Attachment_J.32,_TE_5.8N_Leak_Monitoring_Detection_and_Transfer_Procdures.docx

LEAK MONITORING, DETECTION AND TRANSFER PROCEDURES

SP3300-18-R-5004

Attachment J.32

TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 5.8N

LEAK MONITORING, DETECTION AND TRANSFER PROCEDURES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction: …………………………………………………………………….3 Procedures: ………………..……......................................................... Operation of the Model XP-1A Detector……………………………………...3 Leak Detection: Finding Leak Sources…………………………………….…3 Leak Monitoring and Safety Inspection during Initial Receipt……………...4 Leak Monitoring in Storage…………………………………………………….5 Leak Detection…………………………………………………………………..5 Determining Leak Rates.……………………………………………………….5 Actions Required for Specific Leak Rates……………………………………7 Recording/Reporting……………………………….……………………………7 ODS Transfer/ Repackaging Procedures……..……….…………………..…8

LEAK MONITORING, DETECTION AND TRANSFER PROCEDURES

Introduction:

All ODS Reserve cylinders containing product must be periodically inspected for leakages. Class I ODS are not replaceable, as manufacture has ceased. The Military Services depend on DLA to maintain the ODS Reserve quantities in their inventories. Periodic leak monitoring is necessary to prevent loss of product and release of ODS into the stratosphere. The planned leak detection program includes checking all cylinders at time of receipt, and regularly scheduled surveys (at least monthly) of all ODS material in storage. The regulatory requirement governing ODS is US Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart H, Protection of Stratospheric Ozone.

Operation of the Model XP-1A Detector:

The Contractor shall comply with the following procedures for the operation of Model XP-1A Detector:

Operation of the TIF Model XP-1A Leak Detector shall be in accordance with the procedures in the Owner’s Manual supplied with the detector. Before using the detector, operators shall become familiar with the features, parts and controls, operating instructions tips, maintenance instructions and complete training requirements.

Operators shall also ensure that meters are properly calibrated and operating within manufacture recommended levels prior to using the meter for leak detection.

Emphasis is placed on the fact that slower and closer movement of the probe by the source of the leak improves the accuracy of the leak detection. The probe must move at no greater than 1 inch per second and be within ¼ inch of leak sources. Any indication of a leak must be verified by moving the probe at approximately 2 to 5 millimeters (mm) per second and within 2 mm of the leak source. Further, movement of the ambient air around the leak source will dilute the concentration and distort the detection by the probe. Measures must be taken to restrict air movement around the containers while leak monitoring is being performed.

Initial operation of the detector shall be at the default level, which is Sensitivity Level 5. The presence of a constant audible tone and one green light on the indicator panel indicates there is no leak. In the presence of a leak, the tone will change distinctly to a more siren type sound, and the visual indicator lights progressively change.

Leak Detection: Finding Leak Sources

CFCs and Halons generally fall to the lowest elevation upon escape, but rise up into the atmosphere as they warm to ambient temperature. Consequently, when performing leak checks on larger quantities of containers, the first checks should be performed by searching/detecting in the low elevation accumulation areas at the base of the pallets. The second accumulation area is the carton or crate that cylinders may be stored in.

The detector probe should be inserted into the top of the carton/crate to detect the presence of CFCs or Halons. The 1,000-pound water capacity cylinders have numerous threaded connections within the protected collar area on the top of the cylinder that are potential leak sources.

Additionally, some 1,000-pound cylinders have a threaded plug on the bottom of the cylinder that is also a potential leak source. Specially sized rubber bands have been purchased to cover the vent holes in the protective collar and contain product leaks so initial detection can be made with a single insertion of the probe into the containment area. Cylinders with a bottom plug will be checked at the plug for possible leaks.

