scope:

General

Standard Service Conditions

The standard service conditions specified in this section are provided as a basis for the design, manufacture, inspection, testing, and approval of containers that are to be mounted permanently on vehicles and used to store natural gas for use as a fuel on the vehicles.

Installation Requirements

Containers are intended to be installed on vehicles in accordance with the current edition of NFPA 52, Vehicular Fuel Systems Code, or CSA B109 Natural Gas for Vehicles Installation Code, or installed in vehicles certified in compliance with FMVSS No. 303, (49CFR571.303), Fuel System Integrity of Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles, or CMVSS 301.2 CNG Fuel System Integrity-Passenger Cars, Multipurpose passenger vehicles, Trucks, Buses and Chassis-Cabs or other equivalent standards.

This standard contains no requirements for container integrity in a vehicle collision. It is intended that containers be protected from accidental cargo spillage and from mechanical damage. Container locations and mountings should be designed to provide adequate impact protection to prevent container failure in a collision.

Periodic In-Service Inspections

Any requirements for periodic re-qualification by inspection or testing during the service life shall be specified by the container manufacturer on the basis of use under service conditions specified herein. Each container shall be visually inspected at least every 36 months, or at the time of any re-installation, for external damage and deterioration.

Prior to visual inspection, the container surface shall be exposed by the removal of protective shields and covers, unless the vehicle or container manufacturer recommends against such removal.

The inspection shall be performed by a qualified container inspector in accordance with (1) the manufacturer's recommendations and (2) the inspection procedures provided in the Method for External Visual Inspection of Natural Gas Vehicle Fuel Containers and Their Installations, CGA C-6.4. Inspections shall be documented by the inspector and the documentation shall be made available to the authority having jurisdiction upon request. Alternatively, containers may be inspected as installed using a non-destructive test method approved by the container manufacturer.

Containers without labels containing mandatory information, or with labels containing mandatory information which is illegible in any way, shall be removed from service. If the container can be positively identified by manufacturer and serial number, a replacement label supplied by the manufacturer may be applied to the container, and it may remain in service.

Overpressurization

Any container which is believed to have been subjected to a pressure greater than 1.25 times service pressure shall be depressurized and removed from service.

After inspection by an agency authorized by the manufacturer and, if required, by the authority having jurisdiction, the container may be returned to service if it is determined that the container has not suffered any damage that might reduce its service life. A record of any such incident shall be sent to and retained by the manufacturer according to the provisions of Section 13, Records of Manufacture.