Anhydrous Ammonia Bulk Storage Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1146)

• 18 (1) The distances prescribed in this section shall be measured from the loading or unloading point to the nearest point of the building or property line, as the case may be.

• (2) The loading or unloading racks or points shall be at least 150 feet from any station, office building or other similar place of public assembly on railway property.

• (3) It is recommended that the distance of loading or unloading racks from schools, hospitals, theatres, residential areas, or other similar places of public assembly be not less than 150 feet.

• (4) Except as provided in subsection (5), the loading or unloading racks or points shall not be less than 75 feet from engine houses, rail shops, grain elevators, or other similar buildings.

• (5) The distance of loading or unloading racks from a tank or building used exclusively by the owning or operating company shall not be less than 10 feet.

• 19 (1) Pumphouses or compressor houses and outdoor pumps or compressors driven by non-explosion proof motors or internal combustion engines shall be located not less than 10 feet from any storage tank, loading or unloading point, or building.

• (2) The distance requirement of subsection (1) does not apply to outdoor pumps or compressors driven by explosion proof motors marked or labelled Class I, Division I, Group D and wired in accordance with the Canadian Electrical Code for Class I, Division I, Group D locations.

• (3) The distance of pumphouses or compressor houses and outdoor pumps or compressors from any location on another property which may be built upon shall not be less than 25 feet.

20 The distance between a tank truck and a tank or tank car during loading or unloading operations shall not be less than 10 feet measured between the nearest points on the two tank shells.

PART IIIStorage Tanks

21 A cylinder or tank with a water capacity not exceeding 100 Imperial gallons and manufactured, filled, operated and maintained in accordance with a Canadian Transport Commission or an Interstate Commerce Commission specification, which is approved by either of these authorities for anhydrous ammonia, is exempt from sections 22 to 28 and all sections of Part V.

• 22 (1) The water capacity (measured at 60°F) of any unrefrigerated anhydrous ammonia storage tank located on carrier’s right-of-way shall not exceed 25,000 Imperial gallons.

• (2) The aggregate water capacity of tanks assembled in one group shall not exceed 150,000 Imperial gallons and groups of tanks shall be segregated as prescribed in subsection 15(16).

• 23 (1) Unrefrigerated tanks shall be constructed in accordance with the 1956, 1959 or 1962 issues of the A.S.M.E. Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code for Unfired Pressure Vessels to a design working pressure not less than 250 psig and a safety factor of not less than four.

• (2) The tank design shall be approved by the Pressure Vessel Inspection Branch of the province concerned.

• (3) Tank design drawings and specifications shall be in accordance with the requirements of Canadian Standards Association Pamphlet B-51 (1957).

• (4) Refrigerated tanks shall be designed in accordance with the directions of subsection (1) to a minimum design working pressure of 60 psig.

• (5) Containers exceeding 36 inches in diameter or 200 Imperial gallons water capacity shall be stress relieved after fabrication in accordance with the Code, or cold-formed heads, when used, shall be stress relieved, or hot-formed heads shall be used.

• (6) Welding to any parts of a tank subject to internal pressure shall be in accordance with the Code under which the tank was fabricated; non-Code welding is permitted only on saddle  plates, lugs or brackets attached to the container by the tank manufacturer.

• 24 (1) All tanks shall be inspected and tested prior to being put into use at the pressure specified by the A.S.M.E. Code by a qualified unfired pressure vessel inspector in accordance with the applicable regulations of the Province concerned.

• (2) A copy of the tank test and inspection report shall be filed with the Commission.

25 The tank shall be permanently marked or labelled as required by the A.S.M.E. Code under which the tank was manufactured and the Pressure Vessel Inspection Branch of the provincial government concerned.

26 Each above-ground tank with a water capacity exceeding 1,000 Imperial gallons shall be electrically grounded for protection against lightning with the resistance to ground being as low as possible and preferably not in excess of six ohms.

27 Each tank with a water capacity exceeding 2,000 Imperial gallons shall be equipped with a suitable pressure gauge graduated from 0 to 400 psi.

28 Each tank with a water capacity exceeding 5,000 Imperial gallons should be equipped with a suitable thermometer unless some other provision is made for determining the liquid temperature.

29 The below-ground installation of anhydrous ammonia tanks on the carrier’s right-of-way is prohibited.

• 30 (1) Except as provided in subsection (7), storage tanks shall be securely installed on solid foundations of steel or reinforced concrete with reinforced concrete footings extending below the frost line or resting on bedrock.

• (2) Except as provided in subsection (6), steel foundations shall be fire-proofed with a material having a fire resistance rating of not less than two hours.

• (3) Foundations shall be of sufficient width and thickness to adequately support the tank and its contents.

• (4) Provision shall be made for the thermal expansion and contraction of a tank.

• (5) Only two saddles shall be used for horizontal tanks.

• (6) Steel saddles which are welded to a tank need not be fire-proofed if the tank capacity does not exceed 500 Imperial gallons, or if the over-all height of the saddle does not exceed 18 inches.

• (7) Footings for tanks with a water capacity less than 500 Imperial gallons need not be installed below frost line if adequate provision is made to protect the piping against the effects of settling.

• 31 (1) Storage tanks shall not be installed in a building, unless the building is to be used exclusively for the storage of anhydrous ammonia and is ventilated to prevent the accumulation of fumes.

• (2) Storage tanks shall not be installed in outdoor locations where the natural dispersal of fumes would be seriously restricted.

• 32 (1) The filling density of above-ground unrefrigerated tanks shall not exceed 56 per cent for uninsulated tanks and 57 per cent for insulated tanks; for volume filling at various liquid temperatures, refer to chart of figure 23, Pamphlet G-2 of Compressed Gas Association, Inc.

