How Storage Tanks and Vacuum Receivers Improve Chemical Handling Efficiency
In today’s industrial world, there is a growing need for greater efficiency in how chemicals are handled. Chemical handling impacts many aspects of an Organisation’s operations, including safety, productivity, cost control, as well as compliance with regulatory requirements. Companies involved with the manufacture of chemicals (e.g., pharmaceuticals, oil/gas) rely heavily on having a system(s) that allow them to store, transfer and process materials safely. The two most important elements of this chemical handling system are storage tanks and vacuum receivers.
Although many people do not consider storage tanks and vacuum receivers when thinking of their chemical handling operation, they are critical to the success of your operation. When properly designed and implemented, both storage tanks and vacuum receivers can significantly lower your risk, streamline your workflow, create consistency within your processes, and support long-term efficiencies. This blog will highlight some of the ways storage tanks and vacuum receivers improve your overall chemical handling efficiency and the reasons they are essential for your industrial applications.
Understanding Chemical Handling Challenges
Hazardous material handling includes the storage, movement, mixing, and processing of hazardous and delicate substances. Common problems faced while handling these materials include:
- Leak, Spill, and Corrosion Risks
- Worker Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals
- Inconsistency in Material Streaming and Pressure Fluctuation
- High Maintenance Costs and Long Downtime
- Staff/Environmental and Safety Regulatory Compliance
To effectively overcome these challenges, a reliable infrastructure to provide safe and sustainable chemical handling under varied chemical compatibility, temperature, and pressure conditions is essential. Vacuum receivers and storage tanks, on the other hand, give excellent structural solutions to these problems.
Role of Storage Tanks in Chemical Handling
1. Safe and Secure Chemical Storage
Storage tanks are specifically designed to keep chemicals safe over a long period compared to temporary containers (such as drums). Unlike temporary containers/delivery methods, industrial tanks are constructed with the following considerations: chemical compatibility, structural integrity, and safety.
Industrial tanks constructed out of FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic), PP, PVC, or lined with Steel have an extremely high resistance to corrosion and chemical attacks, which guarantees:
- Long-lasting service life for the industrial tank.
- Very low probability of leaking.
- Excellent protection against contamination of the stored chemicals.
Industrial tanks will also protect personnel and the environment from hazards and maintain the purity of the chemicals by preventing failures due to corrosion.
2. Centralized and Organized Chemical Management
By employing tanks for chemical storage, industries can turn to one area of centralized storage vs multiple small containers. These types of chemical storage offer a variety of efficiencies.
- Less frequent handling/transfer.
- Fewer opportunities for human error.
- Improved inventory tracking and accuracy.
- Improved speed of materials during production.
The organizational process of storing chemicals in tanks creates a more efficient and organized system for accessing your chemicals, helping to eliminate any interruption of the production process and reducing downtime.
3. Improved Inventory Control and Planning
Modern day Storage Tanks are now designed to have level indicators, sensors and automated interfacing systems that give Chemical Inventory information in real time. Therefore:
- An accurate tracking of Inventory
- A timely replenishment schedule
- A way to prevent overfilling and dry running of the Tank.
By managing your inventory more effectively, you can ensure that your operations remain uninterrupted and your purchase processes are optimally designed.
4. Enhanced Safety and Regulatory Compliance
To meet all regulatory and environmental requirements, industrial storage tanks must include various safety features designed to reduce the potential for an accident. Some of the many safety features include secondary containment, venting systems, pressure relief devices, and adequate tank system foundations.
The benefits of compliance include:
- A decreasing risk of a workplace incident
- A reduced environmental responsibility
- Less difficult for an audit or inspection
A safe storage system instills confidence for regulators, employees, and stakeholders.
5. Efficient Chemical Transfer and Flow Control
Liquid, slurry or vapour is transported from one location to another using negative pressure via the use of vacuum receivers. This technology is especially useful in instances where gravity flowing the material is not an option and/or you wish to transfer viscous and/or hazardous materials.
Advantages of this Method include:
- Efficient and fast material transfer
- Minimized labour
- Limited spillage and residual material remaining in the pipe system
Vacuum technology provides more rapid movement while assuring that your workplace remains clean and safe to use.
6. Stabilizing Pressure in Industrial Processes
Controlled pressure environments are necessary to conduct many chemical processes, meaning sudden pressure changes will prevent proper chemical reaction/processing, damage equipment, and affect the quality of products produced.
