{"operation":"document","citation":"13-0110","title":"Kidde-Fenwal, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2013-08-29","effective_on":null,"summary":"13-0110 response to Kidde-Fenwal, Inc. concerning 173.301.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0110.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0110.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0110","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130110.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\n1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nAUG 2 9 2013\nMr. Richard Lupien\nManager, Combustion Research Center\nKidde-Fenwal, Inc.\n90 Brook Street\nHolliston, MA 07146\nRef. No.: 13-0110\nDear Mr. Lupien:\nThis is in response to your May 16, 2013 email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to pressure relief devices\n(PRD) on Department of Transportation 4BW-250 specification cylinders. In your letter,\nyou state that you manufacture a fixed fire suppression system that utilizes DOT- 4BW250\ncylinders filled with a dry chemical agent and pressurized with nitrogen to a pressure of 175\npsig at 70 °F. Specifically, you ask if you may use a UL-rated fusible plug instead of a CG-\n3 fusible plug required by Compressed Gas Association (CGA) publication S-1.1.\nUnless excepted, a cylinder filled with a gas and offered for transportation must be equipped\nwith one or more pressure relief devices sized and selected as to type, location, and quantity,\nand tested in accordance with CGA S-1.1 (see§ 173.301 (f)(l)). Section 173.301(f)(5)(ii)\nstates that a pressure relief device is not required on \"a cylinder with a water capacity of less\nthan 454 kg (1000 lbs) filled with a nonliquefied gas to a pressure of 300 psig or less at 21\noc (70 °F), except for a DOT 39 cylinder or a cylinder used for acetylene in solution.\" The\ncylinders provided in your example do not require pressure relief devices. However, should\nyou choose to install a PRD, it must conform to CGA publication S-1.1.\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nsrerely, ML f d,-\nDelmerB~YQ\nSenior Regulatory Advisor\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nSent:\nTo:\nSubject:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nThursday, May 16, 2013 5:01 PM\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFW: Interpretation question - 49 CFR 173.300\nHi Carolyn,\nThis caller requested we submit this e-mail as a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nVictoria\nFrom: Lupien1 Richard CCS [mailto:Richard.Lupien@Kidde-Fenwal.com]\nSent: Thursday1 May 161 2013 9:35 AM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSubject: Interpretation question- 49 CFR 173.300\nTo the Hazardous Materials group,\nOur company seeks formal interpretation on a pressure relief question.\nWe manufacture fixed fire suppression system units that utilize 4BW-250 cylinders. The cylinders are filled with a dry\nchemical agent suppressant and pressurized with nitrogen to 175 psig at 70 deg F as the expellant gas. The units employ a\n212 deg F. fusible plug (CG-3 device) sized to comply with CGA S-1.1.\n49 CFR 173.301(f) requires a pressure relief device sized and selected to CGA S-1.1 be utilized. The CGA pamphlet outlines\nonly two fusible plug devices with the maximum unit at 212 deg F. nominal temperature. Is it DOT's intention or\ninterpretation that no other fusible temperature plugs be allowed in service even if the level of safety offered is\nconsiderably conservative?\nIn our example, the consideration is to utilize a UL listed fusible plug rated to 286 deg F instead of the CG-3 plug at 212\ndeg F. The higher rated plug would incorporate the same size relief ports as the present plug. Because the cylinder is\npressurized with nitrogen, the pressures developed in the cylinder at the elevated temperatures remain at levels well\nbelow the test pressure and in nearly all cases are even below the service pressure. Below is the nitrogen pressure levels\nin the cylinder at various temperatures:\nTemperature, deg F. Nitrogen pressure in 4BW-250 rated cyl, psig {test pressure of 500 psig)\n70 deg F. 175 psig\n131 deg F 197 psig\n(this complies with the 49 CFR 173.301 (a) (8) requirement for the pressure at 131\ndeg F. to be less than 5/4 x the service pressure. 197 psig < 312 psig\n212 deg F. 226 psig\n286 deg F 252 psig\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n360 degf. 279 psig\nAs seen in the table, the nitrogen pressure remains significantly below the test pressure of the cylinder at the moment the\nhigher-rated fusible plug would release. We believe the CGA limits on available sizes are restrictive and although critical\nfor products such as acetylene may not be flexible enough for fire suppression products that use only nitrogen as the\nexpellant gas.\nThank you for your time and consideration.\nSincerely,\nRich Lupien\nManager - Combustion Research Center\nKidde-Fenwal, Inc.\n90 Brook St.\nHolliston, MA 01746\n508 429-3191\n508 429-2990 fax\n508 308-3756 Mobile\nAshland office 508 881-2000 x 2547\nrichard.lupien@fs.utc.com\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":4656}