With summer in full swing and temperatures soaring, it is more important than ever to ensure you are properly venting your totes to reduce your chances for an incident.
Venting goes both ways. While the temperatures outside increase, vapors inside the IBC need to be released to avoid an explosion (see attached pics).
Likewise, when temperatures outside drop, product can contract and create suction on your tank, making it very difficult to get the lid removed. Venting considerations should extend beyond components and environmental influences, and should be addressed in your operational procedures.
An operator who opens the valve on an IBC without venting the tank can create so much vacuum inside an IBC that it collapses itself and its cage. Likewise, if an operator is filling a tote from the bottom without making sure the tank is vented, it could explode. Even well performing IBC’s can burst at pressures as low as 5 PSI.
Besides the inherent damage to the tote itself, not properly venting your totes can create many safety issues for your company.
- Operators can get hurt from the percussive and physical results of a tote exploding within close proximity.
- Remaining product inside the tote can be projected onto people and equipment, possibly causing chemical burns.
- Product in the tank can end up on the ground, creating an EPA and OSHA violation.
- Lost product = Lost Money
- Production downtime, cleanup and disposal, all create headaches for organizations.
So What Can You Do?
- Ensure when you are ordering your totes that you, assess the product going into, and whether or not it will require venting
- If the tote is exposed to direct sunlight/heat, it may create pressure inside the tote?
- Ensure that if your product requires venting, you use appropriate venting for the type of chemical and type of venting required.
- Try to limit outdoor exposure if possible or exposure to direct heat/cold.
- Never hook a tote directly into a process.
- Do not leave totes unattended while filling or draining.
There is a large selection of pressure ranges and chemical compatibility when it comes to venting options. Contact Premier Container for selection assistance to ensure proper application.