Vacuum receivers serve as buffers to:
- Absorb pressure fluctuations
- Protect vacuum pumps from becoming overloaded
- Maintain the same conditions while operating
The stability achieved through the use of vacuum receivers will improve the overall efficiency of processes and extend the life of the equipment used for these processes.
7. Supporting Filtration, Drying, and Recovery Processes
The use of vacuum receivers has grown in popularity. They have gained much use with both:
- Vacuum Filtration
- Solvent Recovery
- Drying processes
Utilizing Vacuum Conditions to Collect and Separate Fluids Increases Separation Efficiency and Shortens Time Required for Processing. Resulting in Increased Throughput and Better Resource Utilization.
How Storage Tanks and Vacuum Receivers Work Together
Integrated chemical handling systems are the most effective configuration for the operation of storage tanks as well as vacuum receivers. The integration of both storage tanks and vacuum receivers provides a safe method to store and control the transfer of chemical product from one area of an operation to another while providing pressure stabilization and an unbroken flow of product throughout the operation.
1. Centralized Storage with Controlled Distribution
Storage tanks provide a centralized location for storing chemicals, raw materials and/or liquids used in processes. The storage tank serves as the biggest holding area for chemical products, therefore allowing for large volumes of chemical products to be held and stored in a controlled manner and be free from contamination, leaks, or adverse environmental conditions.
The vacuum receiver provides the means to withdraw material from the storage tanks and then transfer it to process equipment such as agitators, reactors, mixers, filters, etc. When materials are received in vacuum receivers, there is no need for an operator to manually load or pump materials from drums, which increases efficiency and safety.
2. Smooth and Spill-Free Material Transfer
Connecting a tank’s storage area to a vacuum receiver allows for the transfer of chemicals using the vacuum’s negative pressure rather than a pump or other mechanical device, which has several advantages:
- Less chance of leaks or spills
- Less exposure to chemical fumes or vapours for employees
- Clean pipes with minimal residue buildup
A vacuum receiver allows for the efficient movement of chemicals from storage to processing, regardless of how far apart the two locations are or how complex the piping is.
3. Pressure Balance and Process Stability
When it comes to managing liquid chemicals in the industrial sector, a high degree of control over pressure is necessary. Chemical Storage Tanks: Maintain chemical inventory in a consistent and stable state. Vacuum Receivers control the pressure fluctuations that occur when transferring Chemicals from tanks into production processes or reactors; therefore, eliminating any risk of damage caused by sudden changes in pressure in the transfer operation and creating an even flow rate and stable process conditions required for optimal product performance and reliable operation of the chemical manufacturing system.
Enhancing Productivity and Operational Efficiency
To effectively store chemicals and handle chemical processes within the chemical manufacturing sector, storage tanks and vacuum receivers improve both operational and production efficiency through system efficiencies. They allow for improved overall productivity because they improve chemical storage, transferring, and pressurizing by eliminating several inefficiencies that slow down chemical production and raise production costs.
1. Material consistently available and uninterrupted
One of the most significant productivity problems faced by chemical manufacturers is the interruption of the manufacturing process when there are not enough raw materials or when there is a delay in transferring them to a chemical manufacturing unit. Storage tanks provide large quantities of raw chemical material and allow for consistent availability of raw chemical material so that chemical manufacturers will always have sufficient quantities on hand to produce products.
When storage tanks are integrated with vacuum receivers, manufacturing plants are able to transfer chemicals to the processing units automatically on demand, eliminating the need for downtime caused by the time spent refilling, changing drums, and/or transferring batches of chemicals and allowing the production process to continue uninterrupted.
2. Faster and More Efficient Chemical Transfer
Storage tanks and vacuum receivers provide the means for transporting chemical products safely in a reliable manner, allowing the quick and efficient transfer of materials through an entire industrial process. By using ambient air pressure to create a vacuum and by having storage tanks that are constantly filled with materials, the two components work in tandem to eliminate the potential for spills, leaks, and other types of contaminants from entering the supply chain. Together, these systems allow for faster production cycles and increased overall operational performance in the manufacturing industry.
Conclusion
The safe, efficient and reliable handling of chemicals requires proper storage tanks, proper design and proper use of vacuum receivers to support the storage and transfer of your chemicals. Proper designs will lead to less manual intervention, reduced downtime, minimized maintenance costs, improved safety at work, and support the regulatory requirements for safe chemical handling. A proper design creates greater operational efficiency and improvements in productivity through continuous chemical supply. An investment in designing and implementing proper storage tanks and vacuum receivers will facilitate consistent future-production performance, provide long-term operational cost-savings, and allow for operational green growth.