Small tips for imported pressure vessels

 

 

 

Q: What is a pressure vessel?

 

A: The Announcement No. 114 of the General Administration of Quality Inspection in 2014 on the Revision of the "Catalogue of Special Equipment" provides a clear definition for pressure vessels, which refer to sealed equipment that contains gas or liquid and carries a certain pressure. Its scope is defined as gas with a maximum working pressure greater than or equal to 0.1MPa (surface pressure), liquefied gas, and liquid with a maximum working temperature greater than or equal to the standard boiling point Fixed and mobile containers with a volume greater than or equal to 30L and an inner diameter (non circular section refers to the maximum geometric size of the boundary inside the section) greater than or equal to 150mm; Gas cylinders containing gases, liquefied gases, and liquids with a nominal working pressure greater than or equal to 0.2MPa (gauge pressure) and a product of pressure and volume greater than or equal to 1.0MPa • L, as well as liquids with a standard boiling point equal to or below 60 ℃; Oxygen chamber. At the same time, in the form of a list, the specific scope of the types and varieties of pressure vessels included in the supervision has been clarified.

 

 

 

Special Equipment Catalog

 

 

笔记

The above parameters can be found on the nameplate and manual of the pressure vessel. Only those that meet all the conditions can be classified as pressure vessels. For example, our household pressure cooker, because its volume is less than 30L, does not belong to pressure vessels in special equipment.

 

 

 

Q: Are pressure vessels classified as special equipment?

 

A: Article 2 of the Special Equipment Safety Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that "special equipment refers to boilers, pressure vessels (including gas cylinders), pressure pipelines, elevators, lifting machinery, passenger ropeways, large amusement facilities, specialized motor vehicles in the field (factory), as well as other special equipment that is subject to the law and administrative regulations and poses a significant risk to personal and property safety (Including gas cylinders) is a type of special equipment.

 

 

 

Pressure vessels (including gas cylinders) belong to a type of special equipment.

 

 

 

 

Q: What are the relevant regulations for imported pressure vessels?

 

A: According to Article 30 of the Special Equipment Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, "Imported special equipment shall comply with the requirements of China's safety technical specifications and pass the inspection; if it is necessary to obtain a production license for special equipment in China, a license shall be obtained." The term "license" referred to here is clearly defined in the Announcement of the State Administration of Market Regulation on Administrative Licensing of Special Equipment (No. 3 of 2019).

 

 

 

License Catalogue for Special Equipment Production Units

This article stipulates the accompanying relevant materials and documents, requiring that the technical materials and documents accompanying imported special equipment shall comply with the provisions of Article 21 of this Law, When special equipment leaves the factory, it should be accompanied by design documents, product quality certificates, installation and maintenance instructions, supervision and inspection certificates, and other relevant technical information and documents required by safety technical specifications. Product nameplates, safety warning signs, and instructions should be prominently placed on the special equipment. The installation and maintenance instructions, product nameplates, safety warning signs, and instructions should be in Chinese.

 

 

 

In summary, imported pressure vessels must not only comply with relevant licensing systems, but also meet the requirements of relevant laws and regulations and accompanying documents.

 

 

 

Q: What if there is no license for imported pressure vessels?

 

A: The import and export inspection of special equipment shall comply with the laws and administrative regulations related to import and export commodity inspection. Imported pressure vessels belong to the category of special equipment under the national manufacturing license system. Pressure vessels imported separately or in complete sets of equipment must have the "Special Equipment Manufacturing License of the People's Republic of China", which is a mandatory requirement under relevant laws in China. In recent years, customs officers have discovered during on-site inspections that unlicensed pressure vessels are imported separately, or that unlicensed pressure vessels are carried in complete sets of imported equipment. According to the relevant provisions of the Implementation Regulations of the Import and Export Commodity Inspection Law of the People's Republic of China, the pressure vessels should be returned or destroyed.

 

 

 

Q: Can old pressure vessels be imported?

 

A: According to Announcement No. 106 of 2018 of the General Administration of Customs of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China on the Catalogue of Used Mechanical and Electrical Products Prohibited from Import, steel containers containing compressed or liquefied gas (referring to retail packaging) and other containers containing compressed or liquefied gas (referring to non retail packaging) with commodity codes 7311001000 and 7311009000 belong to the category of used mechanical and electrical products prohibited from import.