During routine monitoring, personnel shall fold aside the rubber bands to insert the leak detector probe. No change in the audible tone or in the indicator lights of the monitor would indicate no leakage, so the rubber bands would be folded back into place to retain the containment area for subsequent monitoring. When the detector indicates there is a leak, the concentration will not be indicative of the leak rate because the cavity has an accumulation of contained product. To determine the rate of leakage, the containment area must be opened and aired out so the detector probe can be utilized to detect the actual source of the leak. For those cylinders that do not have the rubber bands installed, follow instructions below.

In some cases an entire pallet of cylinders may be wrapped with plastic or encased in a bag to serve as a device for containment of any gas from leaking cylinders. If a cylinder should leak when stored on an encapsulated pallet, the gas will be uniformly distributed throughout the space, thereby facilitating a much faster leak detection operation. A portal type access will be provided for the entry of the leak detection probe into the encapsulated space. Again, the detector should be operated in accordance with the operation manual and the instructions outlined in section below.

Leak Monitoring and Safety Inspection during Initial Receipt:

The Contractor shall use a XP-1A hand-held leak detector to determine if there has been an accidental discharge while in transit. If at any time there is a reading indicating the presence of an ODS, the Contractor shall move away from the area for a sufficient amount of time to allow any heavy concentration to dissipate. The Contractor shall visually inspect the cylinders on each pallet to identify the types of cylinders and the types of valves. The Contractor shall unload, leak check, sort, and store in accordance with the ODS Reserve Customer Return Material Check-In and Tagging Procedure. The Contractor shall handle fire suppression system cylinders, commonly referred to as “System Cylinders” differently; depending upon the type of valve they are equipped with the following:

a. Burst Disk/Initiator Valves: The Contractor shall check for initiators and safety caps and proceed as follows:

(1) With no initiator but safety cap in place, proceed with unloading and storage.

(2) With initiator and a safety cap in place, proceed to unload, but place in temporary restricted storage and call ODS Reserve Program Office for initiator removal. Take care not to release any static electricity to initiator or initiator wiring.

(3) With initiator and no safety cap in place, proceed to unload, but place in temporary restricted storage then the Contractor shall install a safety cap, plug or plate over the outlet, taking care not to release any static electricity to initiator or initiator wiring. After safety measures are done call ODS Reserve Program Office for initiator removal.

(4) With no initiator and no safety cap, the Contractor shall install cap.

b. Mechanical/Cutter Valves: Check for safety caps and proceed as follows:

(1) With cutter mechanism removed and safety cap in place, or with cutter mechanism in place with a safety cap in it, proceed with unloading and storage.

(2) With cutter mechanism in place but no safety plug, DO NOT INSTALL A SAFETY PLUG. Assure that cylinder is secured to pallet, proceed to unload, but place in temporary restricted storage and alert Supervisor to have cylinder reclaimed. Take care that base of cylinder and cutter mechanisms are not hit hard against anything.

c. Schrader Valve/Core-Type Valves: Check for safety caps and proceed as follows:

(1) With safety caps on outlet port and release valve/mechanism or release mechanism secured, proceed with unloading and storage.

(2) With no safety cap on outlet port and/or release mechanism or release mechanism unsecured, proceed to unload but place in temporary restricted storage, install appropriate safety caps and/or secure release mechanism.

Leak Monitoring in Storage:

The monitoring and leak detection of ODS cylinders at any site must be done in a logical, methodical pattern to facilitate accounting for completed tasks, as well as accounting for those cylinders yet to be done. Most any monitoring pattern is acceptable, but the monitoring scheme must be contiguous, i.e. there should be no physical gaps in the locations/cylinders visited. Example: Complete storage bay 1 before proceeding to storage bay 2, aisle 1 before aisle 2, location 1 before location 2, etc. The pattern in this example could be reversed as long as locations are not skipped. However, to ensure the most efficient monitoring path, the travel pattern should be optimized to reduce travel distance between cylinders. Monitoring path optimization can be achieved by a number of different methods, depending on the layout of the warehouse.

