Thông tư 18/2013/TT-BCT

CIRCULAR

PROMULGATING THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON SAFETY OF STEEL CYLINDERS FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 95/2012/ND-CP dated November 12, 2012, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade; 

Pursuant to the Law on Standards and Technical regulations No. 68/2006/QH11 dated July 21, 2006;

Pursuant to the Law on product and goods quality No. 05/2007/QH12 dated November 21, 2007;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 127/2007/ND-CP dated August 01, 2007, detailing implementation of a number of Articles of Law on Standards and Technical regulations;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 132/2008/ND-CP dated December 31, 2008, detailing implementation of a number of Articles of Law on product and goods quality;

At the proposal of Director of the Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency;

The Minister of Industry and Trade promulgates the national technical regulation on safety of steel cylinders for liquefied petroleum gas,

Article 1. To promulgate together with this Circular the national technical regulation on safety of steel cylinders for liquefied petroleum gas.

Signal: QCVN 04:2013/BCT

Article 2. This Circular takes effect on September 15, 2013.

Article 3. People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, the concerned heads of agencies, organizations and individuals shall implement this Circular.

QCVN 04:2013/BCT

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON SAFETY OF STEEL CYLINDERS FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG)

Foreword

QCVN 04:2013/BCT is prepared by Drafting Board of the national technical regulation on safety of steel cylinders for liquefied petroleum gas, submitted by the Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency, appraised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and promulgated together the Circular No. 18/2013/TT-BCT dated July 31, 2013, of the Minister of Industry and Trade.

THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON SAFETY OF STEEL CYLINDERS FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG)

Chapter 1.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation

The national technical regulation on safety of steel cylinders for liquefied petroleum gas prescribes the safety technical requirement in design, manufacture, import, repair, test, storage, transport and use of the refillable steel cylinders for LPG with volume of between 0.5L and 150 L.

This Regulation does apply to cylinders for LPG used for portable gas stove.

Article 2. Subjects of application

This Regulation applies to organizations and individuals that design, manufacture, import, repair, possess, test, deliver and receive, transport, and use of steel cylinders for LPG and other concerned organizations and individuals.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms

The terms in this Regulation are construed as follows:

1. Liquefied petroleum gas is hydrocarbon product originated from petroleum with main component including propane (C₃H₈) or butane (C₄H₁₀) or mixture of both of these kinds. At normal temperature and pressure, these hydrocarbons are gaseous and change into liquid upon being compressed to a defined pressure or cooled to an appropriate temperature.

2. Steel cylinders for LPG (hereinafter referred to as cylinders for LPG or cylinders) are the refillable cylinders for LPG with volume not more than 150 L and manufactured by welded steel meeting technical requirements of this Regulation.

3. Test means operation of assessment and confirmation on technical safety condition of cylinders for LPG as prescribed in this Regulation.

4. Station for testing the cylinders for LPG means station satisfying the conditions as prescribed by law for testing kinds of cylinders for LPG.

Article 4.  The referenced standards

TCVN 197:2002, Metallic materials – Tensile testing at ambient temperature (ISO 6892).

TCVN 6111:2009, Non-destructive testing. Radiographic examination of metallic materials by X- and gamma-rays. Basic rules.

TCVN 6223: 2011, Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) store  General Safety Requirements.

TCVN 6294: 2007, Gas cylinders - Welded carbon -steel gas cylinders - Periodic inspection and testing (ISO 10460: 2005).

TCVN 6304: 1997, Liquefied petroleum gas cylinders – Safety requirements in storage, handling and transportation.

TCVN 6700 -1, Approval testing of welders - Fusion welding – Part 1: Steel (ISO 9606-1).

TCVN 6834 -3, Specification and approval of welding procedures for metallic materials - Part 3: Test of arc welding procedures for steel of all kinds (ISO 9956-3)

TCVN 7762: 2007, Gas cylinders - Refillable welded steel cylinders for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - Procedures for checking before, during and after filling.

TCVN 7763: 2007, Gas cylinders – Transportable refillable welded steel cylinders for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - Design and construction.

TCVN 7832: 2007, Gas cylinders - Refillable welded steel cylinders for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - Periodic inspection and testing.

TCVN 8366: 2010. Pressure vessels – Requirements on design and manufacture.

ISO 1106-1: Recommended practice for radiographic examination of fusion welded joints - Part 1: Fusion welded butt joints in steel plates up to 50 mm.

ISO 1106-3: Recommended practice for radiographic examination of fusion welded joints - Part 3: Fusion welded circumferential joints in Steel pipes of up to 50 mm.

ISO 4978: Flat rolled steel products for welded gas cylinders.

ISO 14732: Welding personnel - Approval testing of welding operators for fusion welding and of resistance weld setters for fully mechanized and automatic welding of metallic materials

ISO 17637: Nondestructive testing of welds - Visual testing

ISO 17639: Destructive testing on welds in metallic materials.

Chapter 2.

TECHNICAL PROVISIONS

Article 5. Provisions on materials

1. Requirements on materials

a) Materials to manufacture bottle jacket must conform to ISO 4978 or satisfy requirements of table 1;

b) Details welded on bottles must be manufactured of compatible materials;

c) The welding materials must make joints with the minimum tensile durability no less than the tensile durability prescribed for basic materials for manufacturing bottles.

Table 1 - Requirements on materials

2. Requirements on material dossier

Producers must have material dossier of cylinder lot as prescribed at point b Clause 5 Article 9 of this Regulation.

