ASTM_D_3103_-_20.pdf

Designation:D310320Standard Test Method forThermal Insulation Performance of Distribution Packages1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D3103;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope*1.1 This test method covers the determination of the thermalinsulation quality of a package and the thermal stability of itscontents when exposed to variable ambient temperature con-ditions.It is suitable for testing packages with various internalenergy sources with or without product payloads.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety,health,and environmental practices and deter-mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific precautionary statements are given in 5.3.1.3 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D996 Terminology of Packaging and Distribution Environ-mentsD4332 Practice for Conditioning Containers,Packages,orPackaging Components for TestingE177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias inASTM Test MethodsE691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test Method2.2 Other Standards:ISTA 7D Temperature Test for Transport Packaging33.Terminology3.1 DefinitionsGeneral definitions for packaging and dis-tribution environments are found in Terminology D996.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 data acquisition unit and associated systemsingle-or multi-channel recorder and its associated software andhardware utilizing thermocouples and thermistor sensors trace-able to NIST(National Institute for Standards and Technology)that collects and date stamps time and temperature.3.2.2 draft-free atmospherean atmosphere where the testspecimens are isolated from direct air currents while surround-ing air temperature is maintained uniformly throughout thechamber.3.2.3 eutectic system,na mixture or compound in whichpure solid phases changes occur at a well-defined specifictemperature.3.2.4 exterior atmospherethe atmosphere surrounding theexterior surface of a package.3.2.5 interior atmospherethe atmosphere in contact ornear the packaged item.3.2.6 mappingcollecting temperature data at a wide rangeof locations inside a package or chamber to determine thevariability of temperature range in the environment.3.2.7 package systemthe combination of exterior package,interior packaging,refrigerants,and product payload.3.2.8 product payloadthe product and any associatedsecondary packaging that is to be temperature controlled withinthe insulated test package.3.2.9 refrigerantseutectic materials,gel packs,ice,orother material that serves as an energy source or buffer mediumwithin the package system.3.2.10 secondary packagethe package that contains theprimary container/closure system(s).1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D10 onPackaging and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D10.21 on ShippingContainers and Systems-Application of Performance Test Methods.Current edition approved April 1,2020.Published June 2020.Originallyapproved in 1972.Last previous edition approved in 2014 as D3103 14.DOI:10.1520/D3103-20.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Available from International Safe TransitAssociation(ISTA),1400Abbott Rd.,Suite 160,East Lansing,MI 488231900,http:/www.ista.org.*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standardCopyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.3.2.11 thermal conductivity,homogeneous materialtherate of heat flow,under steady conditions through unit area,perunit temperature gradient in the direction perpendicular to thearea.4.Significance and Use4.1 This test method is intended for use for evaluating theperformance of thermal insulated packaging used for high-value,high-risk materials.This test method m