Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Council Directive 82/714/EEC (2006/87/EC) (repealed)

CHAPTER 14 LIQUEFIED GAS INSTALLATIONS FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES

Article 14.01 General

1. Liquefied gas installations consist essentially of a supply unit comprising one or more gas receptacles, and of one or more pressure regulators, a distribution system and a number of gas-consuming appliances.

Spare and empty receptacles not in the supply unit shall not be considered part of the installation. Article 14.05 shall apply to them mutatis mutandis.

2. Installations may be operated only with commercial propane.

Article 14.02 Installations

1. Liquefied gas installations shall be suitable throughout for use with propane and shall be built and installed in accordance with best practice.

2. Liquefied gas installations may be used only for domestic purposes in the accommodation and the wheelhouse, and for corresponding purposes on passenger vessels.

3. There may be a number of separate installations on board. A single installation shall not be used to serve accommodation areas separated by a hold or a fixed tank.

4. No part of a liquefied gas installation shall be located in the engine room.

Article 14.03 Receptacles

1. Only receptacles with an approved content of between 5 and 35 kg are permitted. In the case of passenger vessels, the inspection body may approve the use of receptacles with a larger content.

2. Receptacles shall bear the official stamp certifying that they have been accepted following the required tests.

Article 14.04 Location and arrangement of supply units

1. Supply units shall be installed on deck in a freestanding or wall cupboard located outside the accommodation in a position such that it does not interfere with movement on board. They shall not, however, be installed against the fore or aft bulwark. The cupboard may be a wall cupboard set into the superstructure provided that it is gastight and can only be opened from outside the superstructure. It shall be so located that the distribution pipes leading to the gas consumption points are as short as possible.

No more receptacles may be in operation simultaneously than are necessary for the functioning of the installation. Several receptacles may be connected only if a reversing coupler is used. Up to four receptacles may be connected per supply unit. The number of receptacles on board, including spare receptacles, shall not exceed six per installation.

Up to six receptacles may be connected on passenger vessels with galleys or canteens for passengers. The number of receptacles on board, including spare receptacles, shall not exceed nine per installation.

Pressure regulators, or in case of two-stage regulation the first pressure regulator, shall be fitted to a wall in the same cupboard as the receptacles.

2. Supply units shall be so installed that any leaking gas can escape from the cupboard into the open without any risk of it penetrating inside the vessel or coming into contact with a source of ignition.

3. Cupboards shall be constructed of flame-retardant materials and shall be sufficiently ventilated by apertures in the top and bottom. Receptacles shall be placed upright in the cupboards in such a way that they cannot overturn.

4. Cupboards shall be so built and placed that the temperature of the receptacles cannot exceed 50 °C.

5. The words ‘Liquefied gas’ and a ‘Fire, naked flame and smoking prohibited’ symbol at least 10 cm in diameter in accordance with Figure 2 of Appendix I shall be affixed to the outer wall of the cupboard.

Article 14.05 Spare and empty receptacles

Spare and empty receptacles not located in the supply unit shall be stored outside the accommodation and the wheelhouse in a cupboard built in accordance with Article 14.04.

Article 14.06 Pressure regulators

1. Gas-consuming appliances may be connected to receptacles only through a distribution system fitted with one or more pressure regulators to bring the gas pressure down to the utilisation pressure. The pressure may be reduced in one or two stages. All pressure regulators shall be set permanently at a pressure determined in accordance with Article 14.07.

2. The final pressure regulators shall be either fitted with or immediately followed by a device to protect the pipe automatically against excess pressure in the event of a malfunctioning of the pressure regulator. It shall be ensured that in the event of a leak in the protection device any leaking gas can escape into the open without any risk of it penetrating inside the vessel or coming into contact with a source of ignition; if necessary, a special pipe shall be fitted for this purpose.

3. The protection devices and vents shall be protected against the entry of water.

Article 14.07 Pressure

1. Where two-stage regulating systems are used, the mean pressure shall be not more than 2,5 bar above atmospheric pressure.

2. The pressure at the outlet from the last pressure regulator shall be not more than 0,05 bar above atmospheric pressure, with a tolerance of 10 %.

Article 14.08 Piping and flexible tubes

1. Pipes shall consist of permanently installed steel or copper tubing.

However, pipes connecting with the receptacles shall be high-pressure flexible tubes or spiral tubes suitable for propane. Gas-consuming appliances may, if not permanently installed, be connected by means of suitable flexible tubes not more than 1 m long.

2. Pipes shall be able to withstand any stresses, in particular regarding corrosion and strength, which may occur under normal operating conditions on board and their characteristics and layout shall be such that they ensure a satisfactory flow of gas at the appropriate pressure to the gas-consuming appliances.

3. Pipes shall have as few joints as possible. Both pipes and joints shall be gastight and shall remain gastight despite any vibration or expansion to which they may be subjected.

4. Pipes shall be readily accessible, properly fixed and protected at every point where they might be subject to impact or friction, particularly where they pass through steel bulkheads or metal walls. The entire surface of steel pipes shall be treated against corrosion.

5. Flexible pipes and their joints shall be able to withstand any stresses which may occur under normal operating conditions on board. They shall be installed in such a way that they are free of tension, cannot be heated excessively and can be inspected over their entire length.