• (2) The maximum amount of anhydrous ammonia that may be charged into a refrigerated storage container shall be that which theoretically would make the container liquid-full at a pressure equal to 120 per cent of the design pressure of the container under equilibrium conditions of temperature and pressure.

• 33 (1) Unless filling is controlled by weighing, tanks shall be equipped with a fixed tube liquid level, a rotary tube, an adjustable slip tube gauge, or other gauging device that will ensure that the maximum permitted filling density is not exceeded. If the gauging device is a float type or pressure differential type, the tank shall also be provided with a fixed tube, rotary tube, or adjustable slip tube gauge.

• (2) Gauge glasses of the columnar type shall be equipped with shut-off valves having metallic hand wheels, excess flow valves, extra heavy glass adequately protected by a metal housing applied by the manufacturer and shall be protected from the direct rays of the sun.

PART IVPiping and Transfer Equipment

34 Pumps and compressors used for transferring anhydrous ammonia shall be of a type suitable for anhydrous ammonia service, shall  be designed for not less than 250 psig working pressure, and shall be so recommended and permanently marked or labelled by the manufacturer.

35 Piping at pumps and compressors shall be so arranged as to ensure the safe operation of this equipment.

36 Refrigeration load and equipment for refrigerated storage systems shall be in accordance with the current edition of Agricultural Ammonia Institute pamphlet, Standards for the Storage and Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia.

• 37 (1) Hose and hose connections subject to container pressure shall be designed for a working pressure of not less than 350 psig with a factor of safety of not less than five.

• (2) The hose, as assembled for use, shall be tested for leaks at not less than twice the maximum working pressure before being put into service and should be tested at least annually thereafter at not less than 1½ times the maximum working pressure.

• (3) The hose shall be permanently and clearly marked or labelled “For Anhydrous Ammonia” or “NH₃”, or “A.A.”, together with the maximum working pressure, manufacturer’s name or symbol and year of manufacture.

• (4) Hose couplings shall be of steel.

• (5) Hose materials shall be resistant to the action of anhydrous ammonia under the service conditions to which they will be subjected.

• (6) Hose and hose connections located on the low pressure side of flow control or pressure reducing valves or devices, discharging to atmospheric pressure, shall be designed for a minimum working pressure of 60 psig.

• (7) Where hose is to be used for transferring liquid, wet hose is recommended and the hose shall be equipped with a shut-off valve on the discharge end and provision shall be made to prevent excessive hydrostatic pressure on the hose.

• (8) The use of hose is prohibited for interconnecting stationary containers.

• 38 (1) Piping shall be schedule 40 mild steel with welded joints and welding type fittings, or schedule 80 mild steel with either screw type or welded joints and welding type fittings.

• (2) Brazed joints are prohibited.

• (3) Unless the dryness of the ammonia can be assured, copper; copper, silver or zinc alloys, including brass or bronze; or galvanized pipe, valves or fittings shall not be used.

• (4) The use of cast iron pipe, valves or fittings in anhydrous ammonia service is prohibited.

• (5) Anhydrous ammonia shall not be allowed to come in contact with mercury in manometers and other equipment.

• (6) Joint compounds and pipe dopes shall be suitable for ammonia service.

• (7) Welding shall only be done by a qualified welder recognized as such by the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspection Branch of the provincial government concerned.

39 All storage tank connections, except those for safety relief valves or gauges, shall be labelled to indicate whether they communicate with the vapour or liquid phase during normal operations.

40 All storage tank connections, except those for gauges, safety relief valves or plugged openings, shall be provided with shut-off valves located as close to the tank as possible.

• 41 (1) All shut-off valves, throttling valves, gauges, and accessory equipment shall be of a type suitable for anhydrous ammonia service and shall be designed for not less than the maximum working pressure to which they may be subjected, except that the rated working pressure of valves, etc., subject to container pressure shall not be less than 250 psig.

• (2) All valves, gauges, fittings, and accessory equipment mentioned in subsection (1) shall be permanently marked or labelled with their maximum working pressure and the letters “A.A.” or “NH₃” to indicate their suitability for anhydrous ammonia service; e.g., “250 — A.A.”.

• 42 (1) Except as provided in subsection (4), all openings in unrefrigerated containers, except those for safety relief valves and those connections protected by an opening not larger than a No. 54 drill size (0.0550 inch), shall be equipped with excess flow valves or other suitable automatic valve or device which will automatically prevent loss of the tank contents in the event of a connection or line failure.

• (2) Connections on refrigerated containers shall be protected with excess flow valves or other devices as prescribed in the current edition of Agricultural Ammonia Institute pamphlet, Standards for the Storage and Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia.

• (3) Excess flow valves shall be designed with a bypass not to exceed a No. 60 drill size (0.0400 inch) opening to allow equalization of pressures.

• (4) An excess flow valve or other automatic device as prescribed in subsection (1) is not required for withdrawal connections of unrefrigerated tanks with a water capacity not exceeding 1,500 Imperial gallons, if the connection is protected by a controlling orifice not exceeding 5/16 inch diameter for vapour withdrawal and 1/8 inch diameter for liquid withdrawal, a manually operated shut-off valve, and a pressure-reducing regulator, all of which shall be assembled to the connection as prescribed in 2.2(d), Division II of the 1958 edition of National Fire Protection Association pamphlet No. 58.

• (5) Excess flow valves shall be permanently marked or labelled by the manufacturer with their maximum working pressure, rated capacity and the letters “A.A.” or “NH₃” to indicate their suitability for use in anhydrous ammonia service.

• (6) Excess flow valves or other automatic devices, as referred to in subsection (1), shall be installed in  such a manner that rupture of the line or connection will not adversely affect the protective device.

• (7) The connection or line housing an excess flow valve shall have a greater capacity than the rated capacity of the excess flow valve.