Gas Tank Container TCM5-25
Technical Specification

1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TCM-25 RUSSIAN GAS TANK CONTAINER

The TCM5-25 tank-container (further ‘the container’) is a transport system designed for the safe transportation of those liquefied hydrocarbon gases and ammonia indicated in the appendix and in adherence to the guidelines laid down in GOST 433-88, relating to the carriage of Class 2 dangerous goods both domestically and internationally by road, rail or sea and for the temporary storage of these cargoes.

The TCM5-25 tank-container has been designed with four modifications:

TCM5-25A is designed for the transportation of liquefied hydrocarbon gases only. Loading/discharge is through the top inlet/outlet.

TCM5-25B is designed for the transportation of liquefied hydrocarbon gases and liquefied ammonia. Loading/discharge is through the top inlet/outlet.

TCM5-25C is designed for the transportation of liquefied hydrocarbon gases only. Loading/discharge is through the bottom inlet/outlet.

TCM5-25D is designed for the transportation of liquefied hydrocarbon gases and also liquefied ammonia. Loading/discharge is through

the bottom inlet/outlet.

The tankcontainer is to the dimensions recommended by the 1CC and belongs to the IMO5 class of tank_container and meets the requirements of Russian national and ISO standards, international conventions and agreements on tank containers.

Loading /discharge is carried out by pressure or pumping through the liquid phase loading /discharge device. Vapours from the cargo are held inside the tank at discharging and are removed from it at loading through the vapor recovery device.

The tank_container is designed for climatic conditions "M" (moderate), and is rated as “category 1” on GOST 15150-69 which allows it to be operated at temperatures of -50 to + 55⁰C.

The TCM5-25D’s highly resilient construction ensures its safety in its multiple roles.

2. DESIGN RULES, STANDARDS AND CODES 

1. Rules of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping on manufacturing of containers.

(Further – ‘the Register’)

2. International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. (IMDG-CODE).

3. Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID).

4. European Agreements concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR).

5. International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC).

6. Customs Convention on Containers (CCC).

7. International standards ISO 1161:1984, ISO 668:1995, ISO 1496-3:1995, ISO 6346:1995.

8. Russian National standards GOST 14249-89, GOST 24755-89, GOST 26202-84 and GOST 19433-88.

3. CONSTRUCTION AND FUNCTIONING OF THE RUSSIAN GAS TANK CONTAINER

3.1. The tank container TCM5-25 consists of the following basic elements (FIG.1 - 6):

Tank (1), contains the cargo. The tank shell is made of low-alloy steel 09G2S-14 (GOST 5520-79) and is fitted with sun-and-fire shield (4) and manhole (5). There is a safety relief valve (10) on the top of the tank and a liquid phase level indicator (14). At the bottom of the tank there are the supports (8) which facilitate the transport of the tank by road, rail or sea. The internal surface of the tank is coated with a corrosion-proof zinc based compound.

Front and rear end frames (2), between which the tank is rigidly fixed. The frames are fitted with corner castings (3), by which it can be lifted, fastened onto vehicles, railways and ship decks and interlocked with other tank containers when stacked. The configuration of these corner castings determines the overall dimensions of the container which in length, width and height meets the requirements of ISO directive 668:1995.

There are braces attached to the frames (26) and ladder (27). On the rear frame there is a box for documents (33) and an earthing pin (plate) 28. The tank data plate (29), customs plate (31), safety guidelines plate (32) and the Register emblem (30) are also fixed on the rear frame;

Bottom (6) and lateral (7) struts, fasten the tank to the end frames. The struts are welded to the tank through the doubling plates;

Walkways located on the top of the tank-container, consist of four modifications A and B (top inlet/outlet) of a transverse (17), longitudinal (18 and 19) and additional walkways (20 and 21) and in the case of modifications C and D (bottom inlet/outlet) of walkways (17) and (18). The walkways floorings are made of cut and serrated steel sheet that provide a high grip surface;

Loading – Discharge devices (11) and (12), are intended for loading or discharge of liquid phase and vapour recovery of gas phase of a transported product. They are located on top of the tank (for modifications A and B), and on the bottom of the tank- for modifications C and D.

3.2. To operate the tank-container the following steps are carried out:

- load the tank with cargo;

- load the tank on a vehicle;

- transport tank to destination of discharge;

- unload the tank from the vehicle;

- temporary storage;

- tank discharge;

- venting the tank (if necessary);

- transport the tank to loading place.

4.1.1. Tank 1 (fig.1, 3) is a welded pressure vessel consisting of a cylindrical shell and two elliptic ends with internal diameter 2375mm. For the modifications A and B nominal shell thickness is equal to 16 mm and at the ends is 17 mm. For the modifications C and D both shell and end thickness is equal to 20mm.