Article 14.09 Distribution system

1. It shall be possible to shut off the entire distribution system by means of a main valve which is at all times easily and rapidly accessible.

2. Each gas-consuming appliance shall be supplied by a separate branch of the distribution system, and each branch shall be controlled by a separate closing device.

3. Valves shall be fitted at points where they are protected from the weather and from impact.

4. An inspection connection shall be fitted after each pressure regulator. It shall be ensured using a closing device that in pressure tests the pressure regulator is not exposed to the test pressure.

Article 14.10 Gas-consuming appliances and their installation

1. The only appliances that may be installed are propane-consuming appliances approved in one of the Member States and equipped with devices that effectively prevent the escape of gas in the event of either the flame or the pilot light being extinguished.

2. Appliances shall be so placed and connected that they cannot overturn or be accidentally moved and any risk of accidental wrenching of the connecting pipes is avoided.

3. Heating and water-heating appliances and refrigerators shall be connected to a flue for evacuating combustion gases into the open air.

4. The installation of gas-consuming appliances in the wheelhouse is permitted only if the wheelhouse is so constructed that no leaking gas can escape into the lower parts of the craft, in particular through the penetrations for control lines to the engine room.

5. Gas-consuming appliances may be installed in sleeping quarters only if combustion is independent of ambient air in the quarters.

6. Gas-consuming appliances in which combustion depends on ambient air shall be installed in rooms which are sufficiently large.

Article 14.11 Ventilation and evacuation of combustion gases

1. In rooms containing gas-consuming appliances in which combustion depends on ambient air, fresh air shall be supplied and combustion gases evacuated by means of ventilation apertures of adequate dimensions, with a clear section of at least 150 cm² per aperture.

2. Ventilation apertures shall not have any closing device and shall not lead to sleeping quarters.

3. Evacuation devices shall be so designed as to ensure the safe evacuation of combustion gases. They shall be reliable in operation and made of non-combustible materials. Their operation shall not be affected by forced ventilation.

Article 14.12 Operating and safety requirements

An operating instruction shall be affixed on board in a suitable place. It shall contain at least the following:

‘The valves of receptacles not connected to the distribution system shall be closed, even if the receptacles are presumed empty’;

‘Flexible pipes shall be replaced as soon as their condition so requires’;

‘All gas-consuming appliances shall be connected or the corresponding connecting pipes shall be sealed’.

Article 14.13 Acceptance test

Before a liquefied gas installation is put into service, after any modification or repair and on every renewal of the attestation referred to in Article 14.15, the entire installation shall be accepted by an expert recognised by the inspection body. During the acceptance test the expert shall verify whether the installation conforms to the requirements of this Chapter. He shall submit an acceptance report to the inspection body.

Article 14.14 Tests

Tests on the installation shall be carried out under the following conditions:

1.

Medium-pressure pipes between the closing device, referred to in Article 14.09 (4), of the first pressure regulator and the valves fitted before the final pressure regulator:

(a)

pressure test, carried out with air, an inert gas or a liquid at a pressure 20 bar above atmospheric pressure;

(b)

tightness test, carried out with air or an inert gas at a pressure 3,5 bar above atmospheric pressure.

2.

Pipes at the service pressure between the closing device, referred to in Article 14.09(4), of the only pressure regulator or the final pressure regulator and the valves fitted before the gas-consuming appliances:

• tightness test, carried out with air or an inert gas at a pressure of 1 bar above atmospheric pressure.

3.

Pipes situated between the closing device, referred to in Article 14.09 (4), of the only pressure regulator or the final pressure regulator and the controls of gas-consuming appliances:

• tightness test at a pressure of 0,15 bar above atmospheric pressure.

4.

In the tests referred to in paragraphs 1(b), 2 and 3, the pipes are deemed gastight if, after sufficient time to allow for equalisation with ambient temperature, no decrease in the test pressure is observed during a further 10 minute test period.

5.

Receptacle connectors, pipe joints and other fittings subjected to the pressure in the receptacles, and joints between pressure regulators and the distribution pipe:

• tightness test, carried out with a foaming substance, at the service pressure.

6.

All gas-consuming appliances shall be brought into service at the nominal capacity and shall be tested for satisfactory and undisturbed combustion at different capacity settings.

Flame failure devices shall be checked to ensure that they operate satisfactorily.

7.

After the test referred to in paragraph 6, it shall be verified for each gas-consuming appliance connected to a flue, whether, after five minutes' operation at the nominal capacity, with windows and doors closed and the ventilation devices in operation, any combustion gases are escaping into the room through the air intake.

If there is a more than momentary escape of such gases, the cause shall immediately be detected and remedied. The appliance shall not be approved for use until all defects have been eliminated.

Article 14.15 Attestation

1. The Community certificate shall include an attestation to the effect that all liquefied gas installations conform to the requirements of this Chapter.

2. The attestation will be issued by the inspection body following the acceptance test referred to in Article 14.13.

3. The attestation shall be valid for a period not exceeding three years. It may be renewed only after a further acceptance test carried out in accordance with Article 14.13.

Exceptionally, where the owner of a vessel or his representative submits a reasoned request, the inspection body may extend the validity of the attestation for not more than three months without carrying out the acceptance test referred to in Article 14.13. Such extension shall be entered in the Community certificate.