BRITISH STANDARD BS EN

12300:1999
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Incorporating
Amendment No. 1

Cryogenic vessels —
Cleanliness for
cryogenic service

The European Standard EN 12300:1998, with the incorporation of

Amendment A1:2006, has the status of a British Standard

ICS 27.200

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 BS EN 12300:1999
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National foreword

This British Standard is the English language version of EN 12300:1998,

including amendment A1:2006.
The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in
the text by tags !". Tags indicating changes to CEN text carry the number
of the CEN amendment. For example, text altered by CEN amendment 1:2006
is indicated by !".
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee
PVE/18, Cryogenic vessels, which has the responsibility to:

— aid enquirers to understand the text;

— present to the responsible international/European committee any

enquiries on the interpretation, or proposals for change, and keep UK
interests informed;
— monitor related international and European developments and
promulgate them in the UK.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on

request to its secretary.
Cross-references
The British Standards which implement international or European
publications referred to in this document may be found in the BSI Catalogue
under the section entitled “International Standards Correspondence Index”, or
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This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
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Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, the EN title page,
pages 2 to 7 and a back cover.
The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the
document was last issued.

This British Standard, having Amendments issued since publication

been prepared under the
direction of the Engineering
Sector Committee, was published Amd. No. Date Comments
under the authority of the
Standards Committee and comes
into effect on 15 February 1999
16379 31 July 2006 See national foreword

© BSI 2006

ISBN 0 580 30386 1

 EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 12300
November 1998
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NORME EUROPEÂENNE
+ A1
EUROPAÈISCHE NORM May 2006

ICS 27.200

Descriptors: pressure vessels, cryogeny, area, cleanliness checks, cleaning, protection, specifications, marking

English version

Cryogenic vessels Ð Cleanliness for cryogenic service

ReÂcipients cryogeÂniques Ð Proprete Kryo-BehaÈlter Ð Reinheit fuÈr den tiefkalten Betrieb

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 1 September 1998.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a
national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical
references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to
the Central Secretariat or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German).
A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a
CEN member into its own language and notified to the Central Secretariat has the
same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
United Kingdom.

CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comite EuropeÂen de Normalisation
EuropaÈisches Komitee fuÈr Normung

Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels

 1998 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national
Members.
Ref: No. EN 12300:1998 E
 Page 2
EN 12300:1998
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Foreword Contents
This European Standard has been prepared by Page
Technical Committee CEN/TC 268, Cryogenic vessels,
the Secretariat of which is held by AFNOR. Foreword 2
This European Standard shall be given the status of a 1 Scope 3
national standard, either by publication of an identical 2 Normative references 3
text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 1999, and 3 Definitions 3
conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at
the latest by May 1999. 4 Requirements 3
This document has been prepared under a mandate 5 Cleaning procedure 3
given to CEN by the European Commission and the 6 Cleanliness evaluation 3
European Free Trade Association. 7 Post cleaning protection 3
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, 8 Marking 4
the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Annex A (informative) Inspection methods 5
Standard: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Foreword to amendment A1
This document (EN 12300:1998/A1:2006) has been
prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 268
“Cryogenic vessels”, the secretariat of which is held by
AFNOR.
This Amendment to the European Standard
EN 12300:1998 shall be given the status of a national
standard, either by publication of an identical text or
by endorsement, at the latest by November 2006, and
conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at
the latest by November 2006.
This document has been prepared under a mandate
given to CEN by the European Commission and the
European Free Trade Association, and supports
essential requirements of EU Directive(s).
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations,
the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European
Standard: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland and United Kingdom.

 BSI 02-1999
 Page 3
EN 12300:1998
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1 Scope 4.2 Additional requirements for oxygen and

oxidizing fluids
This standard specifies the minimum requirements for
the cleanliness of all surfaces of cryogenic vessels and For oxygen and other oxidizing fluids, hydrocarbon
associated accessories that are in contact with the contamination, paint, adhesives, sealants and protective
cryogenic fluid at any expected operating conditions. coating shall not be detectable by visual examination
using white light unless they are oxygen compatible in
This standard defines the acceptable level of surface
accordance with EN 1797-1.
and particle contamination to minimize the risk of
malfunction of equipment and ensure safety against The maximum acceptable hydrocarbon contamination
ignition when in contact with oxygen or oxidizing (oil, grease, etc.) is 500 mg/m2.
fluids (see EN 720-2).
5 Cleaning procedure
2 Normative references Any cleaning procedure may be used, providing the
! The following referenced documents are requirements of 4.1 and 4.2, if relevant, are met. If
indispensable for the application of this document. For solvent or cleaning agents are used, they shall be
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For compatible with all materials to be cleaned in
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced particular plastics. Special care shall be taken to
document (including any amendments) applies." remove any non oxygen compatible agents
(see EN 1797-1) from equipment cleaned for oxygen or
EN 720-2, Transportable gas cylinders Ð Gases and oxidizing fluid service.
gas mixtures Ð Part 2: Determination of
flammability and oxidizing ability of gases and gas
mixtures. 6 Cleanliness evaluation
prEN 1251-1:1995, Cryogenic vessels Ð Transportable An inspection and sampling method shall be selected
vacuum insulated vessels of not more than 1000 litres to ensure that the requirements of 4.1 and 4.2, if