Determining Leak Rates:

Upon detection of a leak, the Contractor shall determine the action required based on the severity of the leak. Since most leaks are from valves, the first action is to ensure the valves are tightly closed, then to re-sample the cylinder. If this does not stop the leak then move on to the following. Leak rates are determined by the number and color of alarm indicator lights displayed by the XP-1A Leak Detector. There are six alarm indicator lights (discounting the first LED light to the left, which is a level 1 sensor light and an on/off indicator light). The alarm lights may be on or off, and if on they can be one of 3 colors, starting with green and progressing from orange to red from left to right. The colors indicate sensitivity level read by the XP-1A sensing tip, i.e. Green being the weakest detection and red being the strongest detection. Based on lab research findings, the quantification of the leak rate based on the number of alarm lights turned on and the color of the lights is shown below:

At XP-1A Default Sensitivity Level 5:

· If the XP-1A Leak detector has up to 6 Green or Orange alarm lights, this indicates an unstable detection, or the leak is 1 oz or less per year

· If the XP-1A Leak detector has any red alarm lights – this indicates a leak rate greater than 1 oz per year. Reset the sensitivity to Level 3 to determine the actual leak rate.

At XP-1A Sensitivity Level 3:

The table below shows the number of alarm lights and colors that correspond to a particular leak rate.

All ODS Products Level 3 Sensitivity Reading

Each cylinder that has been leak checked will be recorded on a worksheet. The NSN, product name, warehouse location, quantity, and date checked shall be entered on the worksheet.

Actions Required for Specific Leak Rates

Upon detection of a leak, the action required depends on the severity of the leak. The Contractor shall complete the following actions as described in the table below for the selected leak rates.

Actions Required for Specific Leak Rates

Ounces/year Leak Rate

Level 3 Alarm Lights Avg. Per month Loss

Action Required

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor

Oz.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor. If leak rate does not decrease after 18 months –transfer product

Orange 0.8 Oz.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor. If leak rate does not decrease after 12 months –transfer product

Orange 1.08 Oz.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor. If leak rate does not decrease after 9 months –transfer product

Orange 1.25 Oz.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor. If leak rate does not decrease after 6 months –transfer product

Oz.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor. If leak rate does not decrease after 5 months –transfer product

Oz.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor. If leak rate does not decrease after 3 months –transfer product

Oz.

Flag location as a leaker and Monitor. If leak rate does not decrease after 2 months –transfer product

Oz.

Transfer Product as soon as possible (not to exceed 24 Hours)

40 CFR 82.270(b) states that “no person testing, maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of halon-containing equipment or using such equipment for technical training may knowingly vent or otherwise release into the environment any halons used in such equipment.”

The Contractor shall weigh all cylinders requiring transfer prior to being moved for pumping. The weight shall be marked on the shoulder of the cylinder using a black ink marker.

ODS Transfer /Repackaging Procedure

The Contractor shall follow the guidelines when repackaging halons and refrigerants.

Example: repackaging from a 1,000 pound water capacity cylinder (half-ton) into a 122 pound water capacity cylinders.

Tools required:

1) Product pump. Ensure pump is in proper operating condition, has new filters and has no remaining refrigerant or halon vapors from prior operations.

2) Vacuum (evacuation) pump. Check oil level and overall condition

3) Proper hoses. Ensure hoses are clean and dry

4) Leak detector. Model TIF XP-1a is the only authorized leak detector allowed.

5) Calibrated scales. Scales should be checked at the beginning of every day by placing calibrated weight on scale.

Procedures:

1) Weigh the full half-ton cylinder to ensure it contains the correct amount of product and verify the attached lab analysis report shows product meets all specifications.

2) Check the condition of the receiving cylinder for correct markings, re-test date and general condition.

3) To evacuate the contents of the receiving cylinder, pull a vacuum to 29.92 inches hg. Pulling a deep vacuum is required to eliminate the potential for a problem with high pressure later. Always close the cylinder valve before turning off or unhooking the vacuum pump.

