~ RITCHIE’s gas bundle offering is now TPED (Transportable Pressure Equipment Directive) compliant ~To ensure its customers are able to transport pressurised gases across the EU, handling, storage and security specialist RITCHIE has brought its bundle product portfolio into line with TPED.
The directive covers the transport of pressurised equipment, including the transport of gas bundles. A gas bundle by definition is two or more cylinders joined together within a manifold and restrained within a frame. RITCHIE designs and manufactures the frame element of the bundle for a range of customers, including long standing clients Air Products and Linde/BOC. Prior to TPED, the transport of such equipment was solely covered by BS EN 13769, which governs the design, manufacture, identification and testing of this equipment. Indeed, TPED still references BS EN 13769.
However, there is confusion within the industry on how to interpret TPED and different companies are taking different viewpoints on compliance dates amongst other things. “The document that outlines TPED is long and involved and by necessity written in a complex manner,” explained Steve Robertson, one of Ritchie’s project engineers. “Furthermore, the vast majority of the directive is concerned with other elements of transport and doesn’t touch on gas bundles. As a result, the challenge for all involved parties is to interpret the directive correctly and then apply it rigorously. At RITCHIE, we’ve built up a centre of excellence to do this and thus are able to make things easy for our clients.”
The compliance and manufacturing process is by necessity quite complex. An expert independent structural engineer verifies RITCHIE’s designs, and full calculations are supplied as a matter of course. Following the structural calculations, a prototype frame is manufactured by RITCHIE’s coded welders, to which approved welding procedures apply.
The frame then undergoes some rigorous testing at RITCHIE’s plant in Forfar, Scotland. This includes a rotational drop test, to simulate the impact of a bundle falling from the vehicle that’s transporting it and a vertical drop test to simulate it being dropped by a forklift. This entire process must be witnessed by a competent body such as Lloyds, DNV or similar.
“The rule of thumb is that if a gas bundle has to be transported on the road network anywhere in the European Union it must comply with TPED,” continued Robertson. “The only exception is that an offshore pack can be driven directly to the dockside for offshore use without TPED certification. However, if it is stored elsewhere on route or diverted, it has to comply. This means the most practical thing to do is to ensure compliance in the first instance. If they do go offshore, the bundles must, of course, also be compliant with the appropriate standard - DNV 2.7-1:2006.”
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For further information contact: John MacAskill,
David Ritchie Implements Limited, Carseview Road,
Forfar, Scotland, DD8 3BT
Telephone: 01307 462271
Fax: 01307 464081
e-mail: jmacaskill@ritchie-uk.com
www: http://www.ritchie-uk.com/
Press enquiries: Richard Stone
Stone Junction, 33 Kirkdale,
Sydenham, London, SE26 4BT
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8699 7743
e-mail: richards@stonejunction.co.uk
www: http://www.stonejunction.co.uk/
About RITCHIE: RITCHIE provides innovative handling, storage and security solutions for the offshore, industrial gas & chemical, defence, glass, distribution, automotive, rail and utility sectors. The business was established over a century ago and today employs over 120 people in two sites, supplying businesses across the globe.
Ref: RIT003/10/07