Article 6. Provisions on design

1. General provisions

a) Producers must make the manufacture drawings with full size, tolerance of materials, technical parameters, technical requirements of products;

b) Design documents must be approved before manufacture;

c) The producers must be responsible for design, selection of materials and calculate durability, quality;  

d) Pressure to calculate the thickness of the bottle jacket of cylinders for LPG: P_c = 3 MPa (30 bar);

dd) Design of shape of bottom of cylinders for LPG must satisfy the following requirements:    

- For bottom in shape of sphere frustum:  R ≤ D; r ≥ 0.1D; h ≥ 4b;

- For bottom in shape of a half of ellipse: H ≥ 0.2D; h ≥ 4b.

D- Outer diameter of bottle (mm).

b - The minimum calculated thickness of bottle (mm).

H - The outside height of bottom arch of bottle (mm).

h - The height of cylinder part of bottle bottom (mm).

R – Inside disc-lap radius of bottle bottom (mm).

r – Inside glide radius of bottle bottom (mm).

Note: For sphere frustum bottom:

2. The minimum thicknesses of body and bottom of cylinder bottle

a) The thickness of body of cylinder bottle is not less that the thickness calculated under formula:

   (1)

The stress reduction factor, J = 0.9 (bottles with the vertical welded joints) 

The stress reduction factor, J = 1.0 (bottles without the vertical welded joints)

Value of fluidity stress, R₀ = 0.85R_g (R_g the minimum tensile durability).

Thickness of bottle body: a (mm)

Outer diameter of bottle:  D (mm)

Pressure to calculate the thickness of the bottle jacket of cylinders for LPG: P_c (bar)

b) The thickness of body of bottle bottom is not less that the thickness calculated under formula:

                       (2)

C: Coefficient of shape, depending on value H/D (table 2, pictures 2 and 3).

c) Do not apply formula (1) when the length of cylinder part of cylinders for LPG measured between the starting points of curve sections of two bottoms not more than

In this case, the thickness of bottle body is not less that the thickness curve bottom calculated under formula (2).

Table 2 – Relation between H/D and coefficient of shape C

Picture 2. Values of coefficient of shape C for H/D from 0.2 to 0.25

Picture 3. Values of coefficient of shape C for H/D from 0.25 to 0.5

d) The minimum body thickness of cylinder, a, and of bottom, b, are not less that the value defined under any following formulas:

- For bottles with radius D < 100="">

a_min = b_min = 1.1 mm                              (3)

- For bottles with radius 100 mm ≤ D ≤ 150 mm

a_min = b_min = 1.1 + 0.008 (D - 100) mm   (4)

- For bottles with radius D > 150 mm

a_min = b_min = (D/250) + 0.7 mm              (5)

(With the minimum value is 1.5 mm)

Formulas: (3), (4), (5) mentioned above are applied to cylinder and bottom, regardless of whether they are designed under calculation prescribed in formula (1) or (2).

3. Requirements on bottle construction

a) Bottle construction must ensure capability for usual checking status of metal surface, welded joints of cylinders for LPG; ensure the protection against damages in respect with valve and the safety upon transport, preservation and use;

b) Bottle bottoms must be manufactured under ellipse or of sphere frustum shapes and made of one-piece materials in accordance with technical requirements;

c) The vertical welded joints and the welded joints along perimeter on bottle body are only permitted welding adjacent to edges. The welding process must comply with the approved welding process;

d) Number of the vertical welded joints on bottle body is not more than 01;

dd) Number of the welded joints along to perimeter on bottle body is not more than 02;

e) Position of all holes must be arranged on a top of bottle;

g) Every hole on bottle must be reinforced by an appropriate welded-steel convex buffer, welded securely and designed to have enough durability, not cause stress concentration; 

h) Materials of handle and bracket must be made of appropriate steel and able to be welded;

i) Handle and bracket must be designed to not obstruct the examination of the welded joints and to prevent from stagnant water. Space at bracket of bottle must be ventilated appropriately;

k) Valves fitted on bottle must have label and be tested before fitting to bottle, must satisfy technical standards in line with LPG, must be assess appropriately by organizations of certifying quality in accordance with regulations.

Labels of valves must be written clearly:

- Name of producer;

- Model of valve;

- The used solvent;

- Impact pressure of safety valve and open flow rate;

- Directions to close and open bottle;

- Production year of valve;

- Seal of Conformity with Regulations (CR) on which the certified organization is shown.

Article 7. Provisions on manufacture

1. General provisions

a) The bottle producers must have technical officers with appropriate professional skills. Welders must satisfy provisions in Clause 2 Article 7 of this Regulation;

b) Bottle producers must promulgate fully the technological process of manufacture, the process of testing quality of products and regulations on safety.

2. Requirements on welders

Parts of cylinders for LPG must be welded by use of welders who have been passed examination, accepted according to standard TCVN 6700-1 and drivers according to standard ISO 14732.

