Can You Store Ferric Chloride in a Poly Tank?
Yes, in XLPE, never in FRP.
By James Riggins, Lead Engineer, Liberty Chemical & Equipment Supply, Inc.
Yes, in XLPE, not FRP. Poly Processing's guidance for ferric chloride up to 50% is XLPE rated 1.65 specific gravity with PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets, titanium bolts and a true-bottom drain. FRP is not suitable because ferric chloride etches the resin.
Ferric chloride: tank spec points
| Point | What the manufacturer documents | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Resin | XLPE rated 1.65 specific gravity. Not FRP, which ferric chloride etches. | Rule: ferric chloride and FRP |
| Fittings | PVC fittings, EPDM gaskets, titanium bolts, and an IMFO true-bottom drain to handle settling and sludge. | Rule: ferric chloride and FRP |
| Heat and mixing | Heat pads or insulation (ferrics are often delivered warm, which tests tank expansion and contraction) and a mixing system to prevent separation. | Rule: ferric chloride and FRP |
| Venting | A scrubber if vented outdoors. Ferric fumes can defoliate surrounding vegetation. | Rule: ferric chloride and FRP |
| Limits | Ferric chloride up to 50%, ferric sulfate up to 60%. | Rule: ferric chloride and FRP |
Catalog lines published at 1.65 SG or higher
19 of the 52 product lines on the storage tank hub publish a specific-gravity rating of 1.65 or more, from 3 manufacturers. A published rating is not a chemical-compatibility rating: confirm the resin for ferric chloride with the manufacturer.
- Ace Roto-Mold, Vertical Tanks (10–15,500 gal), rated to 2.00 SG
- Ace Roto-Mold, Gusseted Tanks (1,050–15,500 gal), rated to 1.80 SG
- Snyder Industries, Cone Bottom Tanks (15–13,000 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Ace Roto-Mold, Cone Bottom Tanks (150–12,500 gal), rated to 2.00 SG
- Snyder Industries, Double Wall Tank (35–12,500 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem Chemical & Agricultural Tanks (25–10,000 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem Chemical & Agricultural Open Top Tanks (1,100–10,000 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Snyder Industries, Vertical Tanks (22–9,500 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Ace Roto-Mold, Dualline Double Wall Tanks (65–6,500 gal), rated to 2.00 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem PLUS DCS Dual Containment Base Tank Set (300–4,000 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Snyder Industries, Horizontal Tanks (30–3,400 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Ace Roto-Mold, Cone Bottom Tanks - Open Top (840–2,610 gal), rated to 1.70 SG
- Ace Roto-Mold, Round Horizontal Tanks (25–500 gal), rated to 1.70 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem Cone Bottom Tanks - 30/45 Slope (45–500 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem Open Top Cone Bottom Tanks - 22.5 Slope (100–500 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem Solid Top Cone Bottom Tanks - 22.5 Slope (100–500 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Ace Roto-Mold, Vertical and Cone Bottom Batch Tanks (55–325 gal), rated to 2.00 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem Square Tank (up to 140 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
- Peabody Engineering, ProChem Cone Bottom Tanks - 60 Slope (19–101 gal), rated to 1.90 SG
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ferric chloride be stored in a fiberglass (FRP) tank?
No. Poly Processing's literature warns that ferric chloride acts as an etching medium on FRP resin.
What concentration of ferric chloride can go in an XLPE tank?
Poly Processing publishes limits of 50% for ferric chloride and 60% for ferric sulfate.
Why does a ferric chloride tank need a mixer and heat?
Ferrics separate and settle, which makes them hard to pump, and they are often delivered warm, which tests the tank through expansion and contraction.
Related
Other chemicals
Tanks by material and shape:HDPE / polyethylene tanks · Polypropylene tanks · FRP (fiberglass) tanks · Vertical tanks · Cone bottom tanks · Flat bottom tanks · Horizontal tanks · Rectangular tanks · Double-wall tanks
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Reviewed by James Riggins, 30+ years specifying water and chemical process equipment · Updated