scope:

This standard specifies the requirements for flame arresters protecting systems containing vapors of flammable or combustible liquids where vapor temperatures do not exceed 60°C.

This standard is NOT applicable to the following:

• external safety-related measurement and control equipment that might be required to keep the operational conditions within the established safe limits;

• flame arresters used for explosive mixtures of vapors and gases, which tend to self-decompose (e.g. acetylene) or which are chemically unstable;

• flame arresters used for carbon disulphide, due to its special properties;

• flame arresters whose intended use is for mixtures other than gas-air or vapor-air mixtures (e.g. higher oxygen-nitrogen ratio, chlorine as oxidant, etc.);

• flame arresters for internal-combustion compression ignition engines;

• fast acting valves, extinguishing systems and other explosion isolating systems;

• flame arresters integrated or combined with explosion-protected equipment, such as blowers, fans, compressors or pumps.

Purpose

This standard states Approval requirements for static (dry type) flame arresters. These flame arresters are for vent pipes of storage tanks (end-of-line), in-line deflagration type and in-line detonation type arresters.

Flame arresters for vent pipes of storage tanks are intended to prevent propagation of flame into a storage tank.

In-line detonation flame arresters are intended to qualify detonation flame arresters for all in-line applications independent of piping configuration provided the operating pressure is equal to or less than the maximum operating pressure limit specified in the manufacturer's certification and the diameter of the piping system in which the detonation arrester is to be installed is equal to or less than the piping diameter used in the testing. These flame arresters are uni-directional type or bidirectional type and are intended to prevent the transmission of a detonation and deflagration. Inline detonation arresters as examined and tested to this standard are suitable for in-line detonations and deflagrations, stable and unstable. In-line deflagration flame arresters are in-line flame arrester devices suitable for explosions with subsonic flame velocities and therefore the pipe length between potential ignition source and the in-line deflagration flame arrester is limited. In-line deflagration arresters are suitable in-line deflagrations only.

Approval criteria may include, but are not limited to, design, construction, performance requirements, marking requirements, examination of manufacturing facility(ies), audit of quality assurance procedures, and a surveillance program.