3. Requirements on the welded joints

a) The bottle producers must approve the welding process according to TCVN 6834-3;

b) Before welding, the load-bearing details of cylinders for LPG must be tested visually regarding the shape, size according to design;

c) The vertical welded joints and the welded joints along perimeter must be welded by measure of automatic or semi-automatic welding;

d) The vertical welded joints must be kind of welded joints adjacent to edges; number of joints is not more than 1, not use non-demountable buffer for vertical welded joints;

dd) The welded joints along perimeter must be kind of welded joints with sections which may be curved into padding (picture 4); number of joints is not more than 2;

e) Testing of defects of the welded joints on bottle is only performed after thermal treatment;

g) The welded joints do not flow over, have no crack, no blister, not ripe, not reached through, height of the welded joints is not more than ¼ the width of the welded joints and other defects bigger than the set level;

a- Optional beveled level

b - At will

c – The depth of curve section = e₁

d – Inside of bottle to prevent from being broken due to sharp

e – The thickness of metal of curve section

e₁ - The thickness of metal not creating curved section

Picture 4: The typical welded joints adjacent to edges with padding

4. Requirements on tolerance of manufacture

a) The non-round extent of cylinder, measured on the basic metal part adjacent to the welded joints, is not more than 1% for bottles with two pieces and 1.5% for bottles with three pieces;

b) Straightness: The maximum error in comparison with a straight of body of cylinder does not exceed 0.3% of length of cylinder body;

c) Vertical straightness: When bottle is placed on platform, error of the vertical straightness does not exceed 25 mm on 1 meter of length of the cylinder body.

5. Requirements on thermal treatment

a) All bottles must be treated thermally after being welded;

b) Conditions of thermal treatment must be prescribed in technical requirements;

c) Do not perform the partial thermal treatment.

Article 8. Requirements on testing in manufacture

1. Testing of mechanical properties

a) General provisions

- All tests of mechanical properties must be performed to test properties of basic materials and joints on bottle jacket of cylinders for LPG on samples collected from the completed bottles;

- For bottles that only have joints along perimeter (bottles including two pieces), samples for test are taken from positions instructed as picture 5, including samples:

+ 01 sample for longitudinal tensile test of basic materials of bottle (1);

 + 01 sample for tensile test at position crossed with the welded joints along perimeter (2);

 + 01 sample for the bending test at position of upper surface of the welded joint along perimeter (3);

+ 01 sample for the bending test at position of root surface of the welded joint along perimeter (4);

+ 01 sample for the rough test at position selected randomly on the welded joint along perimeter.

1. Positions changed for the tensile-test sample

2. Sample for tensile test

3. Sample for the bending test (the upper surface of the welded joints)

4. Sample for the bending test (the root surface of the welded joints)

Picture 5. The samples taken from bottles including two pieces

- For bottles that have the vertical welded joints and the welded joints along perimeter (bottles including three pieces), the test samples are taken from the positions instructed as picture 6, including samples:

+ 01 sample for longitudinal tensile test of basic materials of cylinder of bottle (1);

+ 01 sample for tensile test of basic materials from a bottom (2);

+ 01 sample for tensile test at position crossed with the vertical welded joints (3);

+ 01 sample for tensile test at position crossed with the welded joints along perimeter (4);

+ 01 sample for the bending test at position of upper surface of the vertical welded joint (5);

+ 01 sample for the bending test at position of the root surface of the vertical welded joint (6);

 + 01 sample for the bending test at position of upper surface of the welded joint along perimeter (7);

+ 01 sample for the bending test at position of root surface of the welded joint along perimeter (8);

+ 01 sample for the rough test at position selected randomly on the welded joint along perimeter.

- The samples that are not enough flat must be smoothed by cold stamping, in all samples of the bending test with the welded joints must be cut for smoothing in comparison with surface of basic metal.

1, 2, 3, 4. Samples for tensile test                 5, 6, 7, 8. Samples for the bending test

Picture 6. The samples taken from bottles including three pieces

b) Tensile test

- To perform the process of tensile test for the basic materials in line with TCVN 197. Do not process two faces of samples.

- Values of fluidity stress, tensile durability and elongation measured upon test are not less than the respective values stated in technical specifications of materials or values disclosed in dossier of the bottle producers.

c) The tensile test of the welded joints

- It is required to perform tensile test for the welded joints on samples with the minimum cross section at width of 25 mm and length expended to 15 mm from the edges of the welded joints (picture 7), at positions farther than this middle section, the width of sample must be increased.

Picture 7. Sample for tensile test at position crossed with the welded joints

- Value of tensile durability R_m is not less than the minimum tensile durability R_g which is ensured by the producers and there is no case less than the value provided in technical specifications of materials regardless of positions whether the crack occurs in the cross section of middle section of sample.

d) The bending test

- Method of bending test must conform to ISO 7438. Samples for the bending test must have width of 25 mm. The bending roller is placed at the middle of the welded joints when performing test (picture 8);

- Do not occur cracks on samples when samples curved up angle of 180⁰ (picture 8).

1. Samples with the welded joints adjacent to edges

2. Samples with the tenon welded joints

3. The repaired convex section of the welded joints

4. The tenon section (padding, buffer) removed

Picture 8. The bending test

Ratio between the radius of the bending roller and thickness of sample, depending on the tensile durability measured practically R_m does not exceed value n provided in table 3:

Table 3 - Ratio between the radius of the bending roller and thickness of sample

2. The visual test of surface of the welded joints, rough and radiographic examinations

a) Visual test of surface of the welded joints

To perform the visual test of the welded joints according to ISO 17637 when the welded joint has been completed.   Surface of the tested welded joints must be lighten fully and have no dirt or any cover layer for protection.

b) Requirements for rough examination 

To perform the rough examination according to ISO 17639 for all cross sections of the welded joints in order to ensure that the welded joints must be ripe completely and the welded joints must reach through completely.

c) Requirements for radiographic examination    

- It is required to perform on the welded joints along perimeter and the vertical welded joints (such as pictures 9 and 10) of the first bottle produced after having:

 Changes on model or size of bottle;

+ Change on the welding process (including adjustment of machine);

+ After stopping production for duration more than 4 hours.

