scope:

Purpose

The purpose of AEP-33 is to provide a guide to the specialized techniques and equipment used to establish the compatibility of materials intended for use in oxygen-enriched environments, including oxygen mixtures with other gases, pure gaseous oxygen and liquid oxygen. The publication aims to foster the exchange of information and reduce the duplication of effort in the area of oxygen compatibility testing within NATO nations.

AEP-33 represents some of the experiences of the contributing analytical facilities. In Chapters 2 to 5, various techniques and methods are treated in a general manner. Sufficient details to undertake the tests is included in these Chapters, together with some advice on the choice and use of materials.

In certain instances, the name of a particular piece of test equipment or analytical instrument may be stated. These references are intended to convey some indication of the capabilities required to perform a given function.  They should not be construed as being a recommendation of any instrument, as others are available in most cases. Furthermore, the designated instrument may embody capabilities beyond the minimum requirements, i.e. a less sophisticated instrument could be used.

Chapters 6 and Annex A provide details of the Test methods and Regulations employed in Germany. A list of materials that have been assessed against an intended application using these Test methods can be found in AEP-42.

The question of establishing definitive limits for the testing of the compatibility of materials with oxygen has been discussed during the preparation of this document. The opinions expressed are those of the known experts in this field.