Container

Reference Clauses of the Act : Art. 5, para. (1), item (i) and Art. 41, para. (1)

It can be said that there are “containers” in a broad sense and in a narrow sense. Whether “containers” in any of the provisions of the Act and Order are used in a broad or narrow sense might be judged from the content of the provision.
 

[I] “Containers” in a broad sense

“Containers” in a broad sense mean containers for keeping high pressure gas in them or equipment or the like to keep (including passing or processing) high pressure gas inside or outside it except for pipes and pipelines. Even a tubular object is a container when it has functions as one piece of equipment. The containers in the provision of Article 5, paragraph (1), item (i) of the Act are containers in a broad sense.

Specific examples of “containers” in a broad sense include the following.

(1) Containers for being filled with high pressure gas
Those containers should be limited to those to which the Container Safety Ordinance and the Regulations on Safety of Containers Relating to International Reciprocal Recognition apply.

(2) Equipment (containers) for producing high pressure gas (except for that for refrigeration)

(i) Storage vessels/storage tanks, reactors, furnaces, heat exchangers, refining towers, and separators
That equipment (containers) shall be made to undergo an inspection regarding each of the processes of manufacture as Designated Equipment.

(ii) Compressors, pumps, flow meters, level gauges, measuring instruments, and strainers

(3) Containers relating to refrigerant equipment of a apparatuses used exclusively for refrigeration equipment
Refrigerant equipment with a refrigerating capacity of less than 20 tons per diem should be excluded from that refrigerant equipment, and containers relating to a pump and a compressor should be excluded from those containers.
 

 [II] “Containers” in a narrow sense

(1)  “Containers” in a narrow sense mean only the containers referred to in paragraph [I], item (1) above and mean “containers for being filled with high pressure gas” (Article 41, paragraph (1) of the Act) “which are capable of being transported at a ground level” (Article 1 of the Container Safety Ordinance) and “containers for automobile fuel systems recognized to be in conformity with No. 110 or No. 134 of the Regulations Annexed to the Agreement” (Article 1 of the Regulations on Safety of Containers Relating to International Reciprocal Recognition). The containers falling into the category of those containers are regulated mainly pursuant to Chapter 4 of the Act and the Container Safety Ordinance and the Regulations on Safety of Containers Relating to International Reciprocal Recognition that have been established pursuant to that chapter.
A “container” simply referred to generally means the container in a narrow sense.

Moreover, for containers used in a non-airtight state (which include those used for being filled with extremely-low-temperature liquefied gas) and containers whose internal volume is not more than 1 dL, the application of the Act is excluded regarding the obligation to undergo a container inspection (Article 3, paragraph (2) of the Act). However, the high pressure gas with which those containers are filled is regulated by the Act and Order regarding its production, sale, and other handling.

(2) The containers specified in the Container Safety Ordinance and the Regulations on Safety of Containers Relating to International Reciprocal Recognition are classified as follows.

• Seamless containers (which include general seamless containers and aluminum alloy seamless containers for scuba diving)
• Welded containers
• Ultra low-temperature containers
• Low-temperature containers
• Brazed containers
• Non-refillable containers
• Fiber-reinforced plastic composite containers (which include hoop-wrapped containers, full-wrapped containers, and general FRP composite containers)

• Compressed natural gas containers for automobile fuel systems (including containers for trunks)
• Compressed hydrogen containers for automobile fuel systems (including containers for trunks)
• GTR-compliant compressed hydrogen containers for automobile fuel systems
• Compressed hydrogen containers for motorcycle fuel systems
• Liquefied natural gas containers for automobile fuel systems
• Liquefied petroleum gas containers for automobile fuel systems
• High-pressure gas containers for transportation automobiles (which include compressed hydrogen containers for transportation automobiles)
• Compressed hydrogen gas containers for automobile fuel systems under the International Reciprocal Recognition Agreement
• Natural gas containers for automobile fuel systems under the International Reciprocal Recognition Agreement

(iii)  The categories of containers by their production methods are shown in the drawing below.

 (iv) Categories of containers according to the groups of gases with which the containers are filled
Regarding any of those containers, a gas with which the container is filled may be changed for another gas without going through the necessary procedure for changing the former gas (i.e. without changing the “stamp or marking plate showing the variety of a high pressure gas with which the container has to be filled”) if that other gas falls in the same group as the former.