- Bottles with the outer radius less than 250 mm may perform two rough examinations to replace for the radiographic examination of the welded joints with buffer along perimeter, including examination at the position of stopping or starting the welding line and examination at the opposite site along radius of bottle;

- Bottles with the vertical welded joints must perform radiographic examination at the connection of the vertical welded joints and the welded joints along perimeter (such as picture 10). Ratio of examination is 1/250 bottles produced;

- It is required to perform the radiographic examination of the welded joints in line with TCVN 6111:2009 (ISO 5579:1998), ISO 1106-1: and ISO 1106-3: level B;

- Do not allow to have defects on the welded joints as follows:

+ Cracks, the welded joints are not reached through or not ripe;

+ There are the spread impurities or group of round impurities creating rows with the length of more than 6 mm on length of the welded joint equal to 12 times of thickness of basic material;

+ Air bubble with size more than 1/3 of thickness of basic materials;

+ Total area of air bubbles on any 10 mm of length is more than twice of thickness of materials.

Size is calculated by millimeter

Picture 9. Size of radiographic examination of the welded joints – Bottles only have the welded joints along perimeter

Size is calculated by millimeter

Picture 10. Size of radiographic examination of the welded joints – Bottles have the welded joints along perimeter and the vertical welded joints

3. Test in hydraulic explosion

a) Producers must perform the explosion test by the hydraulic pressure with equipment able to create the increasing pressure until the bottle is exploded. Pressure at time bottle is exploded must be recorded.

b) The minimum requirements of test

- The explosion pressure is not less than 6.75 MPa (67.5 bar).

- The expanded volume is not less than:

+ 20% when length of the bottle jacket bears pressure (including the boss for fitting valve/ bottle necklace) more than radius D of bottle;

+ 17% when length of the bottle jacket bears pressure equal to or less than radius D of bottle.

c) Crack

- Crack does not start in the welded joint;

- The edges of the crack are not centripetal, must create angles with centripetal plane and have decrease of the area along their thickness;

- Crack has no defect in basic metal, example delamination;

- Bottle is not broken into pieces.

4.  Hydraulic power test

- The solvent for test: Water;

- The test pressure: At least 3 MPa (30 bar);

- When perform hydraulic power test, the increase and decrease of test pressure must be performed gradually.  Duration to maintain at the test pressure is 01 min minimally;

- The hydraulic power test is considered as satisfying requirements when: Pressure is not decreased when maintaining at test pressure, there is no sign of deformation, leakage on body of bottle, and the welded joints.

5. The closed test

- The solvent for test: Air;

- The test pressure: At least 1,3 MPa (13 bar);

- When perform closed test, light and water for test must ensure ability to detect leakage if any;

- To dip whole bottle in water at the test pressure. If bottle is leaked at position of valve, it must be processed for further test. If there is leakage on body of bottle, such bottle must be removed;

- To perform discharge of gas, vacuum up - 50 kPa (- 0.5 bar) for bottles satisfied requirement.

6. The reversed bend test

a) Test pressure according to the process, to perform upon test to approve model;

b) The solvent for test is water;

c) For this test, to fill 3 bottles with water, which represent for bottles with the minimum thickness of bottle bottom under design, labeled fully and bear impact of hydraulic pressure successively increasing and decreasing.  

d) To test at pressure of upper limit according to the cycle or:

- Equal to 2/3 of test pressure, in this case, bottle must bear 80000 (eighty thousand) cycles without destruction;

- Equal to test pressure, in this case, bottle must bear 12000 (twelve thousand) cycles without destruction.

Value of the pressure of under limit according to the cycle does not exceed 10% of pressure of upper limit according to the cycle.  Reversed frequency of pressure does not exceed 0.25 Hz (15 cycles/min).  Temperature on outside surface of bottle does not exceed 50⁰C during test.

Article 9. The process of pre-acceptance test

1. General provisions

a) All test and pre-acceptance test as prescribed in this Article must be performed for bottles before processing surface;

b) All bottles must be performed hydraulic test as prescribed at Clause 4 Article 8 of this Regulation and visual test for surface of the welded joints as prescribed at Clause 2 Article 8 of this Regulation;

c) It is required to perform the radiographic examination or the rough examination as prescribed at Clause 2 Article 8 of this Regulation;

d) It is required to perform the test of mechanical properties as prescribed at Clause 1 Article 8 of this Regulation and the test in explosion as prescribed at Clause 3 Article 8 of this Regulation for samples as prescribed at Clause 2 Article 9 of this Regulation; It is required to measure the thickness of body at the thinnest point and calculate the stress on an appropriate sample of bottle.

2. Test under product lot

a) Product lot

The product lot must include bottles produces consecutively by a same producer, use of a same technology of manufacture, pursuant to a same construction, size and technical characteristics of material, on a same model of automatic welding machine and with a same condition of thermal treatment.

b) Test according to each lot

For pre-acceptance test, products must be divided into each lot for examination which does not exceed 1000 (one thousand) bottles.  To select samples for the explosion test or test in mechanical properties, each lot is divided into small lots of 250 (two hundred fifty) bottles in 3000 (three thousand) first bottles of a lot and the next lots are divided into the small lots of 500 (five hundred) bottles or 1000 (one thousand) bottles depending on size of bottles (picture 11).    

c) Cycle of taking samples

- General provisions: When a product lot includes bottles made of materials from many batches, the producers must arrange samples to represent for each batch of the used materials.

