Current through Reg. 49, No. 12; March 22, 2024
(a) Instead of NFPA 58, §6.14, all new
stationary LP-gas installations with individual or aggregate water capacities
of 4,001 gallons or more shall:
(1) install a
vertical bulkhead complying with subsection (d) of this section; and
(2) install one of the following in all
container openings 1 1/4 inches or greater, as required in this section and
§
RSA
9.126 of this title (relating to
Appurtenances and Equipment):
(A)
pneumatically-actuated or electrically-actuated emergency shutoff valves
(ESV);
(B) pneumatically-actuated
or electrically-actuated internal valves;
(C) pneumatically-actuated or
electrically-actuated API 607 ball valves; or
(D) in lieu of the ESV or internal valve
specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph, a backflow check
valve may be installed where the flow is in one direction into the container.
The backflow check valve shall have a metal-to-metal seat or a primary
resilient seat with metal backup, not hinged with combustible material, and
shall be designed for the specific application.
(b) Valve protection requirements.
(1) The pneumatic ESV and/or backflow check
valves shall be installed in the fixed piping of the transfer system upstream
of the bulkhead and within four feet of the bulkhead with a stainless steel
flexible wire-braided hose not more than 36 inches long installed between the
ESV and the bulkhead.
(2) The ESV
shall be installed in the piping so that any break resulting from a pull away
will occur on the hose or swivel-type piping side of the connection while
retaining intact the valves and piping on the storage side of the connection
and will activate the ESV at the bulkhead and the internal valves, ESV, and API
607 ball valves at the container or containers. Provisions for anchorage and
breakaway shall be provided on the cargo tank side for transfer from a railroad
tank car directly into a cargo tank. Such anchorage shall not be required from
the tank car side.
(3)
Pneumatically-actuated or electrically-actuated ESV, internal valves, and API
607 ball valves shall be equipped for automatic shutoff using thermal (fire)
actuation where the thermal element is located within five feet (1.5 meters) of
the ESV, internal valves, and/or API 607 ball valves. Temperature sensitive
elements shall not be painted nor shall they have any ornamental finishes
applied after manufacture.
(4)
Internal valves, ESVs, and backflow check valves shall be tested annually for
working order. The results of the tests shall be documented in writing and kept
in a readily accessible location for one year following the performed
tests.
(5) Pneumatically-actuated
or electrically-actuated internal valves, ESV, and API 607 ball valves shall be
interconnected and incorporated into at least one remote operating
system.
(c) In addition
to NFPA 58 §5.9.4.1, stationary LP-gas installations or railroad tank car
transfer systems to fill trucks with no stationary storage involved shall have
vertical bulkheads, pneumatic ESV and/or backflow check valves installed where
the flow is in one direction into the container. ESVs, internal valves, and API
607 ball valves shall have emergency remote controls conspicuously marked
according to the requirements of Table 1 of §
RSA
9.140 of this title (relating to System
Protection Requirements) as follows:
(1) For
all new and existing facilities, where a bulkhead, internal valves, and ESVs
are installed, at least one clearly identified and easily accessible manually
operated remote emergency shutoff device shall be located between 20 and 100
feet from the ESV in the path of egress from the ESV.
(2) In addition to NFPA 58 §7.2.3.8
beginning September 1, 2005, for new installations, at least one clearly
identified and easily accessible manually operated remote emergency shutoff
device shall be located between 25 and 100 feet from the ESV at the bulkhead
and in the path of egress from the ESV. API 607 ball valves installed after
February 1, 2008, shall also meet the requirements of this section.
(d) Existing installations which
have horizontal bulkheads and cable-actuated ESV shall comply with the
following:
(1) If the horizontal bulkhead
requires replacement, it shall be replaced with a vertical bulkhead;
(2) If a cable-actuated ESV requires
replacement, it shall be replaced with a pneumatically-actuated or
electrically-actuated ESV;
(3) If
the horizontal bulkhead or a backflow check valve or a cable-actuated ESV are
moved from their original location to another location, no matter what the
distance from the original location, then the installation shall comply with
the requirements for a vertical bulkhead and pneumatically-actuated or
electrically-actuated ESV;
(4) All
cable-actuated ESV shall be replaced with pneumatically-actuated or
electrically-actuated ESV by January 1, 2011.
(e) Bulkheads, whether horizontal or
vertical, shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) Bulkheads shall be installed for both
liquid and vapor return piping.
(2)
No more than two transfer hoses shall be attached to a pipe riser. If two hoses
are simultaneously connected to one or two transports, the use of the two hoses
shall not prevent the activation of the ESV in the event of a pull
away.
(3) Both liquid and vapor
transfer hoses shall be plugged or capped when not in use.
