Polymers are important chemicals used in the headworks of wastewater treatment plants. They facilitate the flocculation or coagulation of solids in the wastewater to produce large curds of solid materials. They also aid in dewatering of digester cake — reducing the water content to make it easier and less expensive to transport waste materials to the landfill.

Polymers are highly viscous environmental stress cracking agents, which means they present unique storage challenges that require the right storage solution for adequate safety and cost effectiveness. Let’s explore these challenges and solutions.

Peracetic acid is a bactericide and fungicide that is used in the food industry and wastewater management. It’s a potent chemical that must be treated with care and stored properly. Improper handling could be costly and result in personal injury.

We've recorded a podcast with industry experts Phil Harvey, Vice President of Operations and Jane Smith, Director of Marketing from Enviro Tech. We had an in-depth discussion about using and storing peracetic acid.

You can listen to the full podcast and / or read the summary below. Click on the download arrow in the player below to download or the play button to listen.

You can also download and favorite the Poly Processing Tech Talk Podcast from your favorite podcast player including iTunes, Google Play, Pandora, Stitcher, Spotify, and YouTube. Just type in the search box in the player of choice "Poly Processing Company Tech Talk" and then favorite it or like it. That's all there is to it. 

Once your food production facility outgrows your 300-gallon totes, it’s time to look into larger storage tanks for food storage and clean-in-place chemicals.

There are several options on the market to choose from, but you’ll need to consider which storage tank can meet your greatest challenges: FDA requirements, full-drain capabilities, and cost-effectiveness.

Commercial sodium hypochlorite is the product of chlorine and sodium hydroxide. It is typically supplied as a liquid solution with a concentration of about 12%. Although the liquid solution is more expensive than gas, it has a lower health risk, it’s easier and safer to use, and it reduces the risk of releasing chlorine gas — especially in areas that are close to surrounding properties.

Acetic acid is a versatile, common chemical that’s used for a variety of purposes. The colorless liquid usually has a sour odor and can cause physical harm if it isn’t handled correctly. It is critical to ensure that you design a proper storage solution because improper acetic acid storage can risk the health of the people who work near it.

Whether you’re an engineer writing a spec for a chemical storage system, or an end-user who is looking for the best way to store corrosive chemicals, there are multiple factors that go into creating a safe storage system. Cost might be your first consideration, but there is more to consider than the initial price of the tank, its fittings and accessories, delivery, and installation.

Sulfuric acid is one of the most widely used chemicals in the United States. More sulfuric acid is produced every year than any other chemical. It has a multitude of industry-specific uses, such as the production of other chemicals, dyes and pigments, water treatment and fertilizers.

This heavy, corrosive chemical requires a specifically designed storage system. That’s why Poly Processing follows engineered guidelines that ensure safety and enhanced tank life.

Clean-in-place (CIP) systems are becoming more and more popular in the food manufacturing industry. The system design makes cleaning the interior surfaces of a storage tank and the lines going out of it more effective and efficient without having to enter the tank. They also allow for a thorough cleaning with less exposure to harmful chemicals or contamination of food and beverage mixtures.

Many hazardous situations are safer because of CIP systems, but they require certain considerations to be effective. Let’s look at how to make your clean-in-place system most effective.

Firefighting foam is commonly used at airports, hangars and other locations where hazardous fires can occur. The foaming agent used in the foam in most cases is a surfactant based chemical. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids, or a liquid and a solid. Dishwashing liquid is a surfactant—and like firefighting foam, it foams up when it mixes with water.

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.