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Chemical Compatibility

Storage Tank — Acids

Strong evidence

30+ years spec experience. Send James the process data and get a real answer — not a catalog page.

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Named chemicals

Sulfuric AcidHydrochloric AcidHydrofluoric Acid

What LibertyCES's vendor documentation shows

Sulfuric acid is the only chemistry with an unconditional secondary-containment mandate per Poly Processing; PE itself fails at 98%+ concentration/fuming form.

Materials documented for this service

  • XLPE (recommended over LPE)
  • PVDF/316SS (above 70%/100F for H2SO4)
  • CPVC

Products cited for this service

Poly Processing SAFE-Tank/IMFOSnyder Vertical/Horizontal Tanks (resin #880046)Peabody ProChemAce Roto-Mold Vertical Tanks

Real Specifications

Sulfuric acid — PVC fitting limitPVC fittings acceptable only up to 70% concentration; CPVC, PVDF, or 316SS required above 70%peabody-general-catalog.md
Sulfuric acid — max service temperatureNot recommended above 100°Fpeabody-general-catalog.md
Sulfuric acid — PE chemical-resistance limitPolyethylene rated Not Resistant (N) at 98% concentration and in fuming form; at 96% PE is resistant but capped to a 70°F max temperatureace-roto-mold-application-guidelines.md
Sulfuric acid tank-size ceiling (no engineering review)Any tank under 11,000 gallons and under 15 feet tall qualifies for sulfuric acid service (Sloped IMFO, IMFO, Vertical, SAFE-Tank systems)poly-processing-chemical-storage.md
HCl tank warranty tieringXLPE with OR-1000 system carries a 5-year warranty; XLPE alone carries a 3-year warrantypoly-processing-chemical-storage.md
Sulfuric acid dedicated resinSnyder Vertical/Horizontal tanks offer a dedicated sulfuric-acid resin formulation (#880046)snyder-industries-tanks.md
Install / Failure Note

Poly Processing states, verbatim, that a "containment tank is required with this chemical in all applications" for sulfuric acid — the only chemistry in their storage guidance with an unconditional secondary-containment mandate. For HCl, Peabody requires venting to a scrubbing system rather than a standard vent, since noxious fumes will otherwise attack surrounding equipment.

A single acid family spans wildly different material requirements by concentration alone — PVC fittings that are fine at 70% sulfuric acid become a leak point above it, and at 98%+ polyethylene itself stops being chemically resistant regardless of temperature. James Riggins specs sulfuric acid tanks against verified concentration and temperature together, not against "sulfuric acid" as a single catalog line item.

Every material and product claim on this page traces to real, vendor-published documentation on file with LibertyCES. Chemical compatibility depends on exact concentration, temperature, and duty cycle — confirm current specifications with the manufacturer and request a spec review before final specification.

FAQ

Is Storage Tank compatible with Acids?

Sulfuric acid is the only chemistry with an unconditional secondary-containment mandate per Poly Processing; PE itself fails at 98%+ concentration/fuming form. This is strong evidence.

What materials are documented for Storage Tank in Acids service?

Materials documented for this service: XLPE (recommended over LPE), PVDF/316SS (above 70%/100F for H2SO4), CPVC. Chemical compatibility depends on exact concentration, temperature, and duty cycle — confirm with a spec review before final specification.

What specific Acids chemicals does this cover?

Named chemicals in this documentation: Sulfuric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, Hydrofluoric Acid.

What products are cited for Storage Tank in Acids service?

Documented examples include Poly Processing SAFE-Tank/IMFO, Snyder Vertical/Horizontal Tanks (resin #880046), Peabody ProChem, Ace Roto-Mold Vertical Tanks.

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