ｗｗｗ．ｂｚｆｘｗ．ｃｏｍ
volume Ð Part 1: Fundamental requirements. relevant, are met. It shall take into account the
EN 1797-1, Cryogenic vessels Ð Gas/material cleaning procedure to be used, the equipment to be
compatibility Ð Part 1: Oxygen compatibility. cleaned and its level of contamination. Cleanliness
evaluation methods may include those listed in
annex A.
3 Definitions The method of inspection shall not itself result in
For the purpose of this European Standard, the contamination levels greater than those specified in 4.1
following definitions apply. and 4.2.
3.1 The cleanliness evaluation method shall be
cryogenic fluid documented and the results obtained shall be
recorded.
see prEN 1251-1:1995
3.2
7 Post cleaning protection
oxidizing fluid
After cleaning, items shall be protected to maintain
cryogenic fluid with oxidizing properties in accordance their clean condition until used. To reduce the risk of
with EN 720-2 condensing any atmospheric moisture during storage,
consideration shall be given to purging and sealing the
4 Requirements equipment.
4.1 General requirements Any packaging, plugs, etc. that can contact the clean
surfaces shall be clean and removable without leaving
Chips, foreign matter, major potentially loose particles
any residue. Any packaging material shall be strong
such as oxide scale and weld spatter, are not
enough to resist the expected handling and storage
acceptable.
conditions and be able to be sealed and water proof.
Particles visible under daylight or white light without
magnification are not acceptable. More stringent Any protective gas used shall be dry and oil and dust
requirements for particle size may be required free.
depending upon the design of the system to avoid Any pressurizing gas shall be kept at low pressure
malfunction of equipment. compatible with the strength of the packaging and
Free water shall not be detectable by visual should not exceed 0,5 bar. For pressure above 0,5 bar
examination. the package may fall under transportable pressure
vessels regulation.

 BSI 02-1999
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EN 12300:1998
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8 Marking
Evidence of conformity with the requirements of this
standard shall be documented by either:
Ð a certificate accompanying the equipment/item; or
Ð a label fixed to the protective packaging or
equipment/item.
The certificate or label shall indicate:
Ð ªEN 12300 Ð O2º when cleaned for oxygen or
other oxidizing fluids;
Ð ªEN 12300º when cleaned for other cryogenic
fluids only.
If a protective gas is used, the type of gas and its
pressure shall be legibly marked.

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 BSI 02-1999
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EN 12300:1998
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Annex A (informative) A.3 Direct visual examination method with

ultraviolet light
Inspection methods Ultraviolet light causes many common, but not all,
A.1 General hydrocarbon or organic oils to fluoresce. An ultraviolet
Various methods exist for determining the cleanliness light with a wavelength of about 370 nm used in dark
acceptance of equipment and it is necessary that the or near darkness at a distance of about 10 cm to 20 cm
method selected complements the cleaning method from the surface or piece being examined can show
used. This annex covers the most practical and fluorescent areas for further inspection by other means
effective methods available. It is necessary that such as wipe test, etc. Fluorescent traces due to
competent persons with the necessary training and material residues known to be harmless are
relevant industrial experience are used for this activity. acceptable.
All parts being checked by solvent flushing or When considering a piece of equipment cleaned for use
immersion should be able to drain freely to empty the in oxygen service, it is important not to rely alone on
solvent. If an area is identified which cannot freely the result of this test as, for example, some vegetable
drain, a method should be developed to remove oils do not fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Therefore
completely the solvent without leaving contamination. although this test can be useful, it is certainly not the
most important inspection method and should be
For parts that are inaccessible for inspection after supported by white light and/or wipe tests.
assembly, it may be necessary to disassemble or
NOTE Excessive exposure to direct or reflected ultraviolet light
inspect parts prior to assembly. Consideration should can cause eye and skin damage and therefore care should be
be given to any contamination which may occur during taken when it is being used and the lamp manufacturer's
the assembly of inspected components. instructions should be complied with.
If an inspection reveals the presence of any A.4 Wipe test method
contaminants, the item should be partially or totally
This test is useful when white light examination has
recleaned. Persistent rejection requires a re-evaluation
been inconclusive.

