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Baffled, Un-baffled, and Compartmented Tanks

Baffled, Un-baffled, and Compartmented Tanks is a required knowledge area under 49 CFR 383.119(c), covering how a tank's internal construction affects cargo surge, cross-checked against the physical tank construction rule at 49 CFR 178.320(a).

Practice Baffled, Un-baffled, and Compartmented Tanks

4 Questions

  1. Federal regulation defines both "bulkhead" and "baffle" for cargo tanks. What separates the two?
  2. Baffles are fitted to a liquid tank to control surge. Which kind of surge do they do least about, and what does that leave the driver exposed to?
  3. An un-baffled tanker, often called a smooth bore tank, has nothing inside to slow the liquid down. Which cargoes typically ride in one, why, and what does that mean for the driver?
  4. You are loading a tank divided into smaller tanks by bulkheads, and later dropping part of the load. Besides the total weight, what has to be watched?