CLA-2-84:OT:RR:NC:1:104
Ms. Sophia Ko
ClearFreight Inc.
880 Apollo Street, Suite #101
El Segundo, CA 90245
RE: The tariff classification of an expander wheel from Germany
Dear Ms. Ko:
In your letter dated November 18, 2010, on behalf of Atlas Copco Mafi-Trench Co. LLC, you requested a tariff classification ruling.
The expander wheel is located in the expansion turbine section of a turboexpander machine. Turboexpanders are used in the oil and gas industry as well as in the chemical processing and air separation industries. Materials used in the fabrication of the expander wheel are aluminum alloy, titanium alloy or stainless steel alloy. The wheels are available in size (diameter and weight) ranges from 3 inches/0.8 lbs up to 40 inches/1000 lbs.
The two major components of a turboexpander are an expansion turbine and a compressor. The expander wheel and the compressor wheel are connected by means of a single shaft. The expansion turbine produces the power that drives the compressor. High pressure gas goes through the expander wheel where the heat energy is extracted from the gas stream. The gas leaves the expander wheel at a lower pressure and temperature. A turboexpander is not used for the production of gas or fluid. No combustion or other chemical conversion processes take place within the turboexpander. It operates on fluids other than steam (such as natural gas). The expander wheel does not compress or separate the gas stream. It is used to expand one gas stream and extract energy. The extracted energy is converted to mechanical energy and transmitted through the rotating shaft to the compressor wheel which uses the energy to boost the pressure in a different gas stream.
In your firm’s original request dated October 7, 2010, Mr. Gerry Gallegos had proposed classifying the good in subheading 8406.90.4580, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), which provides for Steam turbines and other vapor turbines, and parts thereof: Parts: Of Steam turbines: Other …Other. However, you indicated that the turboexpander operates on fluids other than steam. Thus, the expander wheel would not be considered a part of a steam turbine.
The applicable subheading for the expander wheel as described above will be 8479.90.9496, HTSUS, which provides for Machines and mechanical appliances having individual functions, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; parts thereof: Parts: Other: Other: Other. The rate of duty will be Free.
Duty rates are provided for your convenience and are subject to change. The text of the most recent HTSUS and the accompanying duty rates are provided on World Wide Web at http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/.
This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).
A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, contact National Import Specialist Patricia O’Donnell at (646) 733-3011.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Swierupski
Director
National Commodity Specialist Division