Piperidine is a colourless liquid with a fish-like odour. Piperidine is used in rubber vulcanization. There are various other uses for this chemical. One infamous use is in production of narcotics due to which Piperidine is listed as a precursor by United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Solution or Piperidine in water is a strong alkali and is corrosive hence listed under Class 8 in Dangerous Goods Regulations. IMDG Code lists Piperidine as
UN 2401 Class 8 , Subsidiary Risk 3 packing group I. Piperidine must be separated from acids when transporting or storing.
Cat, Felis catus, is a domesticated carnivorous animal.
A young male cat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
But CAT is Critical Ambient Temperature which is a very important one representing thermal stability of Calcium Hypochlorite.
Much has been said and written about dangers of Calcium Hypochlorite. Many ships had experienced powerful explosion and subsequent fire resulting in total loss of vessel due to this chemical.
The lowest ambient temperature at which the runaway reaction occurs is the critical ambient temperature (CAT) of the material.
Quote from U.K. PnI Club
“Examples in the literature show that Professor Brian Gray determined that the critical ambient temperature for a 40 kg keg of CH containing 8.5% moisture, UN2880, is about 55°C whereas for a 200kg drum of the material it is about 44°C. It follows from this that a container load of 200kg drums will have a CAT lower than 44°C because the drums will thermally interact with each other within the container.”
Ultracapcitors are double layered capacitors which have a greater
A photo of supercapacitors BC and MC product ranges by Maxwell Technologies (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
advantage of long life, low cost per cycle, good reversibility, high charge and discharge rate, high output power, improved safety, no corrosive electrolyte and low toxicity of materials etc.
Diagram comparing construction of three types of capacitors: electrostatic (normal), electrolytic (high capacity) and electrochemical (supercapacitors). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ultracapacitor can be charged in a second. Imagine charging your laptop battery in 1 second and using laptop for hours 🙂
Ragone plot showing energy density vs. power density for various devices. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ultracpacitors can be used in vehicles in regenerative breaking applications. Toyota TS030 HYBRID uses ultracapacitors.
KiloFarad International (kFi), an association of ultracapacitor manufacturers, submitted proposal regarding Transport requirements for ultracapacitors (Electric Double Layer Capacitors) to UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
Proposal considered various aspects related to transport of these capacitors including use of an existing UN number or issuing new UN number with special provisions. Subsequently UN Model Regulations 17th Revised Edition included new UN Number UN 3499 under class 9 with Proper shipping name CAPACITOR, electric double layer (with an energy – storage capacity greater than 0.3 Wh)
Watch out IMDG CODE 36th amendment coming in print by October 2012 aligned with UN Model Regulations 17th Revised Edition.
Aerosol inhaler for asthma is a pressurized aerosol which when used will eject the medicine as aerosol into the lungs.
The content inside asthma aerosol inhalers is propellant and the medicine. Typically the propellant is almost 99% of the content.
CFC propellants are replaced by HFA (hydrofluoroalkane) propellants as CFC is an ozone depleting substance. More information about HFA propellant inhalers can be found here.
Some of the asthma inhalers use 1,1,1,2-TETRAFLUOROETHANE as the propellant.
Since these inhalers are pressurized devices they will come under classification criteria of transport regulations. Aerosols are classified under UN 1950 in UN Model regulations.
Class 2.1 for flammables aerosols and class 2.2 for non-flammable aerosols.
However special provision 190 of model regulations states “Aerosols with a capacity not exceeding 50 ml containing only non-toxic constituents are not subject to the provisions of this Code.”
Inhaler capacity greater than 50 ML = UN 1950 2.2
Inhaler capacity not more than 50 ml = not hazardous for transport
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner is one of the best inventions in medical history. Using powerful magnetic field the scanner makes it possible to get 2D or 3D images of human body for medical examination. CT scans and X-rays uses ionizing radiation but MRI scanner use harmless magnet fields.
Modern high field clinical MRI scanner. (3T Achieva, the product of Philips at Best, the Netherlands.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Though harmless MRI scanner does have certain hazards, scanner uses cryogenic liquid helium for super conducting properties of electro-magnetic coils inside. In case if there is a rapid boiling of liquid helium to gas, known as quench effect, there is a possibility of helium escaping to scanner room and depleting oxygen. To avoid this there is a quench pipe and venting system. High energy magnet fields will attract any Ferro metallic object to it causing bodily harm to personal nearby or to patients who has implants.
