Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as caustic soda or lye, is a common inorganic compound that is typically used as a strong chemical base.

In liquid form, caustic soda becomes “slippery” and tends to find weak points in storage containers, and fittings, and eventually create drips and leaks.

Winter is approaching fast. With below freezing temperatures and snowstorms affecting millions of people each year, municipalities need to be ready to clear roadways and maintain equipment. De-icing fluid is used to break down ice and frost on roadways and aircrafts.

The type of substance used for de-icing depends on its application, the amount of snowfall and winter temperatures. There are several chemicals used in the de-icing process, including brine, magnesium chloride, propylene glycol, and ethylene glycol. Brine is the most popular of these chemicals, but it can damage vehicles or rebar on roadways.

There are several types of chlorine sources that water treatment plants can use: chlorine gas, liquid sodium hypochlorite, or onsite production. Chlorine gas can be more cost effective, but a growing number of states are converting to bulk sodium hypochlorite or bleach. If chlorine gas is more economical, why would water treatment plants convert to sodium hypochlorite?

Hydrochloric acid (HCl), also known as muriatic acid, is toxic and highly corrosive. The chemical is used in many different applications, including chloride production, refining ore and producing metals like tantalum and tin. 

Because HCl is such a powerful acid, it is often used for neutralizing basic solutions. It also requires careful handling and an engineered storage system that is designed specifically for hydrochloric acid.

If you’ve seen hairline cracks like spiderwebs on your chemical storage tank, you might wonder if you’re looking at a future problem. That’s a good question.

The short answer is, maybe. The long answer is a little more helpful, and this article will outline next steps for dealing with hairline crackling, called crazing.

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. 

There are several important factors to consider if you are in the process of configuring a polyethylene chemical storage tank. Always start the configuration process with the chemical being stored, because the chemical’s properties affect the entire tank design, including fittings and accessories.

One important property is the chemical’s specific gravity. If your chemical tank isn’t rated for the proper specific gravity, you could be looking at costly maintenance and employee injuries.

For most applications, your chemical tank needs to have some kind of containment barrier. If a leak occurs, the containment will prevent the chemical from entering into groundwater or coming into contact with your employees. 

Usually, companies use a large concrete berm to contain spilled chemicals. It’s an effective solution, if your only concern is containment. But concrete berms are a poor business solution. Let's take a closer look at your options and which secondary containment systems make the most sense.

Since 2015, the number of breweries in the U.S. has increased by almost 50% to over 5,500 breweries. As the industry becomes more crowded, the competition among beer makers is also increasing. That means craft breweries need to find more cost-effective ways to scale their business.

Stainless steel tanks are the traditional choice for storing the materials for making beer. But innovative breweries are beginning to realize the business benefits of polyethylene storage tanks.

Sodium hypochlorite, or bleach, is one of the most commonly used chemicals across all industries. But that doesn’t mean you should use a common chemical storage system to contain this aggressive oxidizer. Whether you’re using a bleach concentration of 0.8%, 6%, or 12.5%, sodium hypochlorite will attack your storage tanks more aggressively than most other solutions. Without the proper storage tank system, you could be looking at a catastrophic failure in less time than you expect.