NOTE: After pulling a vacuum on a cylinder, do not open or even crack a valve. The slightest amount of non-condensables (e.g. air, nitrogen) in the cylinder will cause an undesirable increase in pressure when refrigerant or halon is introduced into the cylinder. Ensure all traces of a non-condensable, especially in smaller cylinders, are removed. Watch the vacuum gauge after turning off the vacuum pump. If there’s a leak in the system or any non-condensables remain in the cylinder, loss of vacuum will occur. If the vacuum gauge moves at all, repeat the evacuation process.

4) Place empty evacuated receiving cylinder on a calibrated scale (without safety cap) and compare the tare weight with the tare weight stamped on the cylinder. If there is more than a two (2) pound difference, set the receiving cylinder aside and select another.

5) Place the full (previously weighed – Step 1) half-ton cylinder next to scale and hook- up a transfer pump from the liquid valve of the full cylinder to the single port valve of the receiving cylinder. When the hose from the transfer pump is attached to the 122 pound receiving cylinder, the scale weight may change. Note that weight and write it on the receiving cylinder, in small numbers, with a permanent black marker. Use this information to determine total fill weight.

6) Determine the product fill weight for the cylinder to be filled. This information is in the Requisitioning Procedures or Fed Log, and will be identified by NSN on the project order. Example: The project order may state, “Repackage from 10 each Halon 1301, NSN 6830-01-392-5017 (1240 pounds each) into 90 each NSN 6830-01-392-4154 (137 pounds each of Halon 1301)”.

7) Purge air from the hoses, tighten the fitting and begin transferring. Because the cylinder is in a deep vacuum, do not turn the pump on at this time. At the beginning of the process, the receiving cylinder will suck product faster than the pump can transfer. During this process, leak monitor the hoses, pump, cylinder and valves to detect any leakage as soon as possible.

8) Do not turn the pump on until the pressure equalizes which is indicated by a reducing or slowing weight gain in the receiving cylinder. When pressure equalizes, start the pump and continue to watch the scale. Monitor the pump site glass to ensure liquid is flowing to avoid pumping vapor. If vapor starts flowing through the sight glass, stop the pump, close the valves and disconnect the half- ton cylinder. Pull and weigh (Step 1) another full half-ton cylinder for pumping.

NOTE: Refer to Step 12 for consolidation of cylinders containing vapor.

9) When the required weight is in the receiving cylinder, stop the pump and close the valve on the receiving cylinder and the shut-off valve on the end of the hose. Write the weight on the cylinder. Remove the hose from the cylinder and note the weight. If the scale weight changed after removing the hose, add or remove product to obtain the proper weight. Adding or removing product will become easier after filling a few cylinders. Weight accuracy is very important when filling a cylinder. If each cylinder is overfilled by one pound, there will not be enough product to complete the project order. Example: A project order to fill 500 45 pound cylinders requires 22,500 pounds of product. If cylinders are overfilled by one pound, only 489 cylinders (46 pounds each requiring 22,494 pounds) can be filled resulting in a shortage of 495 pounds to fill the 11 remaining cylinders.

10) Leak check the receiving cylinder and check the pressure. The cylinder temperature will be elevated because of the pumping process, so ensure the cylinder is at ambient temperature before comparing to the temperature/pressure chart. If the pressure is high, the most likely cause is high non-condensables which means either the cylinder wasn’t properly evacuated or the pump and hoses weren’t properly purged. Leak check immediately after filling each cylinder. It is extremely important to find problems as soon as possible.

11) Ensure each cylinder has proper labeling with correct NSN, weight of cylinder, type of product, and fill date.

12) “Empty” half-ton cylinders from which product was transferred are not actually empty. They may contain hundreds of pounds of vapor. Consolidate vapor from all “empty” cylinders for reuse. The consolidated vapor will condense into a liquid. Perform this consolidation process during the fill operation to ensure enough product is available to fill all the smaller cylinders.

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