Chart to illustrate cycle of taking sample is presented in the following picture:

^a For bottles with volume ≤ 35 L

^a For bottles with volume > 35 L

Picture 11. Chart to illustrate cycle of taking sample

- Quantity of less than or equal to 3000 (three thousand) bottles:

+ It is required to select two bottles randomly from 250 first bottles or a fewer number in each the tested lot to represent for lot of bottles, one bottle for explosion test and one bottle for test in mechanical properties; 

+ It is required to select randomly one bottle for explosion test or for test in mechanical properties from each group of 250 bottles or a fewer number next in the tested lot.  

- Quantity of less than or equal to 3000 (three thousand) bottles:

+ For bottles with volume larger than 35 L in 3000 (three thousand) first bottles in the product lot, it is required to select bottles as prescribed at Clause 2 Article 9 of this Regulation for the product lot with quantity less than or equal to 3000 (three thousand) bottles.   It is required to select randomly bottles representing from 500 first bottles or a less number in each the tested lot to have one bottle for explosion test and one bottle for test in mechanical properties. It is required to select randomly from 500 remaining bottles or a less number in the tested lots to have one representative bottle for explosion test or test in mechanical properties;

+ For bottles with volume less than 6.75 L and the explosion pressure more than 10 MPa (100 bar). This bottle with requirement for test in mechanical properties may put into the explosion test alternately according to decision of producer.

3. Labeling

a) The following information must be stamped clearly on handle of cylinders for LPG:

- Name of owner;

- Standards of manufacture;

- Name of producer;

- Number of manufacture;

- Month/Year of manufacture;

- Volume;

- Weight of empty bottle (including weight of valve);

- The operating pressure;

- Pressure of hydraulic power test;

- Bu tan + Propan (BU+PR) and weight for filling.

b) Do not erase, modify information of producer.

c) Sign of expertising is stamped on handle as prescribed at point 1 Clause 3 Article 11 of this Regulation.

4. Certificate

Each bottle lot must have a certificate of producer in order to ensure that bottles satisfy requirements of this Regulation in all aspects.

5. Dossier

Dossier of producer must be made and kept according to each product lot including:

a) Certificate of producer, including the basic contents:   Producers, customers, basic size, used materials, examinations and tests have been performed on the product lot, condition of thermal treatment after welding and the enclosed written records of examinations and tests.

b) Material dossier

- Certificate of analyzing metal ingredients of the casting batch and mechanical properties of steel used for manufacture of bottle jacket;

- A slip for identification of the material origin, including information:  The sign to identify materials, serial number of produced bottle (ensuring for tracing origin of all materials for manufacturing bottle).

c) The enclosed written records of examinations and tests include:

- The written record of test result of sample bottles (volume, weight, the minimum thickness of bottle body and bottom);

- The written record of testing in mechanical properties;

- The written record of hydraulic power test;

- The written record of explosion test;

- The written record of closed test;

- The written record of pressure test according to the process (if any, only required when test to approve for the model);

- The written record of result of radiographic examination.          

Article 10. Provisions on safety in filling bottles with LPG, transport, storage, transport, installment and use of cylinders for LPG

1. Provisions on safety for filling bottles with LPG

a) Do not filling bottles with LPG, and have to do tests when detecting one of the following cases:

- Bottles have been expired for test;

- Bottles have not yet been tested or not able to identify the expiry for test.

b) Do not filling bottles with LPG, and have to assess to remove or repair bottles in the following cases:

- Having no information on weight of bottle jacket or have information but it is unreadable;

- Bottles have defects, faults at handle or base belt;

- Bottles have physical defects on body of bottles;

- Bottles are eroded to visible extent;

- Bottles with burns due to arc, fire;

- Bottles, valves or structures to reduce pressure (if being equipped) are leaked or broken.

c) Strictly banning filling with LPG for bottles of other owners without contract of filling bottle with LPG with the filling station, bottles not identified origin.

d) Only be allowed to fill bottle with LPG at the eligible filling station as prescribed.

dd) The assessment to remove bottles when filling must comply with provision at item 5 of TCVN 7762:2007.

e) The safe weight for filling as prescribed in item 6 TCVN 7762: 2007 and in all cases not more than 85% of volume of bottle.

2. Provisions on safe conditions for cylinders for LPG when circulation in the market.

a) Having origin, conform to contract of purchase and sale, or contract of LPG-business agents and having full dossiers archived as prescribed.

b) Being labeled as prescribed at Clause 3 Article 9 of this Regulation.

c) Being labeled as prescribed by law on good labeling.

d) Having registered goods label as prescribed by law.

dd) LPG bottles are intact as shape of initial design, have been tested and not expired. 

e) Being sealed properly with standards.

g) LPG in bottles must ensure to be proper with the designed weight, goods label and quality standards as announced.

