Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification
and Labelling of Chemicals

Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

Forty-first session

Geneva, 25 June – 4 July 2012
Item 3 (a) of the provisional agenda

Listing, classification and packing: proposals of amendments to the
list of dangerous goods of Chapter 3.2

               Proposal for a new UN number and special provision for a new type of Heat Transfer Device, used as primary container for gases labelled as Dangerous Goods

                   Transmitted by the expert from Spain[1]

               Background

1.              At the fortieth session the expert from Spainpresented informal document INF.37 giving reasoning and proposing to introduce a new United Nations number for Heat Pipes used as the primary container of gases labelled as Dangerous Goods for transportation purposes. Following the discussion and comments given, the expert from Spainasked delegations to send written comments and offered to submit a revised proposal for a future meeting.

               Introduction

2.         Current UN3363 “Dangerous Goods in Machinery/Apparatus” may only contain dangerous goods which are authorized to be transported in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3.4 (limited quantities) (see special provision 301 in Chapter 3.3). This restricts the possibility of gases in machinery/apparatus to those of Division 2.2 without subsidiary risk and to UN Nos 1950 and 2037.  

3.         Basically, a heat pipe may be compared to other refrigeration devices under this UN3363 but, either by the nature of the working fluid or by the amount of this fluid inside the device, they may not be covered by the industrial regulations for pressure vessels. Because of this, heat pipes must be designed, manufactured and tested exceeding those “not applicable” industrial regulations in order to warranty the safety of the devices for any kind of working fluid and under any kind of environment, so a safe working life is granted when it becomes a consumer product at the end of the transport chain, but to avoid any hazardous scenario during its transport, storage and installation in a higher assembly as well.

4.         This new UN number might be used for the transport of heat pipes containing certain divisions 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 compressed gases. The gas is not transported as a raw material by its own, but as a working fluid primary contained inside the heat pipe.

5.         Packaging and transport by any means must be in accordance with the UN Model Regulations as the basis for the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by air.

               Proposal

6.         Add a new entry UN3XXX to the Dangerous Goods List, as follows:

UN No.	Name and description	Class or Division	Subsidiary Risk	UN Packaging Group	Special provisions	Limited and excepted quantities		Packaging and IBC's		Portable tanks and bulk containers
								Packaging Instructions	Special Packaging Provisions	Instructions	Special Provisions
1	2	3	4	5	6	7a	7b	8	9	10	11
3XXX	Dangerous goods in heat pipes	9		II	3XX			P907	PPXX

7.         Add a new Special Provision 3XX in Chapter 3.3 as follows:

“3XX        UN3XXX may include any class 2 gases, subject to the following conditions:

(a)    Gas quantity: 1.0 net kilos per heat pipe and a total net 15.0 kilos per shipment;

(b)    Manufacturing: the heat pipe shall be manufactured in such a way as to prevent the pressure receptacle from leakages of the working fluid under any circumstance;

(c)    Testing: the heat pipe shall be leak proof tested during the manufacturing process and after the final assembly;

(d)    Packaging: even when the heat pipe is acting as the primary container, it shall be packed in outer packagings constructed of suitable materials and adequate strength and design in relation to the packaging capacity and its intended use.

The provisions of Chapter 5.2 do not apply to the transport of UN 3XXX.

8.         Add a new Special Packaging Provision PPXX at the end of the Packing provision P907 as follows:

“PPXX    For Division 2.3 gases, the transport is only allowed when the cylinder or receptacle is acting as authorized primary container and marked as UN3XXX Dangerous goods in heat pipe”.

               Justification

9.         “UN3XXX Dangerous goods in heat pipes” clearly defines the difference between a heat pipe, as heat transfer device, and any other type of refrigeration device. In addition, it avoids the misunderstanding of considering the working fluid as raw material transported as it is, but only as a part of a higher assembly.

10.       It can be argued in general terms that SP 301 & 363 may be partially adapted, but the creation of new Special Provision specifically applied to heat pipes should be discussed.

11.       The transport of heat pipes is currently limited to the requirements of regular refrigeration devices under UN3363, i.e., when the primary container does not avoid the subsidiary risk of the gas used as working fluid.

12.       Creating a new UN3XXX number is appropriate and would be best suitable to ensure the safe transport of such articles without modifying the current UN3363.

