§ 179.200-14 - Expansion capacity.

§ 179.200-14 Expansion capacity.

(a) Tanks shall have expansion capacity as prescribed in this subchapter. This capacity shall be provided in the tank for Class DOT-111A cars, or in a dome for Class DOT-103 and 104 type cars.

(b) For tank cars having an expansion dome, the expansion capacity is the total capacity of the tank and dome combined. The capacity of the dome shall be measured from the inside top of shell of tank to the inside top of dome or bottom of any vent pipe projecting inside of dome, except that when a pressure relief device is applied to side of dome, the effective capacity of the dome shall be measured from top of the pressure relief device opening inside of dome to inside top of shell of tank.

(c) The opening in the tank shell within the dome shall be at least 29 inches in diameter. When the opening in the tank shell exceeds 30 inches in diameter, the opening shall be reinforced in an approved manner. This additional reinforcement may be accomplished by the use of a dome opening of the flued-type as shown in appendix E, Figure E 10C of the AAR Specifications for Tank Cars or by the use of reinforcing as outlined in Appendix E, E3.04 and Figures E10K and E10L. When the opening in the tank shell is less than the inside diameter of the dome, and the dome pocket is not closed off in an approved manner, dome pocket drain holes shall be provided in the tank shell with nipples projecting inside the tank at least 1 inch.

(d) The dome head shall be of approved contour and shall be designed for pressure on concave side.

(e) Aluminum alloy domes:

(1) The dome shell thickness shall be calculated by the formula in § 179.200-6(a).

(2) The dome head may be an ellipsoid of revolution in which the major axis shall be equal to the diameter of the dome shell and the minor axis shall be one-half the major axis. The thickness in this case shall be determined by using formula in § 179.200-6(a).

(3) The dome head, if dished, must be dished to a radius not exceeding 96 inches. Thickness of dished dome head must be calculated by the formula in § 179.200-6(c).

(4) Tank shell shall be reinforced by the addition of a plate equal to or greater than shell in thickness and the cross sectional area shall exceed metal removed for dome opening, or tank shell shall be reinforced by a seamless saddle plate equal to or greater than shell in thickness and butt welded to tank shell. The reinforcing saddle plate shall be provided with a fluid opening having a vertical flange of the diameter of the dome for butt welding shell of dome to the flange. The reinforcing saddle plate shall extend about the dome a distance measured along shell of tank at least equal to the extension at top of tank. Other approved designs may be used.

[29 FR 18995, Dec. 29, 1964. Redesignated at 32 FR 5606, Apr. 5, 1967, and amended by Amdt. 179-10, 36 FR 21350, Nov. 6, 1971; Amdt. 179-28, 46 FR 49906, Oct. 8, 1981; Amdt. 179-52, 61 FR 28680, June 5, 1996; 66 FR 45186, 45390, Aug. 28, 2001; 68 FR 48571, Aug. 14, 2003]