(4) Bulkheads shall be located at least 10
feet from any aboveground container or containers and a minimum of 10 feet
horizontally from any portion of a container or valve exposed aboveground on
any underground or mounded container. If the 10-foot distance cannot be
obtained, the licensee or nonlicensee shall inform AFS in writing and include
all necessary information. AFS may grant administrative distance variances to a
minimum distance of five feet. If the licensee or nonlicensee requests that the
bulkhead be closer than five feet to the container or containers, the licensee
or nonlicensee shall apply for an exception to a safety rule as specified in
§
RSA
9.27 of this title (relating to Application
for an Exception to a Safety Rule).
(5) Horizontal bulkheads shall not be
converted to vertical bulkheads.
(6) Bulkheads shall be anchored in reinforced
concrete to prevent displacement of the bulkhead, piping, and fittings in the
event of a pullaway.
(7) Bulkheads
shall be constructed by welding using the following materials or materials with
equal or greater strength, as shown in the diagram.
Attached Graphic
(A) Six-inch steel channel iron shall be
used.
(B) Legs shall be four-inch
schedule 80 piping.
(C) The top
crossmember of a vertical bulkhead shall be six-inch standard weight steel
channel iron. The channel iron shall be installed so the channel portion is
pointing downward to prevent accumulation of water or other debris. The height
of the top crossmember above ground shall not result in torsional stress on the
vertical supports of the bulkhead in the event of a pullaway.
(D) The kick plate shall be at least 1/4 inch
steel plate installed at least 10 inches from the top of the bulkhead
crossmember. A kick plate is not required if the crossmember is constructed to
prevent torsional stress from being placed on the piping to the pipe
risers.
(E) Pipe sleeves or
couplings shall comply with clause (i) or (ii) of this subparagraph.
(i) Either a schedule 40 pipe sleeve or a
3,000-pound coupling shall be welded between the top crossmember and the kick
plate;
(I) Pipe sleeves shall have a clearance
of 1/4 inch or less for the piping to the pipe riser, and the piping shall
terminate through the bulkhead with a schedule 80 pipe collar, a minimum
12-inch schedule 80 threaded (not welded) pipe riser (nipple), and an elbow or
other fitting between the bulkhead and hose coupling;
(II) If a 3,000-pound coupling is used, no
collar is required; however, the minimum 12-inch length of schedule 80 threaded
pipe riser and an elbow or other fitting between the bulkhead and hose coupling
are required;
(III) Elbows or other
fittings shall comply with NFPA 58, §5.11.4 and shall direct the transfer
hose from vertical to prevent binding or kinking of the hose; or
(ii) A pre-manufactured riser pipe
break-away coupler shall be designed with an engineered break point located
between two swing check valves.
(I) The riser
pipe break-away coupler shall be designed so that the device used in the
loading or unloading operations is able to stop the flow of product from both
the source and the receiving tank within 20 seconds without human intervention
in the event of a pullaway; and
(II) The riser pipe break-away shall be
designed to direct the transfer hose from vertical to prevent binding or
kinking of the hose.
(8) In lieu of a minimum 12-inch nipple on a
vertical bulkhead, swivel-type piping (breakaway loading arm) may be installed.
The swivel-type piping shall meet all applicable provisions of the rules in
this chapter. The swivel-type piping may also be used for loading, unloading,
or product transfer, but shall not be used in lieu of ESVs. The swivel-type
piping shall be installed and maintained according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
(9) AFS may require
additional bulkhead protection if the installation is subject to exceptional
circumstances or located in an unusual area where additional protection is
necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the general
public.
(f) The
bulkheads, internal valves, backflow check valves, and ESVs shall be kept in
working order at all times in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
and the rules in this chapter. If the bulkheads, internal valves, backflow
check valves and ESVs are not in working order in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions and the rules in this chapter, the licensee or
operator of the installation shall immediately remove them from LP-gas service
and shall not operate the installation until all necessary repairs have been
made.
(g) In addition to NFPA 58
§§5.11.6 and 6.11.6.1, by February 1, 2003, rubber flexible
connectors which are 3/4-inch or larger in size installed in liquid or vapor
piping at an existing liquid transfer operation shall have been replaced with a
stainless steel flexible connector. Stainless steel flexible connectors shall
be 60 inches in length or less, and shall comply with all applicable rules in
this chapter. Flexible connectors installed at a new installation after
February 1, 2001, shall be stainless steel.
(h) If necessary to increase LP-gas safety,
AFS may require a pneumatically-actuated or electrically-actuated internal
valve equipped for remote closure and automatic shutoff through thermal (fire)
actuation to be installed for certain liquid and/or vapor connections with an
opening of 3/4 inch or one inch in size.
(i) Stationary LP-gas installations with
individual or aggregate water capacities of 4,001 gallons or more are exempt
from subsections (a) through (c) of this section provided:
(1) each container is filled solely through a
1 3/4 inch double back check filler valve installed directly into the
container;
(2) at least one clearly
identified and easily accessible manually operated remote emergency shutoff
device shall be located between 25 and 100 feet from the point of transfer in
the path of egress to close the primary discharge valves in the containers;
and
(3) the LP-gas installation is
not used to fill an LP-gas transport.