13.       The specific requirements for the production of the heat pipe to fulfil its own working purpose would agree to set it as a safe primary container as well, but by extension it shall avoid the risk of the working fluid contained inside as long as the Special Provision issued for the new UN3XXX is observed.

                    

联合国危险货物运输专家和全球化学品统一分类和标签制度专家委员会

危险货物运输专家分委员会

第四十一次会议

日内瓦, 2012年6月25日-7月4日
议程第3(a)项

列表、分类和包装：
对修订3.2章危险货物列表的提案

               为一种新型传热设备（用于作为危险货物的气体的主要容器）引入UN编号和特殊规定的提案

                  由西班牙专家提交[2]     

背景

1.        在第四十次会议上，来自西班牙的专家在非正式文件INF.37中提出为热管引入新的UN编号，并为此提出了论证和建议。热管主要用于作为危险货物的气体运输时的主要容器。根据所进行的讨论和给出的意见，西班牙专家希望代表团给出书面意见，同时承诺在将来的会议上提交一份修订案。

介绍

2.         现在的UN3363 “机器/仪器内的危险货物”中可能仅包含符合规章范本3.4（有限数量）（见规章范本3.3章特殊规定301）并获得授权可进行运输的危险货物。这样就把机器/仪器内所含气体的可能性限制在2.2项（无次要危险性）和联合国编号1950 及2037。

3.         基本上，可以将热管同UN3363下的其他制冷设备相对照。但因为工作介质的性质或者设备内液体介质数量，有可能会使热管不在压力容器行业规定范围内。因此，热管的设计，制造和测试必须要超过那些“不适用的”行业规定，目的是保证设备对于任何种类的工作介质及在任何环境下都是安全的，因此保证了在运输链末端热管作为消费品的时候具有了安全的使用寿命。但也要注意避免在运输，储存及安装过程中的危害可能性。

4.         本文新的UN编号可能用于含有某些2.1项,2.2项和2.3项的压缩气体的热管的运输。这些气体不是作为原料本身运输，而是作为热管内部的主要工作介质进行运输。

5.         无论何种情况下的包装和运输都要符合联合国规章范本的要求，规章范本是危险货物航空安全运输技术细则的基础。

               提议

6.         在危险货物列表中新加一项新的条目UN3XXX，具体如下：

联合国编号	名称和说明	类别或项别	次要危险性	联合国 包装组	特殊规定	有限 和 例外 数量		包装和中型散货箱		便携罐和散货箱
								包装说明	特殊包装规定	说明	特殊规定
1	2	3	4	5	6	7a	7b	8	9	10	11
3XXX	热管内的危险货物	9		II	3XX			P907	PPXX

7.         在3.3章中增加新的特殊规定3XX如下：

“3XX  在符合以下条件的情况下，UN3XXX 可以包括任何2类气体：

（a）        气体量：每热管内气体净重1.0公斤，每批货气体总净重为15.0公斤；

（b）        生产：热管的生产制造方法应能够防止压力容器在任何情况下发生工作介质泄漏；

（c）        测试：在生产过程中以及最后组装完成后，热管应进行防漏测试；

（d）        包装：虽然热管是主要的容器，但是也应有外包装，其外包装需要采用合适的材料，并具有足够的强度，同时要根据包装容量和使用目的进行设计。

8.         在包装说明P907的最后添加一项新的特殊包装规定PPXX，如下：

“PPXX  对于2.3项气体，仅在气瓶和容器被批准用于主要容器的情况下才可以进行运输，并标记为UN3XXX热管内的危险货物。”

理由

9.    “UN3XXX 热管内的危险货物”清楚的定义了作为传热设备的热管和其他制冷设备的区别。另外，因为将工作介质认为是高等组装品内的组成部分，也避免了将工作介质误认为是原材料进行运输的情况。

10.    特殊规定301 和363可以根据争议进行部分调整，但是否新增加一项专门对应热管的特殊规定应该被讨论。

11.    目前热管的运输受限于UN3363下对常规制冷设备的规定，即主要容器不能避免作为工作介质的气体的次要危险性。

12.     创建一个新的UN3XXX编号是合适的，它将最适用于保证这类物品的运输安全性，并且无需修改目前的UN3363。

13.    为满足其工作目的，热管生产本身有特殊的要求，并且该要求可以使热管用做安全的主要容器。但在新的UN3XXX的特殊规定实行后，也应避免内部所含工作介质的危险性。