storage tank for sulfuric acid! immediately

You might try stainless steels like 316 depending on concentration and temperature. If it is a storage tank for ambient conditions, say <120F, then 316 is good below 10% and would be good up to 25% at 75F. I'm referencing an old DuPont handbook. Also, mentioned are aluminum, copper, monel, Al bronze. Perry's Handbook for Chemical Engineers confirms.

Dear Sir
You can use two component polyamide adduct cured epoxy painted carbon steel shell for the storage of dilute sulphuric acid. If the temperature is aroun 65-70 degree C, you can use GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Olastic) tanks as well. Depends on your economics. The former is cheaper butrequires regular maintenece, whereas the latter is costlier but minimal maintenance. ssp
pic, kuw.

How big is your storage tank?

What do you mean by dilute?

What is the acid temperature?

There are many materials that can handle your enviroment, we would need to knoe the percentage and temp. of your application, a FRP composite will work in diluted sulfuric or a Dual-Laminate construction.

I echo the comments of suzuki. A straight fiberglass vessel will work extremetly well. At elevated concentrations and temperatures, a flouropolymer lined fiberglass structure is best.

Greg Hopkins

you may need to consider a dual laminate tank - either CPVC/RTP or a Tefzel(ETFE)/RTP construction. follow the design, inspection, and testing requirements of ASME RTP-1 Mandatory Appendix M-12 for best results.

visit this site for one source of design and manufacture.

you will need to be specific on the concentration and temperature of the sulfuric acid - straight RTP can handle concentrations up to ~ 70% at relatively low temperatures (100F comes to mind but if you check out or you may be able to narrow it down better).

good luck

Please give more information -- tank size and shape, sulfuric concentration and temperature range. Do you have to meet some specification for your application? Is this a waste solution, any dissolved metals or chlorides or organics or chlorinated solvents or detergents?

For moderate temperatures and tank size, your least expensive tank is cylindrical, flat-bottomed polyethylene. Same material as 55-gallon drums used for 93% sulfuric.
For small tanks, molded polypropylene is slightly better than polyethylene and can handle higher temperature.

For higher temperatures and larger tanks, you already have lots of good suggestions for reinforced plastic tanks. Use vinylester resin (not polyester) if choose FRP.

Of the metals (uncoated) mentioned, I have used all (except monel) plus silicon bronze and titanium in various sulfuric solutions and would not use any as a tank. 316L SS is maybe suitable if lots of oxygen (aeration). Copper can only be used if totally air- and oxygen-free condition. Aluminum, you cannot not use any high strength alloy, only high purity Al; it will form a protective sulfate smut. Titanium and Hastalloy C are OK for dilute solutions. For critical applications, zirconium has excellent chemical resistance; my company uses for heat exchangers.

For coated steel tanks, vinyl is good for low/moderate temperature (to ~150 F) and some grades of Hypalon are good up to 300 F. I believe Hypalon is the lining used in railroad cars for shipping hot sulfuric.