3. Provisions on safety in storage

a) Safety on warehouses containing LPG bottles

- Cylinders for LPG must be preserved in warehouses according to design already approved by competent agencies;

- Warehouses must ensure the safe distances as prescribed at item 5.1.7 of TCVN 6304:1997;

- Do not preserve, store bottles containing various gases together with LPG bottles;

- Warehouses preserving cylinders for LPG must ensure aeration, have at least two doors being set to open toward outside, must have equipment to examine, warn LPG leakage, must have system for protection against thunderbolt;

- All cellars, pits, canals, ditches must be far at least 2 m from warehouses;

- Fences of warehouses must be secure, have a height of not less than 1.8m and not cause affect to natural air ventilation;

- The foundation of warehouses must be solid, flat, higher than the ground around, not slippery, and made of fireproof material.   Do not lay pipes, sewer at foundation of warehouses;

- Premises of warehouses must have way to ensure for trucks and fire trucks to go in and out conveniently;

- The pathways and exit doors must be clear, have no obstacles;

- Warehouses must have water sources for fire-fighting as prescribed;

- - Signboards such as “no-fire”, “non-smoking”, “no trespassing, authorized persons only”, “rule of fire prevention and fighting”, regulations on fire fighting instruction must be hanged at apparent positions, in front of doors of warehouses; 

- Lighting equipment must be explosion-proof equipment as prescribed;

- Bulkheads, walls, struts and roofs of warehouses containing LPG bottles must be made of fireproof materials;

- Warehouses must have air holes arranged on walls and roofs. Total area of air holes is not less than 2.5% of area of wall; the air holes are not near thermal sources, power sources;

- Warehouses containing LPG bottles at stores must comply with TCVN 6223: 2011.

b) Safety in displaying for sale of bottled LPG at LPG stores

- Arranging and unloading cylinders for LPG must be performed under each lot, row;

- Kinds of LPG bottles may be overlapped each other at a vertical and solid position. The maximum height of each pile is 1.5 m. In case of overlapping LPG bottles with various sizes, it must comply with principle which small bottle pile is laid over bigger bottle pile. Distances among rows are not less than 1.5 m;

- Weight of LPG in all bottles allowed to contain at store is 500 kg for an area of 12 m2 minimally and allowed to contain more 60 kg for each square meter area increased additionally of area of warehouse or store in generally, not including area of goods sale;

- In all cases, total weight of LPG in store does not exceed 1000 (one thousand) kg;

- When storage, displaying for sale, valves of bottles must be always closed tightly;

- Only being allowed to display bottles containing no LPG on shelves for advertisement;

- Do not store LPG bottles at area of doors and public pathways;

- Cylinders for LPG must be intact of sealing, absolutely closed, ensure quality, weight and label as registered when sell them to customers;

- At stores, prohibit repairing bottles or filling bottles with LPG.

4. Provisions on safety in transport of cylinders for LPG

a) Safety in transport of cylinders for LPG by road

- Bottles must be arranged vertically, valves of bottles are laid at upon. For bottles with volume of between 99L and 150L, only arrange a layer. Bottles with volume of less than 99L may be laid into many layers but not higher than sides of vehicles;

- Cars transporting cylinders for LPG do not allowed to use steel floor and must be licensed for transport of dangerous goods in accordance with current regulations;

- The persons who are responsible for driving means of transport, goods owners (or escorts) must be trained and examined safety techniques periodically and must recheck the safety conditions of means of transport; only arranging LPG bottles on means of transport which ensure safety and must observe the concerned provisions in the Law on road traffic;

- Prohibit inserting bottles with oil, grease and other flammable materials;

Prohibit transporting cylinders for LPG together with bottles containing other gas; prohibit transporting people and cylinders on the same means;

- Prohibit transporting cylinders for LPG in closed vehicle bodies or containers;

- Prohibit transporting cylinders for LPG by vehicles pulled by animals;

- Motorbikes (two wheels) transporting cylinders for LPG must have secure shelves, bottles must always be laid at vertical position and valves of bottles must be laid upward.  Quantity of bottles transported does not exceed 02 bottles;

- Prohibit transporting cylinders for LPG together with persons in elevators.

- Prohibit transporting cylinders for LPG on means of public travel.

b) Safety in transport of cylinders for LPG by waterway

- When transport cylinders for LPG by waterway, the concerned legislations on transport of dangerous goods by waterway must be executed;

- Cylinders for LPG in holds of boat must be ventilated naturally or have mechanical engineering ventilators, mouth of ventilators must be laid at the lowest position of holds of boat;

- Do not transport cylinders for LPG in closed containers;

- Holds containing cylinders for LPG must be equipped automatic fire-alarming and sprinkler systems.

c) Safety in transport of cylinders for LPG by railway

- When transport cylinders for LPG by railway, the legislations on transport of dangerous goods by railway must be executed fully.

5. Provisions on safety in installment of cylinders for LPG for user

a) Do not mount cylinders for LPG in closed rooms or cellars;

b) Cylinders for LPG must be mounted at vertical positions;

c) On wall where lay cylinders for LPG must have air-gaps or vents. Bottom positions of these air-gaps and vents are not higher than 150 mm from the floor;

d) Areas to arrange cylinders for LPG must have aeration, ensure that any leakage of LPG also not cause burn;

dd) All power equipment in house must be mounted at a distance of 1.5m from LPG bottles minimally;

e) Any source causing burn near area of LPG bottles must be removed;

g) Do not install, preserve cylinders for LPG at area of doors and places often have people go pass;