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of the cleaning methods and quality control provisions
before re-acceptance. The surface is rubbed lightly with a clean lintfree
cotton or linen cloth or with a white filter paper.
A.2 Direct visual examination with daylight or
This cloth or paper is examined under white light
white light
and/or ultraviolet light to find any contaminating traces.
This is the most common inspection method used to A light oxide discoloration is in some cases acceptable.
detect the presence of contaminants on equipment Since it is not acceptable to leave paper or cloth
with easily accessible surfaces. This method will particles on the equipment, this method is not
without magnification detect very small particulate recommended for rough or cast materials.
matter and moisture, oils, grease, etc. in relatively small
amounts. A.5 Water break test
The effectiveness of this method is dependent on the This test may be used to detect oily residues not found
roughness of the inspected surface. The method can be by other means. The surface is wetted with a spray of
used for sandblasted or mechanically cleaned steel clean water. This should form a thin layer and remain
surfaces. unbroken for at least 5 s. Beading of the water
droplets indicates the presence of oil contaminants.
Magnifying glasses are not necessary, but it is
important to have a sufficient bright level of daylight A.6 Solvent contamination test method
or artificial white light. This inspection method is used to check the result of
Visual examination of the surfaces is appropriate for highly specialized methods of solvent cleaning when
detecting: inaccessible surfaces or bigger installations have to be
Ð moisture (free water); cleaned. For most small components it is easier and
more economical to disassemble for inspection or to
Ð cleaning agents;
inspect before assembly. It should be taken into
Ð flux residues from brazing, soldering or welding; account that this method of cleaning and inspection is
Ð rust and loose scale, weld spatters, particles, limited by the ability to reach and dissolve the
fibres or other foreign matter; contaminants if present. Local contamination in
Ð organic material such as oils, grease, paint, etc.. pockets of complex equipment may be detected using
this method of inspection by getting successive slight
This direct visual examination method enables but constant indications of contamination.
detection of a hydrocarbon contamination level Considerable experience is necessary to assess the
of 500 mg/m2. results of this method.

 BSI 02-1999
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EN 12300:1998
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The method of inspection is based on the comparison where

of used and unused solvent. The level of, or freedom
from contamination present during solvent cleaning m1 is the weight of residue (clean solvent);
can be closely followed by taking successive solvent m2 is the weight of residue (used solvent);
samples during the entire cleaning process until
inspection confirms that the acceptance standard is MS is the weight of representative sample (used
reached. Checking the amount of contaminants in a solvent);
used sample is a good indication of the cleanliness MV is the total weight of solvent used;
level reached. A is the surface area of component cleaned;
The amount of contaminants in a sample can be
mc is the weight of contamination present per
determined in three ways:
area cleaned.
Ð weight of residue (laboratory test);
Ð volume of residue (laboratory test); A.6.2 Volume of residue
Ð light transmission. A measured quantity of a sample of the unfiltered used
solvent can be placed in a clear glass containment and
A.6.1 Weight of residue evaporated to dryness. The volume of residue can be
A known quantity (MS) of a representative sample of measured directly and used to compute the volume of
unfiltered used solvent is contained in a small weighed contaminant extracted per square metre of surface
beaker and is evaporated to dryness, being careful not area cleaned. Greater sensitivity can be achieved by
to overheat the residue and the weight (m2) of the successive evaporation of quantities of the same
residue established. In the same manner, the weight extracted solvent batch in the same glass containment.
(m1) of residue from a similar quantity of clean unused
solvent is determined. The difference in weight A.6.3 Light transmission
between the two residues and the quantity of A sample of the unfiltered used solvent is compared to
representative sample used is related to the total a reference sample of unused solvent by comparing
quantity (MV) of solvent used and is used to compute light transmission through the two samples
the amount of residual contaminant removed per
square metre (mc) of surface area A cleaned.

mc =
(m2 2 m1) MV/MS
A
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simultaneously. The difference in colour or light
absorption and in particle content of the solvents are a
qualitative indication of the amount of contaminants
dissolved. The quantity of any contaminants in a
sample can be estimated by analysis techniques,
e.g. making use of ultraviolet or infra-red light.

 BSI 02-1999
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 BSI 02-1999
!Annex deleted"
Page 7
EN 12300:1998

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 BS EN
12300:1999
BSI — British Standards Institution
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