Pennsylvania CDL Tanker Test flashcards
Pennsylvania CDL Tanker Test · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Tanker endorsement
- The N endorsement required on a Pennsylvania CDL to operate a tank vehicle, in addition to the H endorsement for placarded hazardous materials loads.
- Pre-trip tank inspection
- A walk-around check of the tank shell, piping, valves, gaskets, hatches, and grounding studs for leaks, cracks, and loose fittings before every trip.
- Dome cover seal
- The hatch lid and gasket that must seat fully; a poor seal lets vapor escape and liquid spray out during a rollover or sudden stop.
- Emergency shutoff valve
- An internal or remote valve that stops product flow from the tank; it must operate freely and be open at the handle for normal driving.
- Grounding and bonding
- Connecting the tank and loading equipment to a common ground so static electricity discharges safely instead of igniting flammable vapors.
- Placard check
- Confirming placards match the cargo and are displayed on both sides and both ends of the tank before departure.
- High center of gravity
- Liquid cargo sits high in the tank, raising the vehicle's center of gravity and increasing weight transfer to outside wheels in a turn.
- Rollover threshold
- The lateral acceleration at which the vehicle tips; it drops as speed and steering rate rise, especially for a high-center-of-gravity tank.
- Weight transfer
- The shift of load from inside to outside wheels during a turn; the higher the center of gravity, the greater the transfer and rollover risk.
- Stopping distance
- The distance needed to stop; it grows with the square of speed, so doubling speed roughly quadruples the braking distance.
- Steering axle unloading
- A rear-heavy or unbalanced load removes weight from the front axle, reducing steering traction and causing understeer or loss of control.
- Liquid surge
- The forward and rearward movement of liquid in a tank during braking and acceleration, which shifts weight and can cause wheel lockup or loss of traction.
- Slosh
- The side-to-side movement of liquid in a partially filled tank, which can rock the vehicle and amplify body roll toward rollover.
- Free surface effect
- The behavior of liquid with a free surface in a partially filled tank; the liquid shifts freely and raises the effective center of gravity.
- Full tank behavior
- A tank filled to about 90 percent or more has little free space, so the liquid cannot build momentum and the vehicle handles almost like a solid load.
- Forward surge on braking
- Liquid rushing toward the front of the tank pushes weight onto the front axle and can lock wheels or reduce steering control.
- Rearward surge on acceleration
- Liquid rushing to the rear lifts weight off the drive axle, reducing traction; accelerate smoothly to avoid it.
- Bulkhead
- A solid internal wall that divides a tank into separate compartments and stops liquid from moving between them.
- Baffle
- A partial internal wall with openings that slows liquid movement between sections but does not stop surge completely.
- Smooth-bore tank
- An unbaffled tank with no internal dividers; liquid moves freely, so it demands the lowest speeds and longest following distances.
- Multi-compartment tank
- A tank divided into separate compartments that can carry different products; each compartment surges independently, so loads must stay balanced.
- Blocked baffle
- A baffle whose openings are clogged with residue or frozen product, making the tank behave like a smooth-bore tank with full surge.
- Curve entry speed
- The speed at which you enter a curve; it should be below the posted advisory speed when loaded, because posted speeds are set for cars.
- Following distance
- The gap kept behind the vehicle ahead; it should exceed one second per ten feet of vehicle length because surge lengthens stopping distance.
- Progressive braking
- Applying the brakes early and gently with steady pressure, avoiding hard or stab braking that can lock wheels and cause a jackknife.
- Winter tanker speed
- On ice and snow, reduce speed by at least half and avoid abrupt steering, acceleration, and braking, since surge is harder to counter on low traction.
- Black ice
- A thin, hard-to-see ice layer on bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas that removes traction and makes tanker recovery from a slide very difficult.
- Loading compatibility
- Confirming the tank is clean and the product is compatible with any residue; incompatible products can react and cause fire, pressure, or contamination.
- Attended loading
- Staying at the controls during filling and watching for overfill and venting; never leave a tank unattended while it is being loaded.
- Balanced compartment load
- Distributing product front to back and side to side so axle weights stay legal and surge does not concentrate at one end of the tank.
- Flammable vapor hazard
- Vapors from flammable liquids are heavier than air, travel to ignition sources, and collect in low areas, so keep flames and sparks away.
- BLEVE
- A boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion; heat from a fire pressurizes a tank until it fails catastrophically, so stay far away from a burning tanker.