CLA-2-84:S:N:N1:104 899838
Mr. John C. Orth
Flosep Inc.
14947 NE 95th Street
Redmond, WA 98052
RE: The tariff classification of vortex tube industrial and
automotive air cleaners/dust collectors from South Africa.
Dear Mr. Orth:
In your letter dated June 27, 1994 you requested a tariff
classification ruling.
You describe the vortex tubes as miniature horizontal cyclones
designed to efficiently separate particulate matter from dirty gas
streams by means of centrifugal or spinning action which separates
the heavy dust particles from the gas, and directs the particles
to a suitable exit or collection port. The dust laden air enters
the vortex generator portion of the tube where it is given an
intense swirl. Inlet diameters range from 18 to 100 mm for standard
tubes and from 150 to 2000 mm for large single tubes. The standard
sizes are assembled into panels of parallel tubes to handle large
air or gas flows. These panels contain from as few as 6 to several
hundred tubes. The tubes have no moving parts.
The automotive pre-cleaners or pre-filters include two series.
The first are constructed substantially of plastic and carry model
numbers corresponding to the number of 25 mm vortex tubes they
contain. They are intended primarily for use on farm tractors for
pre-cleaning engine intake air but can be used on other automotive
units with engine displacement up to about 4 liters. Pre-filter
units in the second series are constructed substantially of metal,
but with plastic vortex tubes of 18mm or 22mm diameter. These units
are intended for use on construction machinery, industrial
tractors, off-road mobile equipment etc.
The industrial vortex tube panels are mechanical dust
separators. They may be used as pre-filters for bag houses and
other media filters, to control dust in mines, mills or industrial
plants or for removing dust on machinery or space ventilation air
intakes. A wide variety of panels will be imported, varying in the
number of tubes in the panel and in the size of the vortex tubes.
The applicable subheading for the automotive type vortex tubes
will be 8421.31.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States (HTS), which provides for filtering or purifying machinery
and apparatus for gases: intake air filters for internal combustion
engines. The rate of duty will be 3.1 percent.
The applicable subheading for the industrial type vortex tubes
will be 8421.39.8015, HTS, which provides for filtering or
purifying machinery and apparatus for gases: other: other. The rate
of duty will be 3.9 percent.
Effective on or after May 10, 1994, articles classifiable
under subheadings 8421.31.00 and 8421.39.80, HTS, which are
products of South Africa are entitled to duty free treatment under
the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) upon compliance with
all applicable regulations.
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Section
177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).
A copy of this ruling letter should be attached to the entry
documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If the
documents have been filed without a copy, this ruling should be
brought to the attention of the Customs officer handling the
transaction.
Sincerely,
Jean F. Maguire
Area Director
New York Seaport