Helium (Photo credit: Beige Alert)
Another bad part of MRI Scanner is the claustrophobic effect. I remember lying in a scanner for almost 40 minutes or so. I felt working in ships’ tunnels or cofferdams were better 😉 Acoustic noise produced by the coils was adding to the claustrophobia. I have those images still in my file, looks like Charles Darwin’s sketches trying to find missing link.
I had gone to MRI to check which nerve is casing acute meralgia paresthetica which had made me to walk limping as if I am wearing a prosthetic which has senses and acute pain. MRI, EMG , X-rays all failed to find whats the cause so no remedy. Then I regained my walking back without pain by braving and challenging the meralgia paresthetica. What I did? nothing much, just bought a mountain bicycle and hit on the road. Visit my cycling page
But at the end MRI Scanner is indeed one of the modern medical world’s best invention.
A dewar in which liquid helium is stored. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
MRI scanner transported as cargo will come under the purview of IMDG code if it contains refrigerated liquefied helium gas. MRI Scanners with liquefied helium has to be consigned under UN 1963, HELIUM, REFRIGERATED LIQUID, Class 2.2. National competent authority may have to authorize the transport.
SART, Search and Rescue Transponder, is a mandatory equipment required on board vessels by SOLAS regulations. SART is a battery powered radar transponder when activated by survivors will respond to detected radar signals of ships thus notifying the position of survivors.
SART can only be detected by X-band radar which has a wavelength of 3 cm.
SART Photo by Sunil Unnikrishnan
X-band radar signals of ships within vicinity (max 8 to 10 miles) will trigger the SART from standby mode to send out its signal which will then be displayed on other ship’s radar screen.
As a cargo when SART is transported it’s classified as Dangerous Goods Class 9 UN 3091 LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT.
When reading any section of IMDG Code we must keep in mind that the words Shall, Should and May when used mean that the relevant provisions are “mandatory”, “recommendatory” and “optional”, respectively.
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is an integral part of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). These beacons when operated will send distress signals to Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC) via polar orbiting COSPAS-SARSAT Satellites. EPIRB is a mandatory requirement as per SOLAS regulations.
Overview diagram of EPIRB/COSPAS-SARSAT communication system (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Fitted on board a vessel the beacon will automatically release if the vessel sinks and start sending out signals to satellites. Automatic activation is achieved by a hydrostatic release unit. EPIRB can also be manually activated
These beacons are powered by lithium primary batteries. When transported as cargo beacon is classified as Dangerous Goods UN 3091, class 9 LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT. EPIRBS fitted on board vessels does not come under the purview of IMDG Code
BLEVE is boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion. BLEVE is caused during fire of a tank, drum or any storage of liquids or gas when the container gives up due to pressure above its boiling point.
BLEVE is a great danger for fire fighters and those near. The first time this term was used after the Kansas City incident.
In Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods (EmS Guide) Below Schedules warns about BLEVE
F – C : NON-FLAMMABLE GASES
Gases in closed tanks exposed to heat may explode suddenly in or after a fire situation by a Boiling Liquid-Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). Heated or ruptured cylinders may rocket.
F – D : FLAMMABLE GASES
Gases in closed tanks exposed to heat may explode suddenly in or after a fire situation by a Boiling Liquid-Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). Crew members should be aware of the explosion hazard and take appropriate action.
F – E : NON-WATER REACTIVE FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS
Cargoes in tanks exposed to heat may explode suddenly in or after a fire situation by a Boiling Liquid-Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). Keep tanks cool with copious quantities of water.
Which IMO publications a vessel must carry? There are various publications which is to be carried mandatory and many are recommended and encouraged to carry.
SOLAS, MARPOL, LL, COLREG, and STCW Conventions deal with operational aspects, navigational responsibilities, safety related trainings/drills on board, safe cargo handling, oil spill prevention, collision avoidance activities and watchkeeping standards hence these publications though not mandatory, need to be carried on board in order to improve the crew’s knowledge.
Photo credit : Sunil Unnikrishnan
The publications may be carried in electronic form, like CD-ROM. However publications for emergency use, such as the International Code of Signals and the IAMSAR Manual should always be available in the form of hard copies since such publications need to be readily available for use in case of emergency without any restrictions such as only available on a computer at specific place.
Publications Required on board Vessels
Publications Required on board Vessels
All publications must be latest edition.
Dangerous Goods in Packaged form and in Solid Bulk form
Publications required for vessels carrying Dangerous Goods in Packaged form and in Solid Bulk form
Refer to MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.2 of 1 June 2006 for full details
IMDG Code Compliance Centre 