Critical Tips for Reliable Citric Acid Storage

Citric acid is a chemical commonly used in a number of different beverages and drinks as a flavoring and preservative. It can also be found in some household cleaners. Safe citric acid storage isn’t necessarily a major challenge, but there are a few things you must keep in mind in order to make certain that you’re storing citric acid properly. 

Understanding and Using Citric Acid 

Even though it’s one of the weaker organic acids, citric acid still requires special storage. It is one of the strongest edible acids and is actually a natural type of preservative, which is why it’s used in food and beverages.  

Citric acid can also be used as a cleaner to remove limescale buildup or to clean membrane filters in water and wastewater treatment plants. In medicine, it’s used to adjust the pH of gels and creams.

Citric acid can also be used in place of nitric acid in the process of passivation, which gives stainless steel a special corrosion resistance. 

3 Citric Acid Storage Tips 

While the chemical isn’t particularly dangerous, you need to design your storage system appropriately for citric acid. Every chemical has its own unique properties, and the wrong kind of tank can be susceptible to leaks or costly repairs.

Here are three considerations that you should keep in mind before selecting a chemical storage tank for citric acid.

1. Tank strength

When you’re storing a chemical such as citric acid, it’s important to use a tank with structural integrity. While linear polyethylene tanks are budget-friendly, they aren’t as strong as cross-linked polyethylene, and they can’t provide the same long-term safety and performance.

The better option is a tank that uses high-density cross-linked polyethylene. It’s much stronger than linear polyethylene, and the tank’s life expectancy and longevity make it a cost-effective investment.

2. Leak Prevention

Leaks cost a great deal of money, because you’re not only losing product, you also have to clean up the area and repair the storage system. The leaked acid may also damage other equipment or injure your employees.

Safe and proper citric acid storage must minimize leaks. The most space-efficient containment system option is to use a SAFE-Tank, which is a “tank within a tank” approach to secondary containment. Using a double-walled tank system is as close to leak-proof as possible, without requiring extra space. 

3. Prevent/Minimize Corrosion. 

Finally, use a tank system that minimizes or prevents corrosion, which can compromise the tank’s integrity. If containment is already provided onsite, the slope-bottom IMFO tank minimizes the amount of contact between the citric acid and any part of the tank that is susceptible to corrosion, such as gaskets or bolts.

Citric Acid Storage Specifications

Our cross-linked polyethylene tanks are ideal for long-term citric acid storage. The system is comprised of a 1.65 spg XLPE tank, PVC Fittings, EPDM Gaskets, and 316 SS bolts.

Poly Processing tanks are NSF/ANSI 61 certified for citric acid at any concentration.

If you want to learn more about how to use a polyethylene chemical storage tank for your application, contact one of our chemical storage experts today.