6. Provisions on safety in use of cylinders for LPG

a) Prohibit all forms of extracting, filling bottles with LPG at families;

b) LPG bottles, when are sold to user, must satisfy provisions on safety conditions of cylinders for LPG when circulation in the market at Clause 2 Article 10 of this Regulation;

c) Cylinders for LPG, when are installed for users, must be checked the leakage, operational status of safety valves, conducting wires and pipes; 

d) When supplying cylinders for LPG to users, stores or LPG agents must supply customers 01 sheet of delivery and keep 01 copy at stores, in which have information minimally: Serial number of bottle, the time of nearest expertising indicated on bottle, name, address and contact telephone of store, name and address of user, day of supplying bottle to user. The sheet of delivery must be signed for confirmation of user. And they have to hand over table of instruction of use and measures to overcome malfunction for customers;

dd) Prohibit all form of extracting, filling bottles with LPG at places do not allowed extracting bottles with LPG; when detecting cylinders for LPG not ensuring safety, having risk of leaking LPG out environment, customers must stop use and inform immediately to LPG store in order to overcome timely, not arbitrarily repair, replace equipment;

e) When detect store sells bottled LPG with bad quality, customers must inform traders of LPG wholesale or general agents, agents, or competent functional agencies to prevent and handle timely;

g) If customers change to use LPG bottle of other trader or when customers do not wish to further use cylinders for LPG, they must notify to the store where sold LPG for this store to revoke cylinders for LPG.

Article 11. Provisions on expertising of cylinders for LPG

1. Form of expertising

a) First expertising before put into use.

b) Periodical expertising when expiry of the previous expertising.

c) Irregular expertising when necessary or at the request of competent agencies.

2. Duration of expertising

Duration of periodical expertising of cylinders for LPG shall comply with regulation of producers but the cycle does not exceed 05 years from the nearest expertising time. For bottles used over 20 years, duration of periodical expertising does not exceed 02 years.

3. Procedures for expertising of cylinders for LPG

a) Inspecting dossier

- To inspect dossier of the lot of bottle expertized for the first time as prescribed at Clause 5 Article 9 of this Regulation;

-  For bottles subject to the periodic expertising having abnormal signs: To consider list of the expertized bottles, the sheet of expertising result of the previous expertising, reason of irregular expertising.

b) To determine bottles need to be expertized.

- Expertising the cylinders for LPG for the first time: To select 5% of quantity of bottles in the lot of bottles. The selected bottled must ensure to have representatives of small lots of bottles;

- The periodical and irregular expertising (when owner or competent state agency has doubts on technical status of cylinders for LPG): 100% of bottles.

c) Examination and preliminary handling

- Do not expertize bottles not possessed or not authorized by organizations or individuals requesting for expertising;

- To check parameter indicated on handle, to compare with the technical parameter in list. To supply bottles not in list;

- To remove bottles without or with unclear parameter indicated on handle, bottles with defects in excess of assessment such as the grooves crossed together, cracks, defects due to fire, burn, arc or blowtorch;

- For case of periodic expertising having abnormal signs: To suck residual gas in bottle;

- To remove the head valve of bottle by machine for dismounting valve of bottle. To check valve of bottle, ensure safety for use;

- To clean surface of bottles as necessary for the next steps of expertising.

d) To check outside

- To check the lace joints of bottle neck and valve, to check surface, the welding joints of bracket, handle. To determine physical defects, erosion on body of bottle and other defects not more than the limit of removal;

- To remove bottles with defects in excess of the limit of removal as prescribed at table 1, table 2, and table 3 of item 5.3 TCVN 7832: 2007.

dd) Hydraulic test

To comply with Clause 4 Article 8 of this Regulation.

e) Test of volume expansion

- Test of volume expansion must be performed from the fourth expertising.

- Test of volume expansion is considered as satisfaction of requirements when the permanent volume expansion level is less than 10% of the total volume expansion level.

g) To check inside

- To discharge water out, clean the bottle after hydraulic test.

- To test inside by endoscopy equipment to assess surface of metal, the welded joints, corrosion inside of bottle.

h) To check the thickness

- Case of expertise for the first time, the expertising unit must measure the thickness of bottles in order to check, compare with dossier of bottle manufacture. To use ultrasound machine to measure thickness at points: bottom of bottle: 3 points, head of bottle: 3 points, body of bottle: 6 points equally divided on perimeter;

- In case of periodic expertising, when detect bottle with defect of corrosion, pock-marked surface, rust, it is required to measure the thickness in order to determine the remaining thickness of bottle;

- The thickness measured is not less than the minimum thickness of body and bottom of bottle as prescribed in Clause 2 Article 6 of this Regulation. Case of reducing thickness due to corrosion on body of bottle, bottles with reduced level of thickness of more than the limit of removal prescribed at table 2 item 5.3 TCVN 7832:2007 will be eliminated.

i) To mount valve, check weight

- To dry bottle before mount the head valve of bottle.

- To mount valve of bottle as prescribed at item 7.4 of TCVN 7832: 2007;

- To check weight of bottle. If weight of bottle is less than 95% of weight of initial bottle, to eliminate that bottle.

k) The closed test: To comply with Clause 5 Article 8 of this Regulation.

l) To handle result of expertising

- To assess the expertising result;

- To stamp sign of expertising:

Bottles meeting requirement of expertising will be stamped sign of expertising. Case of expertising for the first time of lot of bottles, if lot of bottles meet requirement of expertising, to stamp the sign of expertising for 100% bottle of that lot;

+ To stamp sign of expertising including the expertising agency, time of expertising and time of re-expertising on the handle:  [1] - [2] - [3] - [4] on a same row, if length to stamp is not enough, may separate [1] in one row;

[1]: Logo or sign of the expertising unit.