The tank is made of 09G2S-14 (GOST 5520-79) low-alloy steel with yield stress R_e = 340 MPa, tensile strength R_m = 490 MPa and ultimate strain A₅= 21 %.

4.1.2. The components of the tank are butt-welded with automatic shielded arc welding.

4.1.3. The internal surface of the tank is covered with corrosion-proof zinc-based compound.

4.1.4. The tank is equipped with a 500 mm manhole (5) located in the center of the rear tank end. The manhole is intended for periodic access for inspection and to facilitate repairs that may need to be carried out inside the tank. Its cover is fixed to the tank with studs and nuts and tightly seals the manhole. The tightening of the nuts presses the lid into a flange welded into the tank end, a gasket between this two parts ensures a gas tight seal. The nuts are locked into position to prevent accidental loosening. The manlid is supplied with two handles for easy operation when removed.

4.1.5. The double-layer sun-shield (4) serves also as a fire-prevention screen and is located on top of the tank. It is coated with a special composition that forms a layer of foam when exposed to very high temperatures. The screen provides the container with the ability to withstand the typical conditions created by an fuel based fire for not less than 60 minutes without the safety relief valve actively venting .

4.1.6. The safety valve (10) and liquid phase indicators are installed on top of the tank.

4.1.7. Liquid phase loading/discharge device and gas phase recovery devices are installed for the modifications A and C on the top, and for the modifications B and D at the bottom of the tank shell.

4.1.8. The safety relief valve, loading/discharge devices and liquid phase level indicators are bolted to the weld-in flanges.

4.2.1. The safety relief valve, installed on the tank, (Nominal Diameter = 80 mm), is a spring loaded type safety device whose purpose is to release vapor from a transported cargo when its pressure exceeds the maximum allowable working pressure of the tank or if it is exposed to overheating in a fire engulfment, or if other unforeseen increases in operating pressure are encountered.

4.2.4. If necessary, the safety relief valve can be equipped with a burst disk, which bursts at a lower pressure than the start to open pressure of the safety valve.

4.3.2. The gas phase recovery device consists of internal and external valves similar to those used for the liquid phase loading/discharge device, and allows for pressure equalization between the storage tank and the tank container during product loading and during the emission of product vapors or inert gas during discharge. The outlet flange of the gas-vapor phase recovery device has a with 1?" Acme threaded spigot and blanking cap.

4.3.3. For the modifications B and D (bottom discharge) the gas phase drainage device is fitted with a drainage pipe which runs into the top part of the tank, and this enables the return of vapors to the tank.

4.3.4. The devices for the loading and discharge of liquid phase and drainage of gas phase for all modifications of the container are demountable, allowing for repair or replacement of defective components.

4.4.1. Front and rear end frames (2) (fig.1), which before the installation on the rear frame of the sheets on which the data and approvals plates are fixed, are interchangeable and consist of welded structures consisting of vertical racks, cross beams, and struts. The elements of the frames are made of low alloy steel 09G2S-14, GOST 19281-89. There are corner castings (3), located at the corners of the frames and these are employed in all handling operations with the container. The form and size of the corner castings meet the requirements of ISO1161:1984.

4.4.2. The frames are supplied with ladders attached to the right hand corner posts. The ladders are made of welded cold-rolled tubes (25x4, GOST 3262-75).

4.4.3.Metal sheets are installed on the left side of the rear frame and onto these are fixed plates containing the following information:

data on the tank;

regulations governing transportation of cargoes under the customs seal;

Safety regulations;

Mark of the Register.

4.4.4. A case for the temporary storage of documents relating to the transported cargo and container is fixed on the rear end frame's left corner post.

4.5.1. Lateral struts (7) and bottom struts (8) take the form of square box section of either bent or rolled seamless fabrication with nominal wall thickness of 6 mm and made of 09G2S-14 steel and intended for fastening the tank to the end frames.

4.5.2. The struts are welded to the tank shell through doubling plates.

4.6.1. Walkways are intended for personnel moving around during cargo handling works and during the tank-container’s maintenance service and are of a frame design with flooring made of cut and serrated high grip metal sheet. Construction of the walkways for the modifications A and C (loading/discharge through the top inlet/outlet) is given on pic.2, for the modifications B and D (loading/discharge through the bottom inlet/outlet) - on pic.4

4.6.2. Access to the walkways is provided by ladders fixed to the front and rear end frames.

4.6.3. The longitudinal and transversal walkways provide a safe approach to the tank-container's corner castings during lifting operations. The walkways are bolted to the end frames and the tank shell.

4.6.4. Additional walkways are located in the middle of the container and facilitate a safe approach to the valve box during loading and discharge operations on containers of A and B modifications (loading/discharge through the top inlet/outlet). Transversal and longitudinal walkways are bolted together on fixing points welded to the tank shell.

