Sulfuric acid finds extensive applications in the national economy, serving as a crucial raw material in metallurgy, chemical fiber, dye industry, fertilizer industry, and various organic and inorganic chemical industries. It is also widely used as a catalyst and solvent in mineral processing, pharmaceuticals, oil refining, and the chemical industry, hence the historical adage, "sulfuric acid is the mother of the chemical industry." Due to its strong corrosiveness, the safe storage of sulfuric acid is a vital aspect throughout its production, transportation, and usage. To ensure the safe operation of storage facilities, systematic considerations should be given to material selection, design, and management.
Material Selection for Sulfuric Acid Storage Tanks
Sulfuric acid tanks (storage tanks) are categorized by material as:Polyethylene Storage Tanks; Steel-Lined Plastic PE Tanks; Carbon Steel Tanks, Steel-Lined PTFE TanksMaterial selection requirements depend on the concentration and specific gravity of sulfuric acid, temperature, and the sulfuric acid usage grade.
Dilute sulfuric acidAvailablePolyethylene Storage Tank。
For concentrations below 40% and densities below 1.3, and temperatures ranging from -30℃ to 60℃, polyethylene PE storage tanks (commonly known as all-plastic tanks) produced according to our company's standards can be used. When densities reach 1.4 or 1.5, thicker tank walls can be achieved by increasing the feed quantity or by using iron clamps for reinforcement. All-plastic tanks are mold products, and dimensions can only be customized according to our company's standards. The thickness of the PE plastic layer can be increased as per customer requirements.
Concentrated sulfuric acidAdoptSteel Lined Plastic PE Storage TankConcentration: 50%-98%. Steel-lined plastic tanks are used at temperatures ranging from -30℃ to 90℃. These steel-lined plastic tanks are non-standard products, available for production according to our company's standards or customized to meet customer requirements. Carbon steel thickness: 6mm-12mm, PE layer thickness: 16mm-20mm.
Industrial-grade concentrated sulfuric acid with 98% concentration, no iron ion requirements, carbon steel (Q235) storage tanks are acceptable.
Reagents and electronic-grade sulfuric acid must be used with steel-lined PTFE material, free of metallic ion issues.
Polyethylene Storage TankMade from pure linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), the product is formed through a special rotomolding process for overall shaping. It boasts advantages such as no welding, light weight, resistance to aging and impact, corrosion resistance, and long service life. It can store the majority of inorganic acid, alkali, and salt solutions, as well as some organic solvents, with strong corrosion resistance, and can partially replace materials like stainless steel, titanium, nickel, and high-grade alloys. The product complies with regulations for hazardous goods storage and transportation, making it a safe and efficient corrosion-resistant equipment. It meets hygiene standards and can replace stainless steel containers for transporting food-grade solutions. Large-scale volume fully plastic polyethylene tanks have even more prominent advantages, maintaining their integral properties. Fully plastic polyethylene vertical tanks also feature easy installation, small footprint, and annular reinforcing ribs to enhance rigidity. They are suitable for various harsh external installation environments. However, their pressure resistance is lower than that of fully plastic horizontal tanks, making them suitable for solutions with a specific gravity less than 1.3 and temperatures below 60°C.