[2]: Month, year of expertising (two last numbers).

[3]: the next year of expertising (two last numbers).

[4]: Weight of bottle (if weight changes over 0.2 kg).

The minimum height of letters and numbers is 4 mm. Deadline of re-expertising must comply with Clause 2 Article 11 of this Regulation. Do not stamp over available data on handle.

- To make written record of expertising and result of expertising. Dossier of the expertising result must be kept at station of expertising and organizations and individuals owning bottle as prescribed at item 9 TCVN 7832:2007.

- Bottles failing to meet requirements as expertising as prescribed in item 8 TCVN 7832:2007. The archival dossier of bottles eliminated must be kept at station of expertising and organizations and individuals owning bottle with the following minimal information: Type of bottle, owner, and serial number of bottle, year of manufacture, producer, and reason of eliminating bottle.

Article 12. Provisions on elimination and repair of cylinders for LPG

1. Requirements on bottle repair

a) Only repair bottles at eligible facilities of bottle manufacture and repair already granted certificate of eligibility for manufacture and repair of cylinders for LPG as prescribed.

b) Do not conduct the following repairs:

- To replace handle of bottle by new handle under any form, erase, change logo of bottle aiming to occupy bottle of other owners, modify the initial technical parameter of bottle.

- To repair cylinders for LPG for other purpose.

-  To conduct concentrated heat treatment at area of body of bottle.

2. Requirements on bottle removal

To eliminate bottle as prescribed at item 8 of TCVN 7832:2007 for bottles need to be eliminated after having performed assessment on removal as follows:

a) Assessment to remove bottle when expertising complies with article 11 of this Regulation.

b) The assessment to remove bottles when filling complies with provision at item 5 of TCVN 7762:2007.

c) Cylinders for LPG already used over 26 years from the day of manufacture.

Chapter 3.

PROVISIONS ON MANAGEMENT

Article 13. Provisions on certification of technical-regulation conformity

1. General requirement

Cylinders for LPG, before put into circulation and use, must be announced technical-regulation conformity in line with provisions in Chapter 2 of this Regulation on the basis of result of assessing the conformity of the certifying organizations appointed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade or the foreign certifying organizations accredited according to International treaties of which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a contracting party or international agreements which have been concluded by competent agencies of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

2. Assessment of conformity

Assessment of conformity for cylinders for LPG is performed under one of the following methods:

a) Method 5: Test typical sample and assess the process of manufacture; supervise through testing samples taken at place of manufacture or on market in association with assessment of the manufacture process

b) Method 7: Test, assess lot of products, goods;

c) Method 8: Test or expertise all products and goods.

Article 14. Provisions on announcement of technical-regulation conformity and fastening seal of technical-regulation conformity (CR)

Announcement of technical-regulation conformity and fastening seal of technical-regulation conformity (CR) for cylinders for LPG comply with provisions of the Ministry of Science and Technology and section II chapter 2 Circular No. 48/2011/TT-BCT dated December 30, 2011 of the Minister of Industry and Trade, on quality management of group-2 products and goods under the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s management.

Article 15. Provisions on testing quality of cylinders for LPG

Test of quality of cylinders for LPG in manufacture, import, circulation on the market or use shall comply with Circular No.  48/2011/TT-BCT dated December 30, 2011 of the Minister of Industry and Trade, on quality management of group-2 products and goods under the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s management.

Chapter 4.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS

Article 16. Organizations and individuals involving design, manufacture, export, import, repair, possession, expertising, delivery and receipt, transport and use of steel cylinders for LPG and other relevant organizations and individuals must comply with the safety technical requirements specified at Chapter 2 of this Regulation, provisions in Government’s Decree No. 107/2009/ND-CP dated November 26, 2009, on trading in liquefied petroleum gas and Circular No. 41/2011/TT-BCT dated December 16, 2011 of the Minister of Industry and Trade, on safe management in the field of liquefied petroleum gas.

Article 17. Organizations and individuals producing cylinders for LPG must apply the system of quality management aiming to ensure the product quality to be consistent to the respective technical regulations and labeling as prescribed by law on goods label before putting products into circulation on market.

Article 18. Organizations and individuals producing cylinders for LPG, traders importing cylinders for LPG must perform certification of technical-regulation conformity and announce of technical-regulation conformity in accordance with requirements specified at chapter 2 of this Regulation, ensure the safety requirements of cylinders for LPG as the announced content and perform responsibilities specified in other relevant legal documents.

Cylinders for LPG produced domestically, imported from July 01, 2014 must be announced technical-regulation conformity and fastened the seal of technical-regulation conformity.

Article 19. Organizations and individuals producing, importing, trading in cylinders for LPG must ensure quality of products and goods, and label of goods for cylinders for LPG in accordance with this Regulation and current legislations.

Chapter 5.

ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

Article 20. The Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency shall coordinate with relevant agencies and units in guiding and organizing implementation of this Regulation.

Basing on requirements of management, the Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency shall propose the Minister of Industry and Trade for amendments and supplementations to this Regulation.

Article 21. The Services of Industry and Trade of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall coordinate with relevant agencies and units in guiding and organizing implementation of this Regulation in their localities.

Annually, the provincial Services of Industry and Trade shall sum up, report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (the Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency) about problems, proposals involving cylinders for LPG in localities managed by them.

Article 22. In case where legal documents, standards referred in this Regulation change, are supplemented or replaced, provisions in new documents shall be applied.