for this\nquestion. Without Pentane the Freeze Dryers can ship as Refrigerating Machines,\ncontaining non-flammable, non-toxic gases. Hazard Class 2.2, UN Number 2857.\nThe largest machine will contain 195 gm of R508B and 18.7 gm of Pentane and 580 ml\nrefrigeration oil in the low stage. Throughout the transportation of these machines,\nR508B will be in the form of a gas, Pentane will be a liquid and the oil will be a liquid.\nLooking through 49CFR 172.101 Hazard Materials Table, I find nothing that addresses\nthis specific mixture of compounds.\n49 CFR 172.10 1 Hazard Materials Table indicates that these Cascade Freeze Dryers\ncould be shipped under 2 possible shipping names.\nRefrigerated Machines, containing flammable, non toxic, liquefied gas. Hazard\nClass 2.1, UN Number 3358 or\nRefrigerating Machines, containing non-flammable, non-toxic gases. Hazard\nClass 2.2, UN Number 2857\nCan Labconco apply 49CFR 173.2a Classification of a Material Having More than One\nHazard? The 2 hazards would be Division 2.2 (non-flammable gas) and Class 3\n(flammable liquid). According to the Precedence of Hazard Table, the Division 2.2 takes\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nJune 4,2008\nprecedence so the machines could ship as Refrigerating Machines, containing non-\nflammable, non-toxic gases. Hazard Class 2.2, UN Number 2857.\n49 CFR 173.307 Exceptions for Compressed Gases addresses the pentane in the system.\n(a) The following materials are not subject to the requirements of this subchapter.\n(4) Refhgerated machines, including dehumidifiers and air conditioners.\n(v) 100g (4 ounces) or less of a flammable, non-toxic liquefied gas.\nIt could be argued that the partial pressure of the liquid Pentane could combine with the\ngaseous non-flammable R508B and be flammable. This should be no different than if the\nR508B was not present in the system at all, in which case there would still be the partial\npressure gas of Pentane by itself in the system plumbing. In either case 49CFR 173.307\naddresses the very small quantity of Pentane, which will be in the refrigeration system\nand exempts it from shipping requirements.\nIf this reasoning is incorrect, please define how these machines must ship and define\nwhat, if any, tests must be performed to qualify these products for transportation.\nSincerely,\nLowell Kuhn\nSr. Product Engineer\nAttachments\nMSDS R507\nMSDS R508B\nMSDS Pentane\nMSDS Emkarate RL 22H Refrigeration Oil\nPhase Diagram Pentane","truncated":false,"body_characters":4968}