4.7.1. Support Points (8) (pic.1) are used during transportation of the tankcontainer by road chassis and provide the container with additional areas of support. The points are located on the four supports welded to the tank shell.

Brackets are fitted to the lid of the valve box, the manlid, safety relief valve, and on the documents case and to the tank body in the vicinity of all these elements. The brackets allow for a wire to be run from the abovementioned elements and be secured and sealed against the tank body.

4.9.1. The tankcontainer is supplied with a pin and plate (pic.5) to allow its electrical earthing during loading and discharge operations.

4.10.1. The upper third of the tank is covered with two-layer sun-shield and fire-prevention screen protecting the tank from solar radiation and thermal flows resulting from a fire, and preventing overheating of the tank_container and transported product.

4.10.2. To provide protection of cargo from overheating in a fire engulfment a special compound, which forms a foam barrier when subjected to high temperatures, is coated onto the external surface of the tank and onto the external and the internal surfaces of the screen, thus ensuring protection of the tank and cargo from overheating.

5.1. The basic characteristics of the container are given in tab. 1.

Table 1

6.1.1. The Register mark is pasted or fastened in another reliable way on the sheets designated for fastening plates which are fixed on the rear end frame together with data, CSC and CCC approval plates made of corrosion proof material and which are also resistant to high temperatures.

6.1.2. The following markings, meeting the requirements of the Register and ISO 6346:1995, are pasted on the tank ends and shell:

owners code and serial number;

country code,;

type, size of container and pressure rating of tank;

control number of the container;

UN cargo number;

hazard label of a transported cargo according to GOST 19433-88 and to the "UN Recommendations for transportation of dangerous cargoes ”, UN, 1988.

Additionally, date of last survey, trade mark of the manufacturer, designation of container's modification and manufacturer's serial number, inscription RID/ADR, mark confirming the conformity with UIC Code are placed on the lateral surfaces of the tank.

On the tank's rear there are the following inscriptions in English:

maximal gross mass;

tare mass;

tank capacity.

6.1.4. On the top surface of the tank_container are put:

owners code and serial number;

cargo UN number;

hazard label.

6.1.5. On the tank in the area of the ladders an overhead electrification warning sign is affixed:

6.1.6. On the right hand bottom corner casting of the rear end frame the manufacturers serial number, technical control service mark and mark of the Register are stamped.

6.1.7. On the left hand bottom casting of the rear end frame the owners code and serial number are stamped.

6.1.8. On the inside of the valve box lid a maintenance instructions plate in Russian and English is fixed.

6.1.9. These marks and inscriptions are typographically printed self adhesive decals. The specifications outlined on these decals, the material from which they are made and the means by which they are fixed to the tank surface are subject to the Register’s approval.

6.2.1. The following elements of the container are subject to sealing:

manhole;

valve box;

documentation case;

safety relief valve.

6.2.2. Seal installation points are determined by the container design documentation .

6.3.1. Painting of the container and fixing of inscriptions is performed by the manufacturer upon agreement with the customer and during operation by the owner of the container or by a suitable maintenance organization.

6.3.2. The arrangement and pattern of obligatory inscriptions and marks should strictly correspond to the tank_container technical specifications and drawings.

6.3.3. According to the basic technical documentation, the container for liquefied hydrocarbon gases is painted as follows:

external surface of the tank and screen - light grey;

whole length of the bottom of the tank to a height of 300 mm - black;

whole length of the tank on both sides above the center line – a red- orange 300 mm-wide strip;

on the tank ends , 300 mm from the edges - green circles;

end frames, bottom and lateral struts, ladders and walkways - green;

in conformity to date of the latest survey – certain colour changes may be stipulated each year (as established by the Register Rules).

6.3.4. According to the basic technical documentation a container for the transport of liquefied ammonia is painted:

external surface of the tank and screen - white;

along the tank on both sides above the middle line red - orange 300 mm-wide strip;

on the tank ends, 300 mm from edges - red-orange circles;

end frames, bottom and lateral struts, ladders and walkways - red-orange

in conformity to date of the latest survey - certain color for each year (as established by the Register Rules).

6.3.5. The flange and the end cup of the liquid phase loading/discharge device is painted in red or red - orange. The flange and the end cup of the gas/vapour phase recovery device - dark brown.

6.3.6. In accordance with the container technical documentation, a flame retardant foaming compound is coated onto the surface of the tank shell under the paint coat of the tank shell and screen to provide the tank and cargo with protection from fire exposure.

Scientific and Research Institute for Special Mechanical Engineering

P.O Box 12

141371, Khotkovo-1.

Moscow Region,

Russian Federation

Tel: +7 (09654) 3 82 75

Fax: +7 (09654) 3 90 56

E-mail: metcom@tsinet.ru